Matt Hill, a member of Team Canada and a sophomore at NC State, just captured the NCAA golf championship. Matt is a long time student of our longest and largest ShotByShot.com supporter, Henry Brunton. Henry, a Master Professional and Top-100 golf instructor, has been the Canadian National golf team coach for over 10 years. Henry is also one of the world's leading experts in the development of junior golfers.
Henry Brunton preaches that measurement is an important part of development and improvement in golf, and has over 200 private students actively using the ShotByShot.com game analysis program. In addition, all of the Canadian National teams have used ShotByShot.com since its inception.
I first met Matt Hill when he was an aspiring young high school player under Henry Brunton's tutelage. I won't claim that ShotByShot.com deserves credit for his recent success, but I am exceedingly proud that it has played a part in his development as a golfer. To read more about Matt's impressive victory, go to http://www.rcga.org/news_details.aspx?ID=1915
For more about Henry Brunton's innovative approach to developing junior golfers, see http://www.henrybrunton.com/index.php
To learn more about how ShotByShot.com analysis can help you achieve your personal golf goals, check out www.ShotByShot.com
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
What if Rory Sabbatini Putted Like the Average Golfer?
The good news: with a more mortal putting performance – adding an extra eight strokes per round on the greens – Rory Sabbatini would have still made the cut last week at the Byron. The bad news: he would have finished dead last by six shots.
The point of this silliness is to demonstrate exactly how superior Rory’s putting performance was, even at his level of the game, and to put in perspective “how good these guys really are.” Let’s analyze Rory’s performance vs. the average weekend golfer:
What do the Traditional Stats Tell Us?
Total Putts per Round: Rory averaged 25.8 - think about how good that is. Our Average golfer averages 33.7. That is a difference of 7.8 per round or 31.2 strokes over a four-day tournament.
Putts per Green Hit in Regulation: Rory was an incredible 1.53. You will not see that very often. Our Average golfer would be 2.2 - again about 32 strokes over four days.
# 3 Putts: Rory had none. This is not unusual for a winner on the PGA Tour. Mr. Average Golfer, however, would have had two per round.
# 1 Putts: Rory had 37 1-putt greens. Think about it, under the pressure of a 72 hole PGA Tour event that not only means mega dollars but exemptions and invites to the Masters, Rory chipped/sanded in on two holes and then 1-putted on 37 more. That is 54% of the holes played! Mr. Average Golferwould not have holed out any of those greenside shots and would only have 1-putted four times each round, or 16 1-putts vs. Rory's 37.
Rory had 27 greenside, short game opportunities. His average putting distance was a tidy 5.8 feet and he “saved” 66% (18 of 27). Here’s a niblick: even at this close range, our average golfer can only expect to save about 40%, as his 50% “make” distance is just outside 4 feet.
Finally, putting is a skill at which there is always room for improvement – no matter at what level we play golf. Further, it does not require size or strength, merely solid technique and practice. It is at least 40% of the game for everyone. Do you spend 40% of your golf instruction and practice time with your flat stick?
For an accurate evaluation of your putting performance, as well as effective practice drills, log on to http://www.shotbyshot.com/. If your basic putting technique needs work, see your local teaching pro.
The point of this silliness is to demonstrate exactly how superior Rory’s putting performance was, even at his level of the game, and to put in perspective “how good these guys really are.” Let’s analyze Rory’s performance vs. the average weekend golfer:
What do the Traditional Stats Tell Us?
Total Putts per Round: Rory averaged 25.8 - think about how good that is. Our Average golfer averages 33.7. That is a difference of 7.8 per round or 31.2 strokes over a four-day tournament.
Putts per Green Hit in Regulation: Rory was an incredible 1.53. You will not see that very often. Our Average golfer would be 2.2 - again about 32 strokes over four days.
# 3 Putts: Rory had none. This is not unusual for a winner on the PGA Tour. Mr. Average Golfer, however, would have had two per round.
