Stats - There is only 1 that matters.

[Deleted Member 1156]

I read with interest comments about how many putts people take per round, fairways hit, GIR etc. It is something I've never really paid any attention to. I know if I'm putting well or driving the ball well or hitting my irons well.

If I have 36 putts, have I putted well or badly? Or have I struck the ball poorly and chipped poorly? Or not hit my ball well and left myself in 3 putt country and done well to get down in 2 each time?

The only stat that matters to me is the number in the bottom right corner of the scorecard. That tells me all I need to know.

 

[backwoodsman]

I read with interest comments about how many putts people take per round, fairways hit, GIR etc. It is something I've never really paid any attention to. I know if I'm putting well or driving the ball well or hitting my irons well.

If I have 36 putts, have I putted well or badly? Or have I struck the ball poorly and chipped poorly? Or not hit my ball well and left myself in 3 putt country and done well to get down in 2 each time?

The only stat that matters to me is the number in the bottom right corner of the scorecard. That tells me all I need to know.

Quite.

 

[Foxholer]

Do you practice?

If you do, then how do you determine what (specifically) to practice?

If you don't practice, then totally agree with you. But that demonstrates 'lack of dedication to improve' - for whatever reason.

Edit. Btw. There are certain 'stats' that are rather pointless...Fairways Hit doesn't really mean much - certainly not as much, to me, as Tee Shots in Play/Trouble. The only 'stats' I consider are TSIP, GIR and Putts from on the Green. If I subtract GIR from PFETG it normally equates reasonably to D4S's measurement, but i have a better idea (should I need it) of the areas that went well/badly.

 

[shortstuff]

I read with interest comments about how many putts people take per round, fairways hit, GIR etc. It is something I've never really paid any attention to. I know if I'm putting well or driving the ball well or hitting my irons well.

If I have 36 putts, have I putted well or badly? Or have I struck the ball poorly and chipped poorly? Or not hit my ball well and left myself in 3 putt country and done well to get down in 2 each time?

The only stat that matters to me is the number in the bottom right corner of the scorecard. That tells me all I need to know.

Yes but when you look back on your rounds, how can you tell if you are losing shots from putting, chipping, driving etc? I'm kind of with you because fairways hit and GIRs are all well and good but if you still make par it doesn't matter. However, I find it really helps if I record which shots cost me to not make par. For me this is rarely due to a poor drive so the focus of my practice is usually on mid-irons and short game.

 

[DanFST]

If you do, then how do you determine what (specifically) to practice?

If you don't practice, then totally agree with you. But that demonstrates 'lack of dedication to improve' - for whatever reason.

You would be foolish to practise, solely on what stats tell you.

 

[Rooter]

I disagree. It's all about driving distance. Everything else is irrelevant.

 

[moogie]

Thought the only stat that mattered was how much you had just spent on golf gear.....££££

 

[Loz1607]

I agree

I have lost count of the number of rounds that I chip well, putt well, drive poorly etc


what I can do well and poorly can vary from round to round, day to day even hole to hole

i know if it's all working I have a pretty solid game, so just keep working on everything and enjoy taking money off people when it clicks

 

[garyinderry]

Pretty good re a don't need stats to tell me what isn't working it's usually blindingly obvious.

 

[MendieGK]

Do you practice?

If you do, then how do you determine what (specifically) to practice?

If you don't practice, then totally agree with you. But that demonstrates 'lack of dedication to improve' - for whatever reason.

Edit. Btw. There are certain 'stats' that are rather pointless...Fairways Hit doesn't really mean much - certainly not as much, to me, as Tee Shots in Play/Trouble. The only 'stats' I consider are TSIP, GIR and Putts from on the Green. If I subtract GIR from PFETG it normally equates reasonably to D4S's measurement, but i have a better idea (should I need it) of the areas that went well/badly.

On the whole i agree with the OP, but i agree with this part in bold so much more. At our standard on the courses we play, getting the ball as far down there and in play is so much more important than hitting the fairway.

My stats on Gamegolf suggest i only hit about 40% of fairways, which by anyones standard isnt great. However, my GIR is up near 70%. Plenty of people i follow hit c. 70% of fairways, yet hit about 30% of GIR.

I know which one i'd rather have.

 

[pokerjoke]

I have never kept stats.
However maybe I should start.

If you watch the Phil Michelson chipping video he mentions he
goes from 100+ to 3rd on the leading bunker player on tour.

His stats told him short bunker shots was his weakness,so he worked
on it until he got a helluva lot better.

The trouble is I don't need stats to tell me my putting needs improving.

 

[guest100718]

I read with interest comments about how many putts people take per round, fairways hit, GIR etc. It is something I've never really paid any attention to. I know if I'm putting well or driving the ball well or hitting my irons well.

If I have 36 putts, have I putted well or badly? Or have I struck the ball poorly and chipped poorly? Or not hit my ball well and left myself in 3 putt country and done well to get down in 2 each time?

The only stat that matters to me is the number in the bottom right corner of the scorecard. That tells me all I need to know.

Used correctly stats can be very useful.

 

[richart]

Never ever kept a stat in my life. Talk about sucking the enjoyment out of the game. If you can't tell the weaknesses in your game there must be something wrong with you.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Don't collect any stats - never had. Tend not to spend much focussed time on practice ground either. Suits me.

 

[CMAC]

I disagree. It's all about driving distance. Everything else is irrelevant.

:whoo:

 

[woody69]

Never ever kept a stat in my life. Talk about sucking the enjoyment out of the game. If you can't tell the weaknesses in your game there must be something wrong with you.

You'll be surprised. I reckon the vast majority of players who don't keep any stats will think the main problem with their game is how far they drive the ball and off the tee. Plus looking at things subjectively if you take 40 putts in a round is the problem because you're rubbish at putting, or the fact you're always hitting your first putt from 50 ft away.. and is that because you're duffing your short chips, or poor from 100 yards? Stats can prove very useful to helping you identify the actual weaknesses in your came over the perceived weaknesses.

 

[patricks148]

I don't tend to record any stats, but i have a fair idea after each round which bits ive done OK in.

Had plenty of round where i hav'nt missed a fairway or green and putted like a numpty and vice versa

 

[Crazyface]

Reduce putts by laying up to the green and therefore chipping on from the fringe. If you still cannot get down in two putts.....give up the game.

 

[Tongo]

I read with interest comments about how many putts people take per round, fairways hit, GIR etc. It is something I've never really paid any attention to. I know if I'm putting well or driving the ball well or hitting my irons well.

If I have 36 putts, have I putted well or badly? Or have I struck the ball poorly and chipped poorly? Or not hit my ball well and left myself in 3 putt country and done well to get down in 2 each time?

The only stat that matters to me is the number in the bottom right corner of the scorecard. That tells me all I need to know.

You're right, it is the only stat that matters and you know whether you are putting or driving well / badly but the other stats add some context.

The 36 putts thing is an interesting one. For me it all depends on how many greens you hit in regulation. If you hit loads then the chances are you will have more putts. Whereas if you miss plenty of greens but are chipping well then you'll have less putts.

The upshot is that stats can be missleading!

 

[SaintHacker]

I disagree. It's all about driving distance. Everything else is irrelevant.

This man speaks sense!