A simple way to understand your golf and improve your game
How often do you finish a round knowing you didn’t play your best, but aren’t quite sure where you lost your shots?
We all have a tendency to remember the bad shots and assume they were the reason for our score. Tracking a few simple statistics can tell us what is actually happening.
At Carnoustie Golf Links, we have developed a simple stats-tracking system for our Season Ticket Holders, based on the principles behind the Tiger 5 statistics promoted by DECADE Golf. As DECADE Certified PGA Professionals, we’ve adapted these principles into a straightforward system that can be easily used during a normal round of golf.
The aim is simple:
Track it. Understand it. Work on it.
The statistics we’re tracking
Score & Score Minus Course Rating
Record your score, the Course Rating and the difference between the two.
Score Minus Course Rating gives you a consistent way of monitoring your performance across different courses, regardless of their difficulty.
Strokes Gained Putting
Rather than simply counting your total putts, Strokes Gained Putting gives you an indication of how well you putted compared with an expected benchmark.
To calculate it, record the length of your first putt on each green and the number of putts you take from there.
You can then enter your information into this free Strokes Gained Putting calculator:
Strokes Gained Putting Calculator
We’re also recording:
- Missed putts inside 5 feet
- 3-putts
These can quickly highlight whether your putting performance is being affected by short-putt misses or poor distance control.
2-Chips
A 2-chip is when you require two chip shots to get the ball onto the putting surface, with the first chip being played from within 30 yards of the green.
This is a simple measure of short-game mistakes and can highlight whether you’re regularly giving away shots around the green.
Double Bogeys
Record every double bogey or worse.
Big numbers can have a significant impact on your score, and tracking them can help identify whether avoiding costly mistakes should be a priority.
Bogeys on Par 5s
Record every bogey made on a Par 5.
Par 5s provide scoring opportunities, so this statistic can help identify whether you’re making the most of them or giving shots away.
MG W/9 or Less
MG W/9 or Less means Missed Green with a 9-iron or less.
Record this whenever you are attempting to hit the green with a 9-iron or shorter club but fail to do so.
The important point is intent. If you deliberately choose not to attack the green because of a particular course-management decision, it doesn’t count.
Penalty Shots
Record every penalty shot during your round.
Penalties are often avoidable, and tracking them can highlight opportunities to improve course management and decision-making.
Bunker From Tee
Record every time your tee shot finishes in a bunker.
This is particularly important when playing Scottish links courses such as Carnoustie, where pot bunkers can present a severe penalty. A tee shot into a bunker can often turn a straightforward hole into a much more difficult one.
Tracking how often you’re finding bunkers from the tee can therefore provide valuable information about your driving accuracy and course-management decisions.
Why track your statistics?
The purpose isn’t to collect numbers for the sake of it.
It’s to find out where you’re actually losing shots.
You might think your putting is costing you shots, only to discover that you’re rarely three-putting but regularly missing greens with short irons.
Or you might feel that you need to hit more greens, when your biggest opportunity is actually eliminating penalty shots and double bogeys.
Your statistics can replace perception with information.
And once you know where you’re losing shots, you can make your practice and coaching much more focused.
Take the 6 Round Challenge
We’re challenging our Season Ticket Holders to track their statistics for their next 6 rounds of golf.
Don’t worry about trying to change anything while you’re collecting the data. Just play your normal game and record the statistics as you go.
After 6 rounds, you’ll have a clearer picture of your game — and, importantly, you’ll have enough information to start identifying patterns.
What are you doing well? Where are you losing shots? And what should you work on next?
We’d love to hear how you get on.
Once you’ve completed your 6 rounds, send your results to the Golf Development Team and we’d be happy to help you look at the numbers and identify potential areas for improvement.
Get your tracking card
We’ve made this as simple as possible.
We’ll provide you with:
- A Carnoustie Golf Statistics Tracking Card to use during your rounds
- A Statistics Tracking Spreadsheet to record and monitor your results
If you’d like to take the 6 Round Challenge, email the Golf Development Team at Carnoustie Golf Links and we’ll send you everything you need to get started.
Six rounds. A few simple statistics. A much better understanding of your game.
Don’t guess where you’re losing shots. Find out.