# 1 Putts: Rory had 37 1-putt greens. Think about it, under the pressure of a 72 hole PGA Tour event that not only means mega dollars but exemptions and invites to the Masters, Rory chipped/sanded in on two holes and then 1-putted on 37 more. That is 54% of the holes played! Mr. Average Golferwould not have holed out any of those greenside shots and would only have 1-putted four times each round, or 16 1-putts vs. Rory's 37.
Rory had 27 greenside, short game opportunities. His average putting distance was a tidy 5.8 feet and he “saved” 66% (18 of 27). Here’s a niblick: even at this close range, our average golfer can only expect to save about 40%, as his 50% “make” distance is just outside 4 feet.
Finally, putting is a skill at which there is always room for improvement – no matter at what level we play golf. Further, it does not require size or strength, merely solid technique and practice. It is at least 40% of the game for everyone. Do you spend 40% of your golf instruction and practice time with your flat stick?
For an accurate evaluation of your putting performance, as well as effective practice drills, log on to http://www.shotbyshot.com/. If your basic putting technique needs work, see your local teaching pro.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Rory's Putter Roared the Loudest
Finally, an example of “Tour Stats” bearing a direct relationship to the outcome of a golf tournament! Rory Sabbatini won the HP Byron Nelson Championship last weekend, and his phenomenal putting was ranked #1 in both Putts per GIR and Putts per round. Readers of this blog know how strongly I disagree with these two traditional gems of “statistical golf analysis,” so why now are they correct? Have you heard the one about 10,000 monkeys banging on typewriters eventually producing something coherent? No, it’s not quite that extreme. (And no offense meant to the folks at the PGA Tour - I know many of them and they are highly competent but constrained by the Tour’s traditional stat viewpoint.) But let’s take a closer look at Rory’s putting performance.
The ShotByShot.com View
When I ran the distance of each first putting opportunity and the number of putts needed to hole out on each green through ShotByShot.com’s proprietary models, Rory’s overall performance ranked better than what I typically see from the winners on the Tour. Here's a niblick of truth: of Rory's record 19 strokes under par, over 50% - approximately 10 strokes - are attributable to his fabulous putting.
The Common Sense View
With no 3-putts for the week, Rory managed to 1-putt better than half of the 72 greens (37 to be exact). He also chipped in from off the green twice. His longest one-putt was from 41 feet in the 3rd round, a distance from which the average Tour player will average just over 2 putts. The average distance of Rory’s 37 one-putts was eight feet – coincidently the distance from which the average Tour player will only make 50% of his putts. Finally, it is ironic that over a four day golf tournament, Rory’s only missed putt from 5 feet or closer came on the final hole of the tournament. Fortunately, he only needed a 3-putt to secure his victory.
There's a lot that mere mortals can learn about their putting performance - and the other components of their golf game as well - from ShotByShot.com's analysis. Go to www.ShotByShot.com for more information.
The ShotByShot.com View
When I ran the distance of each first putting opportunity and the number of putts needed to hole out on each green through ShotByShot.com’s proprietary models, Rory’s overall performance ranked better than what I typically see from the winners on the Tour. Here's a niblick of truth: of Rory's record 19 strokes under par, over 50% - approximately 10 strokes - are attributable to his fabulous putting.
The Common Sense View
With no 3-putts for the week, Rory managed to 1-putt better than half of the 72 greens (37 to be exact). He also chipped in from off the green twice. His longest one-putt was from 41 feet in the 3rd round, a distance from which the average Tour player will average just over 2 putts. The average distance of Rory’s 37 one-putts was eight feet – coincidently the distance from which the average Tour player will only make 50% of his putts. Finally, it is ironic that over a four day golf tournament, Rory’s only missed putt from 5 feet or closer came on the final hole of the tournament. Fortunately, he only needed a 3-putt to secure his victory.
