Do you keep track of your stats?

[Super Tuna]

Greets!

 

Curious to know who keeps track of their stats and which ones you look at?

 

For the fun of it, and since I'm a math/stats nerd at times I was checking over mine tonight which offered up some fascinating data (such as I'm more then twice as accurate with a Pro Combo 7 iron in my hands over a RBZ/Cobra Pro CB/Miura Tournament Blade but fairly similair with an 8 iron regardless of the set and the varying loft).

 

Anyone else insane enough to keep track of things like these? Or just your normal stats. Is there anything that current jumps out that you could work on?

 

For example I've found based on the stats my best iron set to date is clearly the Pro Combo's. Also that I need to work on my 5/6 iron as both were less accurate at hitting a green from their target distance then my 3 or 4 hybrid, which to my mind is absurd and something to work on.

[bcgolf]

I don't, but I want to, badly, I really do. I just can't make up my mind on how to do it.

 

-1- On paper and put it in software ?

Tried that for some time, but most of the time I forget to bring the pencil and scorecard in casual rounds. Furthermore, what software to use, online or local on my pc. I tried scoresaver.co.uk for a while, but as I'm on linux at home, it has to run in wine. Not ideal, and I can only access it on that on pc at home, not in the office, not somewhere else.

-2- Second option I'm contemplating now is getting a smartphone and do it with golfshot or some other app. But I hate those big smartphones, it is horror for your privacy, and I can't be bothered to reload those batteries every day. So I'd have to find a medium sized smartphone, whose battery lasts for about a week, and whose settings I can tweak and secure so there are no privacy issues. And everyone knows that is not going to happen anytime soon.

 

Now that you made me think about it, maybe best choice is getting organized and doing them on the paper scorecard again. Finding a good software to put them in. Finding a nice wallet/scorecardholder type of thing to put the scorecard and pencil in a non intrusive place in a pocket of my pants.

 

Anyone using a specific leather or otherwise scorecard holder/wallet type of thing ? I saw some online from Masters, but they didn't look particularly nice.

[Kanoito]

I key it all in to the Golfshot app, upload it after the round and analyze it on their website when I get home on a big computer screen.

Now, how to interpret it and improve my stats... that's another story!

[ZenGolfer]

I do. I use the Nike Golf 360 app, which tracks strokes, fairways hit, greens hit, sand saves and number of putts. IMO, its important because you cant know what to practice on if you dont know what your weaknesses are.

[sparnar]

I make use of the Golfshot app on my phone, but only really use it for getting the front and back distances to the green. Next time I play, I'll see if I can use the Golfshot app for tracking stats, but to be honest, I don't like fiddling too much with some piece of tech when I am on the course.

 

I keep simple stats on the scorecard itself, taking notes of which club I hit off the tee, where my tee shot landed (a simple arrow left or right for misses, a circled dot for FIR). The I add another circled dot, on the rare occasion that I hit GIR.

 

I also keep track of my putts on each hole, but only the number, not distances or anything like that.

 

I also try to write down some notes, in case of a penalty, or a poor decision, anything out of the ordinary that might affect the score on that hole.

 

I also make note of bunker shots.

 

I don't count my chip\pitch shots, but I really should start to do that, perhaps with the distance on these shots as well. Over a few rounds, this might give me a good idea of what range of chip\pitch shots I encounter most often, and should probably focus on a little more.

 

But saying all this, I don't want too spend all my time on the course plotting stats and distances. I just want to relax on the course. Sure, part of that is when playing better than before, but I've found that if I fixate too much on certain things, the enjoyment goes out the window.

[Kanoito]

sparnar, I believe the amount of time you need to write all that down is equivalent to using the Golfshot app.

Give it a try! It only takes 10 seconds.

[MattF]

I do. I use the oobgolf app because it also has the GPS function.

 

I track playable drives, club off tee, driving distance, distance off tee, putts, GIR+1 and penalties.

[The Dansome]

I use My Caddie because that's what's available for Windows Phone and it works quite well. It allows me to track the basics with some extended features. I'm mainly a fairways, greens and putts kinda guy buts it's nice that it has options like sand saves etc too.

[The Dansome]

I do. I use the Nike Golf 360 app, which tracks strokes, fairways hit, greens hit, sand saves and number of putts. IMO, its important because you cant know what to practice on if you dont know what your weaknesses are.

 

Is there anything NG360 is lacking or necessarily done better in you opinion?

