Are Golf stat systems (Game Golf, Arcoss, Shotscope etc) really worth buying?

[turkish]

I have had a game golf in the past and got fed up with forgetting to tag shots so sold it but have seen shot scope and arcoss you don't have to tag anymore which is appealing but I've been thinking a bit more and in terms of distances should you really read into what you get for your average 6 Iron etc?

My track hasn't had a day without a strong wind this year I don't think so are these distances really relevant when one day you are hitting that 6 iron into the wind and the next behind you. I know you could say they average out but I don't think they will as it would be course dependant that you never hit that particular club into a wind and vice versa.

Thoughts? Are they useful and in what way?

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I've stuck with Game Golf for over 2 years now and I believe it has helped me get my handicap down from 15 to 11 over that period, it's not so much club distances I like, it was more the accuracy stats and helping me identify the weaker parts of my game.

I'm not hitting the ball any further but I am better and more focussed on picking the right club and course management,

 

[PJ87]

its not so much shot distance its total game stats, where you loose most shots ie off the tee, putting, short game or approach

 

[brendy]

Are you consistent enough to take a true reading from stats?
ie last 5 games you were left of the fairway on the first hole. Does this tell you to aim further right, use a different club or ignore it as you have a dose of the pulls or hooks?
The only stat that interests me is rarely being up to the pin with full swing approach shots. I virtually always underclub as id rather hit a full iron and try to squeeze the couple of extra yards than hit an extra club easier (I do pull easier swings).

 

[Jacko_G]

Can be information overload at times however if you like that sort of thing then I'm sure stats are beneficial to the individual. Personally if I know how far I hit a club that does me.

 

[turkish]

I know my carry distances all things being equal but that was my point- if you start reading into distances based on these systems they could be heavily skewed if it's been a particularly windy, wet, or dry/baked conditions.

I could still see merit in scoring on particular holes then looking more closely at where your misses are if there is a pattern.

Brendy I am kinda swaying towards what you are saying though- am I consistent enough to read into the stats? I'm really not sure that I am! I don't think there is any kind of pattern on misses on certain holes for me for example

 

[r0wly86]

its not so much shot distance its total game stats, where you loose most shots ie off the tee, putting, short game or approach

Could you just keep an excel spreadsheet with that info.

Years ago as a junior I used to record on the scorecard whether I hit the fair way, missed left, missed righ. Was green hit in regulation.

The put it all into a spreadsheet

 

[PJ87]

Could you just keep an excel spreadsheet with that info.

Years ago as a junior I used to record on the scorecard whether I hit the fair way, missed left, missed righ. Was green hit in regulation.

The put it all into a spreadsheet

you could but a simple device that keeps all the information for you

mine cost me £112 on sale... (live version) I use it for distances via my Apple watch aswell so get a record of all my rounds plus what I would put on a spread sheet and distances

no monthly cost or much effort

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Are you consistent enough to take a true reading from stats?
ie last 5 games you were left of the fairway on the first hole. Does this tell you to aim further right, use a different club or ignore it as you have a dose of the pulls or hooks?
The only stat that interests me is rarely being up to the pin with full swing approach shots. I virtually always underclub as id rather hit a full iron and try to squeeze the couple of extra yards than hit an extra club easier (I do pull easier swings).

As of wednesday I've got 424 rounds saved so it's a bit more in depth than the last few rounds, Game Golf themselves state you should try and record a minimum of 20 rounds before using the data.

It uses the Strokes Gained/Lost data as well now and you can see how you have done against handicap over as many rounds as you like.

I thought I knew my distances as well, but the first thing that stood out was the amount of shots I was leaving short of the green from 150 & 100 yards in, this gave me more focus when practising, rather than hitting ball after ball aimlessly.

It's not for everyone and I don't use some of the info it provides, but as before it's definitely helped me.

 

[duncan mackie]

Many courses don't penalise the short approach, but kill a long one - stats that say you generally leave it short don't take such information into account...

The key thing about these systems is that they will give you stats, and the more data the more relevant. What you do next is entirely up to you....

Golf is pretty divided between those who honestly take 1 more club every time and those who find ways to persuade themselves to hit the shorter one (again).

Personally I don't use them because I have an honest memory, good eyes and a dmd. If i hit a 7 iron into a green that 140 to the front / 150 middle and see the ball land short of the green and roll past the hole I have all the data I need (given an honest assessment of how well I hit it) for my next few shots.

 

[User 105]

I had GG for just over a year and got rid of it.

Before I got it my thoughts were it's not going to tell me anything I didn't already know. But ended up getting one anyway.

Got rid in the end as my first instinct was right and it was just a PITA to keep remembering to tag my shots then trying to remember the shot I forgot to tag when I uploaded the round.

 

[pendodave]

Many courses don't penalise the short approach, but kill a long one - stats that say you generally leave it short don't take such information into account...

Almost every hole on my course is like this. Despite the old saw of amateurs not taking enough club, it's almost always better to be chipping from a decent lie at the front of our greens than chopping about in the rubbish behind.

 

[brendy]

For some stats scoresaver2 is still available free and does let you keep putting stats etc too, as I said, best of all it's free.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

For some stats scoresaver2 is still available free and does let you keep putting stats etc too, as I said, best of all it's free.

I still use it. Simply fill in a card at the same time as doing your scorecard (takes 20 seconds tops_ and then enter the details when you get home. Again very quick and plenty of detailed information to look at