There's a lot that mere mortals can learn about their putting performance - and the other components of their golf game as well - from ShotByShot.com's analysis. Go to www.ShotByShot.com for more information.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Driving Accuracy Redux
Apologies for some of the handicap coordinates missing from the chart in my last post on Driving Accuracy. Apparently the chart was too wide for my template. I published a similar article in Golf Digest, which can be found at http://www.golfdigest.com/instruction/longgame/accuracy/sanders_gd0809. It contains a simplified chart that may be helpful. If your handicap is missing and you'd like to know the average strokes lost specifically for you, please make a comment below and I will respond.
Monday, May 25, 2009
A Quick Test of Golf Tee Shot Accuracy
As I have stated previously, ‘Fairways Hit’ is one of my least favorite of the traditional golf statistics. This is because it oversimplifies the issue by asking for a true or false answer to what should be a multiple choice question. This stat would be meaningful if it were always true that hitting the fairway was better than not – but it isn’t! And the real problem is that much more information is needed about a tee shot that misses the fairway before it can be determined a mistake. Think about it: this stat does not differentiate between a tee shot that ends up 250 yards out in the first cut of rough and a drive that goes OB. Is that a valid measurement of golf performance?
A better way
The data that we have gathered over 18 years of analyzing the golf game at ShotByShot gives us a better way to look at this issue. A study of our extensive database, where golfers have always recorded the position of every shot along with a rating of its relative difficulty, revealed five basic types of results that follow a missed fairway from the tee:
LIGHT ROUGH
HEAVY ROUGH
NO SHOT
PENALTY (1 Stroke: hazard or unplayable)
XX PENALTY (Stroke + Distance – OB or Lost)
We applied the TEST described below to each of the handicap levels in our database to determine the approximate cost, in stokes, of the missed fairways. You can use this test to see the approximate strokes that you are losing per round. You can also compare your results to your handicap group to determine whether this is a strength or weakness of your golf game.
Try this test
Step #1
In your next few rounds, track your missed fairways. On a typical golf course you will have 14 driving opportunities on the par 4 and par 5 holes. On a blank line on your scorecard, rate each missed fairway on the scale of 0 – 4: LIGHT ROUGH = 0; HEAVY ROUGH = 1; NO SHOT = 2; PENALTY = 3; XX PENALTY = 4.
A better way
The data that we have gathered over 18 years of analyzing the golf game at ShotByShot gives us a better way to look at this issue. A study of our extensive database, where golfers have always recorded the position of every shot along with a rating of its relative difficulty, revealed five basic types of results that follow a missed fairway from the tee:
LIGHT ROUGH
HEAVY ROUGH
NO SHOT
PENALTY (1 Stroke: hazard or unplayable)
XX PENALTY (Stroke + Distance – OB or Lost)
We applied the TEST described below to each of the handicap levels in our database to determine the approximate cost, in stokes, of the missed fairways. You can use this test to see the approximate strokes that you are losing per round. You can also compare your results to your handicap group to determine whether this is a strength or weakness of your golf game.
Try this test
Step #1
In your next few rounds, track your missed fairways. On a typical golf course you will have 14 driving opportunities on the par 4 and par 5 holes. On a blank line on your scorecard, rate each missed fairway on the scale of 0 – 4: LIGHT ROUGH = 0; HEAVY ROUGH = 1; NO SHOT = 2; PENALTY = 3; XX PENALTY = 4.
Step #2
At the end of each round, add up the points and divide the total by 2. This number will approximate the number of strokes that your missed fairways cost you in that round. Average a few rounds see how your average strokes lost per round relates to your handicap group.
For more specifics on the strengths and weaknesses of your golf game relative to yor handicap, go to www.ShotByShot.com
Sunday, May 24, 2009
An 'Approach' to Practice
Here are a few 'niblicks' on Approach Shots:
- An Approach Shot = an attempt to hit a green from 51 yards or more.
- Our statistical database tells us that the average golfer has 20 approach shot opportunities per round. But wait – how can this be right? Wouldn’t there have to be more than 18 holes of golf to make this true? Sadly, NO! The average golfer experiences the frustration at least twice a round of a first approach attempt that leaves them with yet another attempt, still not within 50 yards of the hole.