[Tyk]

I don't track them over time, I do pay attention to fairways, greens, and putting stats. I did have my SkyCaddie track my stats a couple seasons ago. I gave that up when it kept telling me I missed 30% right, 30% left, and hit the fairway 30% of the time!

[RoverRick]

I don't track them over time, I do pay attention to fairways, greens, and putting stats. I did have my SkyCaddie track my stats a couple seasons ago. I gave that up when it kept telling me I missed 30% right, 30% left, and hit the fairway 30% of the time!

 

Where did you go the other 10%?

[The Dansome]

Where did you go the other 10%?

 

They're still short of the ladies tees

[JBones]

I keep track of fairways hit, GIR, and putts on a regular basis. If I'm practicing for a tournament, I will hit different clubs off tee boxes and keep track of how far from the green I am and what I'm hitting to get there.

[Super Tuna]

I'll admit, I find the responses shocking so far, especially from you Tyk since I know you're a IT guy like moi.

 

Maybe I'm just too OCD about things. I figure that if I'm that hard up on making sure that the length/loft/lie/weight/grip size/etc of a club needs to be spot on that I should be tracking just how well it performs. Equally I want to know how well it performs when the club is exactly the way I want vs not.

[ZenGolfer]

Is there anything NG360 is lacking or necessarily done better in you opinion?

I feel like its more streamlined and easier to use than some of the other apps Ive used but in a lot of ways its very similar.

[Aotearoa_Brad]

Great thread. I bought and have just started using the GolfShot app (5 rounds in) and it's great, but (aside from my phone battery not lasting a whole round) I actually love using a pencil and paper (never really get a chance to anymore). I'm still committed to inputting all of the data into the GolfShot app so I can access all of the stats functions on the PC, but does anyone have a printable stat tracker (or know where to get one) that they'd be willing to share?

Cheers guys

Brad

[Tyk]

Where did you go the other 10%?

5% were probably OB or in the drink, the other 5% were probably in a fairway, just the wrong one! I'm not all that picky as long as I can find them!

[Will Par]

I'm a retired IT guy and I've tracked stats on my computer for over 15 years. I've used different database apps over the years but most of my rounds (over 600) are in an Access database on an old computer. I keep current rounds in an OpenOffice spreadsheet. I designed and programmed these myself. I track score, GIR, Fairways, putts, putts on GIR, eagles, birdies, pars, bogies, others, sand saves, one-putts, three-putts, and I keep an average of all stats for the year. I enter every round after I get home. I enter score on each hole, putts on each hole, fairways hit, and sand saves. All the other stats calculate automatically. I've got some rounds all the way back to 1993. I've had some periods when I didn't record rounds, but I think I have over 85% of all rounds I've played since 1996.

 

I don't often use the stats to find any tendencies or for any game improvement benefit. But I do have a section for notes and I put swing thoughts and what worked or didn't work for each round. Sometimes it's beneficial to go back and read the notes from previous rounds.

[Super Tuna]

Now that's what I'm talking about Will!

It's makes me look downright tame

 

aotearoabrad: I tend to keep track of it all on my score card and then enter it into Excel at home. There's a reason I keep my own score card, it looks like a horrible mash of numbers to anything looking.

 

Typcially I do this on a standard score card

Score as usual

 

FIR, then the number of the club up to the top right of the signal (check for yes, arrow for either side) like how you'd right to the power of in an equation.

 

GIR. GIR gets a check or X for yes no, and then another check/X again to the top right if I hit the area on the green I wanted. The club number is then written by that as well

 

Putts as usual

 

I find it pretty quick and easy to do and keep track of. Once I actually get a decent tee gaming going, I'll also do the target area hitting for FIR's. Right now, I don't really care where on the fairway I end up.

[Aotearoa_Brad]

Now that's what I'm talking about Will!

It's makes me look downright tame

 

aotearoabrad: I tend to keep track of it all on my score card and then enter it into Excel at home. There's a reason I keep my own score card, it looks like a horrible mash of numbers to anything looking.

 

Typcially I do this on a standard score card

Score as usual

 

FIR, then the number of the club up to the top right of the signal (check for yes, arrow for either side) like how you'd right to the power of in an equation.

 

GIR. GIR gets a check or X for yes no, and then another check/X again to the top right if I hit the area on the green I wanted. The club number is then written by that as well

 

Putts as usual

 

I find it pretty quick and easy to do and keep track of. Once I actually get a decent tee gaming going, I'll also do the target area hitting for FIR's. Right now, I don't really care where on the fairway I end up.

