Strokes gained with "Godfather of Golf Analytics" | Golf Channel

[@arvindkumar-bj6vk]

Simple but effective explanation of SG! The super stat of golf. 👏🏽

[@johnbrown-cl6sj]

True wisdom to understanding the game of Golf!

[@waffles1ca]

Great explanation. I had in my own decided that if I could drive 200 yards vs my 160 average I should gain 4 strokes over the 15 driving holes. Watching this video makes me think I’m not far off.

[@viking_fisherman]

The mystery is solved! Thank you SO much for this explanation!!! Beautiful!

[@TerlinguaTalkeetna]

I love a flush solid iron or drive like anybody but man it is great to make a putt when you really need it and you see it drop.

[@jpjwds]

Wait, if JT gained 0.9 strokes from his putting and 0.2 from his Drive then putts are for dough?

[@deldridg]

It's a good question. In my mind, the driver is far less variable than the putter. For example, a good tee shot for me is around 240m (260y), very rarely anything more than 250m (275y). No way I could drive another 20m with any consistency. However, from the first time I played golf, I could get lucky and sink 30 foot putts. So, over time, my "least variable asset" is my drive, which off 7.9 is reasonably consistent these days and my putts, well - really depends on the day. Not sure if that adds anything - just thinking aloud! 😊

[@ferryvos8805]

In an amateur competition a statistic “strokes gained cheating” might be helpful ⛳️

[@derekcarday]

6:21 but the "various contributions" DOES imply drive for show putt for dough. That putt contributed the most.

[@mumleyja]

How is the strokes average calculated from anywhere else on the hole besides the tee?

[@blakebarrilleaux8073]

through shotlink, they know averages of all players from pretty much any distance from the hole how many strokes it takes to hole out.

[@derekcarday]

Does anyone here trade options? Mark could improve in minor ways in how he approaches the strokes he has gained. Each golf hole has an "expiration," if you will. Similar to an option expiring. You could be gaining (strokes in the case of golf) along the way to expiration. However, the intrinsic value (position of the ball) is exponentially more important when it is "in the money" (in play) and closer to expiration (closer to the hole).

[@derekcarday]

6:22 but JT sinking that putt gained him 0.9 whereas his bombed drive and approach combined didn't gain him as much. Much of golf really is just giving yourself looks at a putt and hoping it drops.

[@Bech285]

Definitely, which is another variable to consider. This is were knowing your shot pattern comes in handy, so you're giving yourself the chance to putt more often than not.

[@silvermediastudio]

This is mostly snake oil, except for players below around 4hcp. It completely misses the impact of lie, and how better players are so much better getting out of rough, bunkers, and other bad lies. 8+ and especially 12+ handicappers simply don't have the skill level to make these statistical analyses useful. Great for pros and highly skilled amateurs. Not for weekend warriors.

[@AR-dl3kn]

How is the 0.2 sg off the tee calculated

[@Bech285]

It's all about benchmarks. I've got this from an example of strokes gained: If you've got a 446 yards par 4, the PGA Tour benchmark from the tee is 4.1 shots. You hit a drive in the fairway with 116 yards to go. The benchmark from 116 yards is 2.825. So your drive started out as 4.1, went to 2.852. The formula is Strokes Gained for shot = Starting position Benchmark - Finishing position Benchmark -1. So 4.1-2.825-1 = 0.275. Which means you gained 0.275 from your drive. You keep doing this for each shot and compare it to the benchmark of that shot.

[@realityobservationalist7290]

How are projected averages calculated for specific or unique positions? I can understand a projected average off the tee, or at a yardage to green, or distance to hole on the green, but what about all the specific positions where an average cannot even be technically calculated? For example, if you are at say 242 yards out, in the rough, behind a tree, in a position and lie that nobody has been all week or year, how can you even calculate a projected average to determine S.G. from that spot? What am I missing?

[@tylersouthcott3359]

Could be wrong, I believe for the pga tour they have a strokes gained number for each area of the course. Like if your on the right side in the trees from 150 they can look at previous shots from that specific area, not necessarily just distance. For apps like Arccos (which I use and is great overall) this is a flaw imo because they solely base it on distance

[@SyedFaizalAlYahya]

wow....that sound hard with all the math coming in 😂 😂

[@deldridg]

I wonder how granular the strokes gained data is. Is it pros vs amateurs or is it by handicap? The profile of stokes gained would be very different for different handicap bands. I also wonder if there's value in a "stokes lost" concept. Thinking aloud, it would be more concerned with the price of missing the intended target (or choosing the wrong target perhaps). I know I dropped a few shots on my handicap after reading David Pelz's excellent book "Damage Control" which says that statistically, if you hit into the rough, you lose less than 1 shot on average if you can improve on where your errant shot was meant to be, rather than to try to play your 2nd shot. Such an awesome game!

[@Scott-j9o]

The whole 'strokes gained' philosophy has one critical flaw. Its strokes gained compared to the average in each category. It works very well for players who are average in all of their strength and abilities. Not how humans are made. For example; Smaller players in the past(Runyan, Toski, Peete) were competitive because they focused on their strengths and improved those. If Calvin Peete focused more of his time on hitting it longer, he would have sacrificed his greatest strength. consistency. Not every shorter hitter has the power to overcome rough like an 'average' player. A player who is 5'6" and weighs 140 pounds will not be as effective hitting out of thick rough as a 6' tall 185 pound player. The smaller player will most likely be able to hit a much longer club from the fairway than one or two clubs less out of rough.

[@aguy3412]

FLAWED formula NOT flawed….how strokes gained is used flawed. 100 yard shot sunny no wind 75 degree day vs 100 yard shot rain wind 20 into,,,both in fairway….strokes gain counts them both the same WHAT!?!?…….and ALL info weather etc….in order to get accurate measure…….8ft putt up hill straight vs 8ft putt 6ft of break downhill…strokes gain counts them the same FLAWED!!

[@aguy3412]

a daily adjustment for weather LMAO…..BECAUSE SUN UP TO SUNDOWN WEATHER WIND, ETC….ALWAYS STAYS THE SAME..LOL…YEAH SF I CAN HELP IGNORANT,,,,BUT I CANT HELP STUPID……..STROKES GAINED OS FLAWED BECAUSE NO ALL INFO ALL INFO AGAIN ALL INFO IS PUT INTO FORMULA….IT MATTERS

[@Scott-j9o]

Agree completely. 'Strokes gained' is treated as the perfect blueprint for lowering your scores. It is overly simplistic and ignores as you stated, SO many other variables