- The average golfer’s (first) approach distance is about 140 yards from the flag.
- The average golfer's approach shot success rate – the percent of greens they hit – is just 33%.
Better approach shot performance is clearly a great improvement opportunity for the average golfer. Pushing the average number of approach shots per round below 20 into the teens is not a lofty goal – but any progress in this area will translate into lower scores and an improved handicap.
What should you work on?
Spend your time on shorter approach shots. 60% of your total approach opportunities will fall in the 91 – 180 yard range. But our analysis tells us that your approach success rate – shots that hit the green – will fall off markedly outside 150 yards. I recommend spending your limited practice time (and/or lesson time if you are working with a pro) gaining confidence in controlling your distance and accuracy in relatively close range – 91 to 130 yards. As your confidence and success grows, you can expand your distances.
What about longer approach shots? As you work toward shorter approach shot mastery, I have two recommendations for longer approach shots:
1. Adjust your expectations
a. Visualize a large target. This will reduce the pressure you feel and reduce tension.
b. Aim away from trouble. Years ago a top touring professional confessed to me that his “…only goal when faced with a long-iron approach shot was not to make a mistake.”
2. Go hybrid! If you've not already replaced your long irons with hybrids, do it now. These newer generation weapons are designed to make the longer, more difficult approach and advancement shots much easier.
For more specific information about the strengths and weaknesses of your golf game, go to www.ShotByShot.com.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Good Luck, Max!
My friend, Max Adler, Associate Editor at Golf Digest, is contending today in the U.S. Open Local Qualifier at Misquamicut Golf Club in Rhode Island. Max selected Misquamicut as his venue because he fired a 67 there last summer. We had a fun session recently in which we worked on a hole-by-hole course strategy for today's round. Hopefully it will help him score at least as well as he did last time. I wish him all the best today.
Max has co-written my last three Golf Digest articles (heavy emphasis on the "written,") and is a user of the ShotByShot.com golf game analysis system. Max is writing an online diary of his quest for the "Black Ring" at Bethpage. He was kind enough to give ShotByShot a plug in a recent journal entry:
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
What really won the Texas Valero Open for Zach Johnson?
Here are Zach Johnson's “key statistics” according to the PGA Golf Tour:
Driving Accuracy: 66.1% = T 29th
Driving Distance: 295.8 = 47th
(It could not have been his driving?!)
Greens in Regulation: 76.4% = T 10th
(So much for his Long Game?)
(Maybe it was putting?)
Putts per GIR: 1.764 = 37th
Putts per round: 28.3 = T 27th
(Not if one believes these numbers!)
With these mediocre performance statistics, how on earth did Zach win this golf tournament?
A different perspective of the four rounds as seen through SHOT BY SHOT patented golf game analysis reveals this niblick of truth: the consistency and efficiency of Zach’s Long Game clearly won the day.
Driving
While Zach missed an average of 4.6 fairways each round, his misses were in fairly good spots from which he still had reasonable, if not good, opportunities to accomplish his next goal. Zach made only one true “mistake” – on the 10th hole in the final round he drove the ball into a place from which he could only advance the ball back into play.
Greens in Regulation
Zach averaged 13.75 GIR’s per round which is very good and slightly above our profile of other Winners on the PGA Tour.
Long Game Efficiency Index (LGEI, patent pending)
When we add up Zach’s long strokes (50 yards and out) and divide them by his GIR’s, we get an LGEI of 2.38. This is better than our “Winners” profile and equal to Tiger’s numbers recorded during his impressive 2006-07 win streak – to date the best I have seen.