 

 

Thanks Tuna, Its a Friday here, and I share an office with another team who have a work party this afternoon so its been pretty quiet. So, I rustled up a template based on what looked useful after a quick search of the glorious interweb (and what I track on Golfshot):

Fairway hit picture has three sections L/HIT/R

This is not my IP, just a collection of things that are clearly being used by others

Clearly I haven't used this yet, and it'll prob need some fine-tuning. I like your idea of the location on green in relation to where you wanted it to go. I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to add in another little row of pictures of greens somewhere on here.

 

Would love any feedback on improvements, and i'll let you know how I get on. Only issue (pain in the a$#) I could see would be entering in the yardages/handicap/par scores in - though I usually frequent the same course so have saved a copy in excel with these in - prob will be easiest to just create new tabs with different course layouts on them I guess.

 

Have at it - would you use something like this, or happy scribbling on your scorecard?

[RoverRick]

I have been remiss of late keeping track of my stats but I have done this for a number of years. Since long before there were apps that did it for you. On another thread I posted the scorecard method that I use. I also have a spreadsheet I can enter this info in and get some averages. I have not done it lately because I have settled on what clubs to use normally, and honestly, I have been hitting a lot of fairways and greens and making a lot of pars. I also know that the area I need to improve on is my concentration. Simply not try to kill the ball.

 

Statistics are not only good for seeing where you need to improve but I have used them to see which clubs I should carry in the bag, and also to see which way it is best to play each hole at my home course.

[hckymeyer]

No stat tracking for me. I don't need to keep track of stats to know I need work from 100yds and in.

 

It sounds like I'm in the minority, but I don't see the benefit for me. I know how far I hit my irons. I know where I tend to have my misses. I know the area's I need to improve at. I don't need a spreadsheet to tell me all those things. I can figure them out all on my own from just playing golf.

 

I just haven't figured out a good reason to spend extra time analyzing data to try and figure out what I already know. I'd rather be golfing

[ZenGolfer]

No stat tracking for me. I don't need to keep track of stats to know I need work from 100yds and in.

 

It sounds like I'm in the minority, but I don't see the benefit for me. I know how far I hit my irons. I know where I tend to have my misses. I know the area's I need to improve at. I don't need a spreadsheet to tell me all those things. I can figure them out all on my own from just playing golf.

 

I just haven't figured out a good reason to spend extra time analyzing data to try and figure out what I already know. I'd rather be golfing

Practice doesnt make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect and IMO thats what apps like this do.

[bcgolf]

RP, no offence taken as you raise a valid point. I've been overanalyzing everything for years. Used to be in IT and IT security, and I can assure you I was on top of things because of this ! Now I have left IT and moved on.

First year of playing golf was extremely analytical, so you can imagine how I could freeze up on the course, I couldn't putt, and so on, it just numbs and freezes you. After switching coaches, first thing he told me was, "you are overanalyzing, most if not all good golfers play by feel" I've been working on breaking those built in habits and focussing on feel in my game. And so far, on the course, in competition, the analysis freak is under control.

 

But off the course I still have a craving to analyze everything, including my golfgame.

 

There must be some medical terminology for my condition ;-)

 

 

 

 

Dude, and I'll apologize up front because I don't mean to be an *sshole, however you're makin the game wayyyyyyy too complicated. It's a ball, a club, and a target. I mean between all of the numbers that one can produce in just tryin to get fit for that club, I mean, sh*t, if Ida had to go through all of that when I learned how to play, I can promise you, and I'm not tryin to be funny, I promise you that I wouldn't be playin this game.

 

I mean pc's, linus, software, on-line or local, Dude, it's a wonder that ya can swing a club at all. I'm not a pro or a teacher, though I try to follow the KISS philosophy, whether it's my business life, personal life(that's a joke..LOL) and especially my golf game. Now I'm not you, granted, however try just concentrating on the target. And when you're finished concentrating on the target? Concetrate on it some more!

 

The only STAT that counts, until they change the goal of the game, is how many shots it takes us to get the ball in the hole. I understand all about stats, and yes I keep some, and yes I play in quite a few tournaments. However, when I was a 15-18 hdcp, I concentrated on one thing. Yes, the target, but more importantly at the level, I concentrated on putting a consistent, repeatable swing on the ball.

