How Many of You Are Actually Using Strokes Gained to Guide Your Practice?

[ChetlovesMer]

Having Shot Scope gives you a lot of data. 

Sometimes that data just confirms what we already know.

Other times, however, it shows us where we need to improve to reach our goals. 

So, my goal is to get my handicap to single digits. So, what I've been doing in comparing my performance to a 10 HCP. By using Stokes Gained it gives me my relative performance compared to 10 handicappers. It seems to be a pretty good way to see where you need improvement. How many of you are using Strokes Gained to guide your practice? 

Anyone have other thoughts on the subject of using Strokes Gained to achieve your golf goals? 

[ChetlovesMer]

Okay, here's what I've learned from Strokes Gained so far. 
To reach my goal of single digit handicap I need to get better at approach shots and putting.
This is with 8 rounds in so I think its enough data to spot a trend. 

As compared to a 10HCP I'm gaining shots off the tee and in my short game. But I'm losing shots in Approach play and Putting. 
So, obviously, I need to work on my approach play. 

 

When I break it down a little further. It looks like the approach shots where I'm losing the most strokes are the 50 to 100 yard range. I'm losing a bit from 100-200, but doing better than a 10HCP from outside 200. 

 

What about putting?
Well, as it turns out. It's the short putts that are hurting me. I'm losing shots to a 10HCP inside of 10 feet. 

What's it all mean?

Well, apparently If I want to get to a 10 handicap (or a single digit), I need to work hard on my short putts and my shorter approach play. 

[Carl3]

I voted "Something Else" as I know about the concept and read half of Brodie's book, but don't know where to begin the analysis.

I assume it would be beneficial to use an app or software to track your shots/game. I bet you can also log the data manually. I would love a primer on this Dr. Chet 😀

 

[JetFan1983]

I voted for "I use Strokes Gained to guide my practice and I regularly monitor my progress."

 

That being said, I don't track my strokes gained yet. I do strongly believe in the concept though, and I use it to guide my practice. I understand how the more areas of the game you can separate yourself against the field, in my case, the other amateur golfers, the better at golf you will be.  If I'm below the frequency in any area of what a scratch golfer would be, I continue to work on that area of course. And I'm worse at everything compared to a scratch golfer (so I got that going for me).

My full swing is the worst though of all the areas measured, and I definitely don't need to see data to know that one 🤣. I'll invest in one of these services when I start logging some rounds with regularity. I definitely support the practice if for no other reason that it's fun to probably see the numbers.

 

[mohearn]

I use it and chose  "I use Strokes Gained to guide my practice and I regularly monitor my progress."

On monday while playing (in the driving rain) I described strokes gained to a playing partner who, while he got the math, just couldn't understand why that helped him vs traditional metrics like #putts, etc.   I wonder if anyone else who's taught stroks gained to others has found a good way to describe it so that others can get it.

[Darkfrog]

Voted that I use strokes gained to guide my practice, and monitor my progress.

My trend is that I lose strokes on full swing shots, while putting and short game are usually positive or neutral.

I focus almost exclusively on practicing full swing stuff, and I review my strokes gained data almost immediately after every round, although instant stats probably don't tell the same story as maybe monthly or quarterly review of progress (or regression).

[StuM]

Sad to say but I had to vote “I do not practice” since this year I’ve only hit on the range just before a round.  I should practice and I should use SG to guide me.

3 hours ago, JetFan1983 said:

I voted for "I use Strokes Gained to guide my practice and I regularly monitor my progress."

 

That being said, I don't track my strokes gained yet. I do strongly believe in the concept though, and I use it to guide my practice

Isn’t this a little contradictory? 

[saevel25]

I use to keep track, but do not anymore. I tend to know what areas I need to work on. I also have priority pieces that I need to work on. If I have two rounds of bad short game, I know it is time to go sharpen it up. Outside of that, I work on my long game most of the time. I just have built in intuition on what I need to work on. 

[Double Mocha Man]

22 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

I use to keep track, but do not anymore. I tend to know what areas I need to work on. I also have priority pieces that I need to work on. If I have two rounds of bad short game, I know it is time to go sharpen it up. Outside of that, I work on my long game most of the time. I just have built in intuition on what I need to work on. 

I use Strokes Gained on the Green.  I hear guys say, "I only had 27 putts."  Well, what does that mean?  Did you putt well or did you chip well?

[billchao]

I'm feel I'm somewhere in between, "I know what strokes gained is but don't use it" and, "I use it regularly to guide my practice."

I don't really need strokes gained to know where I'm losing shots, but I do check once in a while for glaring weaknesses. It's just not enough for me to consider it regular guidance.

[saevel25]

3 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

I use Strokes Gained on the Green.  I hear guys say, "I only had 27 putts."  Well, what does that mean?  Did you putt well or did you chip well?

Again, once you have your software re-written in your head, it is easy to get a feel for that when you play. I think it is super valuable as a way to prove concepts. 

[Shindig]

I'm somewhere in between.  Sure, I see that I putt far worse than my handicap level, and I hit my irons far better, but I don't really go into deficit-practice as much as I should, unless I have a big tournament coming up -- in which case, I would still emphasize short game for the week or so leading into it, even if those were my strengths instead of weaknesses.  

I'll probably take a putting lesson soon, both for the stroke and for read.  And I might even learn to chip one of these days.  But long term, my focus is still on improving my approach and driver play.

[JetFan1983]

1 hour ago, StuM said:

Isn’t this a little contradictory? 

Yea probably since I'm not actually tracking any stats yet, but as for using the concepts of stroked gained to guide how I think about practice and what's important, yes I am absolutely doing that.

[iacas]

On 8/25/2022 at 10:04 AM, ChetlovesMer said:

So, my goal is to get my handicap to single digits. So, what I've been doing in comparing my performance to a 10 HCP.

Shouldn't you compare it to a 5?

[ChetlovesMer]

41 minutes ago, iacas said:

Shouldn't you compare it to a 5?

I don't know?
I guess I thought if I was gaining strokes in all facets against a 10 hcp, I'd have to be a single digit. But maybe I'm thinking about it wrong. 

If I do look at it compared to a 5 HCP. It looks like this: 

Which shows me that my Tee Shots and Short Game are about where they need to be to play as a single digit. But I need to improve my Approaches and Putting. 

When I break it down further. Once again, apparently my 50-100 yard approaches are really dragging me down, but now my 100-150 also needs to improve some. 
With putting my under 10 foot putting is a boat anchor on my score. The rest of my putting is pretty close. So, I still pretty much need to work on about the same weaknesses. But your point is well taken. Comparing to a 5HCP shows everything much more clearly. 

Thanks.

Edited August 31, 2022 by ChetlovesMer