But wait, there is more:
The greens were firm and fast and they were playing in the Texas wind – it was difficult to keep the ball on the putting surfaces. Zach had nine instances where his golf ball finished just off the green and almost all were putt-able, and he holed two of these. In six out of nine cases Zach’s ball, while off the green, was within 30 feet of the cup and definitely inside 2-putt range. If we count these six as GIR’s for the purposes of our LGEI, his index drops to 2.14. This is by far the best that I have seen and very close to the perfect “score” of 2.00.
Bottom line, Zach won the Valero Open because he managed his long game strokes nearly perfectly. He made only one error and consistently hit the greens or very near the hole.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Trouble Shots in Golf: Take your Medicine!
OK, so we all understand the importance of avoiding mistakes on the golf course. We also understand that, as Dr. Bob Rotella says, "golf is not a game of perfect," and mistakes do and will occur. The SHOTBYSHOT.com statistics tell us that the "Average" golfer (15 to 19 handicap) will have four trouble shots per round. If they were all played conservatively - in other words, getting the ball safely back in play - think of the strokes that could be saved. When a golf mistake happens in such a way that you have an opportunity to recover - in other words, manufacture a shot that might save the hole - here are some niblicks of advice...
Manufactured shots involve the use of a golf club in a way that is extraordinary, or outside its conventional purpose. An example would be a punch out from under a tree, or a high intentional slice to get around and over an obstacle. Since you have already made one mistake to get there, your key objective should be to avoid compounding your error. Job #1 is to get the golf ball safely back in play, so do what you can to accomplish that goal.
This may sound silly, but assessing your options from a golf ball's eye view is always a good idea. When practical, seeing the proposed flight of the ball from as close as possible to ground level will give you a different and better perspective on the opening you think you see from a standing position. Here's the chance you've been looking for to impress your friends with your Camillo move. But if you emerge from the round with dirt on your knees and branches in your hair, take this as a clue to where your golf game needs improvement.
If you are "lucky" enough to be considering an array of trouble shot options, a good rule of thumb is to pick the one that involves a close to a normal golf swing as possible. Many of the more creative shots involve something other than a conventional address position and/or a natural swing path. Only attempt such a manufactured swing when there are no reasonable options. If logistics or ego make it impossible to swing normally, try to build a positive image and feel for the shot by taking at least two realistic rehearsal swings. Then use this image as your swing thought during the execution of your trouble shot. Good luck!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
The Long Game in Golf: How Good is Good Enough?
OK, enough about Henrik Stenson’s long game. Let’s talk about Average Joe’s (or Josephine’s) long game. They stand up on every tee with a (wo)manly driver in hand, heads filled with thoughts of hitting the golf ball farther and straighter than ever before. This can make the tee shot much more difficult and stressful than it needs to be. Think about it – the tee shot in golf should be the easiest shot on the course. First, the lie is always perfect. And second, the target (fairway) is very unspecific and much less tied to distance and direction than any other shot.
How many times per round do you hit your driver? Or more to the point, how many times do you choose something other than a driver off the tee on a par 4 or 5 hole? Here’s a niblick of truth: Did you know that less than 10% of golfers consistently hit their driver farther in the fairway than their 3-wood? (And trust me, there is an inverse correlation between driver success % and handicap.)
If you really want to improve your golf score, perhaps it is time to re-think your driving club selection. If tee shots are a problem for you then your card is probably showing more than its share of double and triple bogeys. (DUH?) Here are a few statistical niblicks about the game played by the single-digit handicappers that Mr. or Ms. Average Golfer should be emulating:
How many times per round do you hit your driver? Or more to the point, how many times do you choose something other than a driver off the tee on a par 4 or 5 hole? Here’s a niblick of truth: Did you know that less than 10% of golfers consistently hit their driver farther in the fairway than their 3-wood? (And trust me, there is an inverse correlation between driver success % and handicap.)
If you really want to improve your golf score, perhaps it is time to re-think your driving club selection. If tee shots are a problem for you then your card is probably showing more than its share of double and triple bogeys. (DUH?) Here are a few statistical niblicks about the game played by the single-digit handicappers that Mr. or Ms. Average Golfer should be emulating:
- They record double bogey or worse in 1 out of 10 holes
- Over 70% of their double bogeys or worse start with a problem tee shot
- Their odds of recording a double bogey or worse plummet to 1 out of 35 holes when the tee shot is successful!