 

I mean this is golf, not a grad school IT thesis..LOL

[sparnar]

sparnar, I believe the amount of time you need to write all that down is equivalent to using the Golfshot app.

Give it a try! It only takes 10 seconds.

 

I'll give it a shot, StevenHW8.

 

I must admit first time I used GolfShot on the course, I hadn't really done my homework, so when was between the first green and second tee, and couldn't figure it out quickly enough, I just gave up on keeping score and stats on the app. Will check out some videos before the next round.

 

GaijinGolfer, have you used Golfshot before? How does it compare to NG360?

[Kanoito]

I was browsing Google Play Store and found this alternative

 

Golf Score Card - YOUR GOLF

 

It's free, so you can just d/l it and try it. It looked very similar to Golfshot, but since it's raining here, I can't test it.

 

Might want to take a look at it as well.

[fsav]

Being an accountant I keep my own stats after rounds. if you like to jot them down then bring the card home or just rememeber (my strategy). the thing with these onthe course items is that you have to get ready to hit a shot strategize the next hole ect the last thing I want to do is add another device to the glf cart or bag to enter data.

 

to me, and ever avid golfer I have encountered, you rememebr hole by hole at least as far as by the end of the day so when you go home take an extra card and jot everything down then. I worked up a spreadsheet and dropped in the average percentage of the pros (yes I know high standards) but I figured if I can get as close to their efforts my scores should be on the decline and fast. See below there are numerous calculations in here based on my input and the PGA tour website. I can always attache dthe spreadsheet if anyone wants it.

 

Fairway GIR Putts Up/Down penalty

FSAV 46.43% 51.39% 32.25 29.77% 3.47%

 

PGA Tour 60.63% 63.92% 29.64 57.37%

 

Top 5 71.36% 73.04% 28.00 67.87%

 

Vs PGA Avg -14.20% -12.53% 2.61 -27.60%

 

Vs Top 5 -24.93% -21.66% 4.25 -38.10%

 

Scoring Average 77.86

 

PGA Tour 71.042 75.25

Top 5 69.2028 73.61

 

Variance to tour Avg. 6.82

variance to Top 5 8.65

[fsav]

Being an accountant I keep my own stats after rounds. if you like to jot them down then bring the card home or just rememeber (my strategy). the thing with these onthe course items is that you have to get ready to hit a shot strategize the next hole ect the last thing I want to do is add another device to the glf cart or bag to enter data.

 

to me, and ever avid golfer I have encountered, you rememebr hole by hole at least as far as by the end of the day so when you go home take an extra card and jot everything down then. I worked up a spreadsheet and dropped in the average percentage of the pros (yes I know high standards) but I figured if I can get as close to their efforts my scores should be on the decline and fast. See below there are numerous calculations in here based on my input and the PGA tour website. I can always attache dthe spreadsheet if anyone wants it.

 

Fairway GIR Putts Up/Down penalty

FSAV 46.43% 51.39% 32.25 29.77% 3.47%

 

PGA Tour 60.63% 63.92% 29.64 57.37%

 

Top 5 71.36% 73.04% 28.00 67.87%

 

Vs PGA Avg -14.20% -12.53% 2.61 -27.60%

 

Vs Top 5 -24.93% -21.66% 4.25 -38.10%

 

Scoring Average 77.86

 

PGA Tour 71.042 75.25

Top 5 69.2028 73.61

 

Variance to tour Avg. 6.82

variance to Top 5 8.65

[hckymeyer]

Practice doesnt make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect and IMO thats what apps like this do.

 

Just curious though, how does tracking the stats help you determine what perfect practice is?

 

I guess maybe the question I'm trying to ask is this. Without looking at stats, what do you feel is the biggest area you have to improve on? Has your stat tracking told you that it's something different than what you thought it was?

[Super Tuna]

BC, in full disclosure, I used to be worse, much worse. I carried 2 score cards and my "stat" card had so much "crap" on it, it was hard for me to decipher. I'm not going to waste your time here, but one of categories was for directional misses. I mean, what the hell?

 

Different strokes mate. By keeping track of hitting my target area or the side I missed on, I managed to figure out that my 6 iron shaft and lie angle didn't match properly with the rest of the set (too upright and an overly stiff shaft).

 

Equally based upon what I did in school and what I do, I don't do anything without a analysis. I just do it quickly based on my training so that there's no paralysis.