Golf Smarter, Not Harder. And Improve Faster.
So, you’re on the golf course, having one of those days. Your drives are going straight (ish), your putter’s behaving, and you’re even nailing those approach shots like a seasoned pro. But by the end of the round, you’re left scratching your head, wondering why your score didn’t match up with how you felt.
Strokes gained—the stat that knows your game better than you do. If you’ve ever felt like your scorecard wasn’t telling the full story, strokes gained might be able to help spill the tea on exactly what’s going on with your game.
So, What Exactly Is Strokes Gained?
In simple terms, strokes gained measures how each of your shots stacks up against what the rest of the golfing world is doing from a similar spot. It doesn’t just count how many times you hit the ball; it tells you how great (or not-so-great) each shot was.
It’s like this: Let’s say you hit a 300-yard drive—nice! But if that drive ends up in the rough or under a tree (whoops), it’s actually costing you strokes compared to someone else who hit a shorter but safer shot right down the middle of the fairway.
Strokes gained looks at the big picture and tells you where you’re gaining ground on your competition and where you’re... well, giving away strokes like they’re candy.
You might be thinking though, “I’ve been tracking my greens in regulations and putts, isn’t that good enough?—some of the stats we’ve been obsessed with forever don’t actually tell us all that much. Driving distance? Sure, it feels good to say you can crank it 280, but if your ball’s in the wrong zip code, does it really matter?
Then there’s putts per round. You might think fewer putts mean better putting, but what if those 2-putts are from 50 feet away because your approach shots have been having a bad day? Greens in regulation sounds like a winner until you realise that hitting the green is only half the battle—you’ve got to be close enough to make that birdie or par attempt count.
These stats can be misleading because they don’t dive into the finer details. They’re like judging a book by its cover—or a golfer by their Instagram feed.
Strokes gained, on the other hand, is like your personal golf therapist, ready to analyze every little thing to show you exactly where you’re shining and where your game could use a little TLC.
It breaks down your game into four key categories:
- Off the tee: How does your driving contribute to your overall score compared to other golfers?
- Approach play: How accurate are your shots from the fairway or rough?
- Around the green: How effective is your short game?
- Putting: How much are you gaining or losing on the greens?
Here’s the thing: If you’re serious about improving your game, you’ve got to get smart about it. And by “smart,” I mean focusing on the areas where you’re actually losing strokes—not just the parts that feel off. Strokes gained helps you do just that.
Let’s say you’re convinced your putting is the problem. But after looking at your strokes gained data, it turns out your putting’s solid—it’s your approach shots that are leaving you too far from the hole. Instead of endlessly practicing 4-foot putts, you could be sharpening your irons and watching your scores drop like a stone.
Or maybe you’ve been patting yourself on the back for hitting bombs off the tee, but strokes gained reveals that your accuracy is costing you strokes left and right (literally). Suddenly, you know exactly what to work on instead of guessing.
The Real Power of Tracking Your Game
Now, you might be thinking, “Okay, strokes gained sounds amazing, but how do I even start tracking my game? Or calculate Strokes Gained” Well, if you’re not already tracking your performance, it’s a little like trying to cook without a recipe. Sure, you might be able to figure it out, but you’ll get there a lot faster with the right tools.
When you have all the data in front of you, you’ll know exactly where to focus to improve.
Want to learn a little more about how it all works, check out Arccos’ CEO and Co-Founder, Sal Syed’s Strokes Gained Master Class Video here:
You don’t have to be a data scientist to get these insights. Arccos, golf’s #1 game tracker and the official game tracker of the PGA TOUR, does all the hard work for you. With Arccos, you’ll not only track every shot, but also get personalised strokes, gained data and real-time insights to help you make smarter decisions on the course.
Just like Matt Fitzpatrick, who uses Arccos Insights to elevate his game, you can tap into the same advanced analytics to improve faster. Arccos tracks your performance in every aspect—off the tee, approach shots, around the green, and putting—so you can identify your strengths and zero in on the areas that need work.
It’s time to stop guessing and start knowing. With Arccos, you’ll finally get the full picture of your game, and before you know it, you’ll be playing smarter, better golf—just like the pros.