The point is that simply getting a tee shot in play not only creates the opportunity for good things to happen, it dramatically reduces the likelihood of disaster. The bottom line is that if you are setting realistic goals, the golf tee shot should not need to be great in order to be "good enough" to achieve your goal.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
A Better Way to Track Long Game Improvement
How Good Was Henrik Stenson’s Long Game Last Weekend?
He may have won the recent TPC golf tournament, a “mini-major.” But according to the PGA Tour’s stats, Henrick's long game did not rank in the top 10 in the field. I strongly disagree! Here are his long game statistics as displayed on PGA Tour.com:
Driving Accuracy – T11 (73.2%, or 10.24 of 14 fairways hit)
Greens in Regulation – T12 (68.1%, or 12.25 of 18 GIR's)
What’s wrong with these stats?
As I've commented previously, the Fairways Hit stat is by far the weakest performance barometer of all traditional golf statistics for two reasons. First, it ignores driving distance. But most importantly, it ignores the differences between the relative severity of the fairways missed. By this measure, a drive hit OB counts the same as a "miss" sitting up nicely in the first cut. That is so wrong!
Greens in Regulation (GIR’s) is the best of the “old school” golf stats because it means two positive things. First, the long game was efficient enough to achieve the green in regulation. Second, it identifies that there was a birdie opportunity. Its shortcoming is that it does not measure or describe what happened on the holes where the golfer did not hit the green in reg. On the PGA Tour, this conservatively leaves out 33% of the holes and, by the way, the holes where not-so-good things happened. For most amateurs, this golf stat is really a waste of time for tracking improvement because the average 15 to 19 handicap golfer hits only 4 greens a round.
A much better Long Game barometer
I put Henrik Stenson’s long game to a better test – his Long Game Efficiency Index (LGEI - patent pending). This simple test adds up his total Long Game strokes (all strokes from outside 50 yards), divides that number by his GIR’s to arrive at his Efficiency Index.
What makes this statistic better? Because it combines the best of what GIR’s tell us with everything that happened in the long game on all 18 holes. As such, penalties, flubs and miss-hits on the non-GIR holes are all counted.
Henrik’s LGEI in the 2009 TPC:
Total Long Game Strokes per round: 33.7 / 12.25 GIR’s = 2.75 LGEI
Now, to put this into perspective, the hypothetical “perfect” long game round would be:
Long Game strokes 36 / 18 GIR’s = 2.00 LGEI
Winners on the PGA Tour:
Long Game strokes 33.5 / 13 GIR’s = 2.58 LGEI
The BEST I have seen – Tiger Woods in his 2006-07 streak of Seven Consecutive Wins:
Long Game strokes 32.75 / 13.75 GIR’s = 2.38 LGEI
Bottom line, I’d bet that if we calculated a LGEI for every player in last weekend’s TPC event, we would see Henrik’s Long Game ranking jump to #1 or very close to it. His performance was remarkably efficient. Think about it – on a tight Pete Dye golf course full of hazards, he had a total of two Long Game mistakes in 72 holes. One drive resulted in such a poor position that he was forced to simply advance the ball, and one approach shot found a water hazard.
I agree that it can be painful to re-live penalties, flubs and mishits, but here's a niblick of truth: owning up to them and committing to reducing them is critical to improving your golf game. For the most complete picture of the good, the bad and the ugly aspects of your golf game, log on to www.shotbyshot.com.
He may have won the recent TPC golf tournament, a “mini-major.” But according to the PGA Tour’s stats, Henrick's long game did not rank in the top 10 in the field. I strongly disagree! Here are his long game statistics as displayed on PGA Tour.com:
Driving Accuracy – T11 (73.2%, or 10.24 of 14 fairways hit)
Greens in Regulation – T12 (68.1%, or 12.25 of 18 GIR's)
What’s wrong with these stats?
As I've commented previously, the Fairways Hit stat is by far the weakest performance barometer of all traditional golf statistics for two reasons. First, it ignores driving distance. But most importantly, it ignores the differences between the relative severity of the fairways missed. By this measure, a drive hit OB counts the same as a "miss" sitting up nicely in the first cut. That is so wrong!
Greens in Regulation (GIR’s) is the best of the “old school” golf stats because it means two positive things. First, the long game was efficient enough to achieve the green in regulation. Second, it identifies that there was a birdie opportunity. Its shortcoming is that it does not measure or describe what happened on the holes where the golfer did not hit the green in reg. On the PGA Tour, this conservatively leaves out 33% of the holes and, by the way, the holes where not-so-good things happened. For most amateurs, this golf stat is really a waste of time for tracking improvement because the average 15 to 19 handicap golfer hits only 4 greens a round.
A much better Long Game barometer
I put Henrik Stenson’s long game to a better test – his Long Game Efficiency Index (LGEI - patent pending). This simple test adds up his total Long Game strokes (all strokes from outside 50 yards), divides that number by his GIR’s to arrive at his Efficiency Index.
What makes this statistic better? Because it combines the best of what GIR’s tell us with everything that happened in the long game on all 18 holes. As such, penalties, flubs and miss-hits on the non-GIR holes are all counted.
Henrik’s LGEI in the 2009 TPC:
Total Long Game Strokes per round: 33.7 / 12.25 GIR’s = 2.75 LGEI
Now, to put this into perspective, the hypothetical “perfect” long game round would be:
Long Game strokes 36 / 18 GIR’s = 2.00 LGEI
Winners on the PGA Tour:
Long Game strokes 33.5 / 13 GIR’s = 2.58 LGEI
The BEST I have seen – Tiger Woods in his 2006-07 streak of Seven Consecutive Wins:
Long Game strokes 32.75 / 13.75 GIR’s = 2.38 LGEI
Bottom line, I’d bet that if we calculated a LGEI for every player in last weekend’s TPC event, we would see Henrik’s Long Game ranking jump to #1 or very close to it. His performance was remarkably efficient. Think about it – on a tight Pete Dye golf course full of hazards, he had a total of two Long Game mistakes in 72 holes. One drive resulted in such a poor position that he was forced to simply advance the ball, and one approach shot found a water hazard.
I agree that it can be painful to re-live penalties, flubs and mishits, but here's a niblick of truth: owning up to them and committing to reducing them is critical to improving your golf game. For the most complete picture of the good, the bad and the ugly aspects of your golf game, log on to www.shotbyshot.com.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Here's What's Wrong with Golf Stats
Is it fair to say that something is wrong with traditional golf statistics when Henrik Stensen, the guy who blew away the field to win last weekend's TPC tournament, had lukewarm rankings in the major performance areas tracked by the Tour? Here's how he did:
- T 11th - Fairways Hit
- 18th - Driving Distance
- T 14th - Putts per Round
- 32nd - GIR's
- T 12th - Putts per GIR
- T37th - Sand Saves
Stensen's "best" performance came in Fairways Hit, also known as Driving Accuracy, and arguably the least credible of the traditional stats. Think about it - as long as they both end up in the fairway, this stat gives equal credit to a 150 yard blooper and a 295 yard rocket. Or it would have you thinking that blooper in the fairway is preferable to a rocket that ends up off the fairway in the first cut of rough. Or even more distorting, this stat rates a tee shot that lands in the water or out of bounds as no worse than the 275 rocket that is just in the first cut. Neither one is in the fairway, but which one would you rather play???
Stensen's 2nd "best" performance came in Greens in Regulation, which I believe is by far the most useful of the old-world stats. A YES tells us something decisively positive about that hole, and as we all know, we tend not to achieve a "personal best" GIR's/round on a day that we're playing bad golf.
Bottom line, as flawed as they are, I wonder why the PGA Tour continues to compute, publish and rely upon these outdated "indicators" of performance.
For a complete analysis of your golf game calculated the RIGHT WAY, go to www.ShotByShot.com
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Putting for Dough- Part III
As we move away from the cup, distance control becomes more and more important to putting improvement for golfers of all levels. This is because the odds of a 1-Putt drop outside 10 feet, even for Tour players. At the same time the dreaded 3-Putt looms larger and larger.
Let’s focus on the value of distance control outside 10 feet. The range from 11 – 50 foot is where 95% of lag opportunities occur (only 5% occur outside 50 feet). We all face at least 10 first putt opportunities in this range every round. Since your likelihood of 1-putting is low, your goal should be to make sure to leave yourself in a position to 2-Putt.
The 10% rule
A reasonable goal on every distance control or “lag” opportunity should be to leave the ball within 10% of the starting distance. For example: From 30 feet, envision a 3 foot circle around the hole and try to leave the ball within the circle. As you develop better feel, aim for a spot below the hole. A study of players on the PGA Tour revealed that they consistently lag the ball to within 7% of their starting distance. I recommend the 10% rule because most of us are not Touring caliber and the math is much easier.
How often should you 3-Putt?
Handicap Ranges:
PGA Tour .6 x per round
0-5 .8 x
6-10 1.1 x
11-15 1.4 x
16-25 2.1 x
26-35 3.4 x
Practice a 30 foot stroke
I recommend pacing off 30 feet on your practice green and practicing lagging a few balls back and forth between tees placed at this distance. This 30 foot distance is smack in the middle of the 11 to 50 foot range. Once on the course, you can measure and weigh all lag opportunities as a percentage of your 30 foot stroke.
For a Complete Analysis of Your Game, log on to: http://www.shotbyshot.com/
Let’s focus on the value of distance control outside 10 feet. The range from 11 – 50 foot is where 95% of lag opportunities occur (only 5% occur outside 50 feet). We all face at least 10 first putt opportunities in this range every round. Since your likelihood of 1-putting is low, your goal should be to make sure to leave yourself in a position to 2-Putt.
The 10% rule
A reasonable goal on every distance control or “lag” opportunity should be to leave the ball within 10% of the starting distance. For example: From 30 feet, envision a 3 foot circle around the hole and try to leave the ball within the circle. As you develop better feel, aim for a spot below the hole. A study of players on the PGA Tour revealed that they consistently lag the ball to within 7% of their starting distance. I recommend the 10% rule because most of us are not Touring caliber and the math is much easier.
How often should you 3-Putt?
Handicap Ranges:
PGA Tour .6 x per round
0-5 .8 x
6-10 1.1 x
11-15 1.4 x
16-25 2.1 x
26-35 3.4 x
Practice a 30 foot stroke
I recommend pacing off 30 feet on your practice green and practicing lagging a few balls back and forth between tees placed at this distance. This 30 foot distance is smack in the middle of the 11 to 50 foot range. Once on the course, you can measure and weigh all lag opportunities as a percentage of your 30 foot stroke.
For a Complete Analysis of Your Game, log on to: http://www.shotbyshot.com/
Saturday, May 9, 2009
More on Putting for Dough
For most golfers, putting represents 40% of their strokes per round. Putting offers a premium improvement opportunity for all golfers because of the relatively low correlation between proficiency and physical strength/flexibility/coordination. With regular and focused work on the practice green, players at almost any level can shave 3-5 strokes off of their average golf score.
Something that I struggle with is how to simulate the pressure of that "must make" 3-footer on the practice green. Try placing five golf balls in a circle around a hole - preferably one with some slope. Don't letting the session end until you have holed out all five balls. When you've mastered that, you can increase either the number of the balls or the distance from the hole (or both). You will be limited by your patience and the time you have available, but trust me, that final putt has a way of becoming quite real. A key component of this drill is to build confidence, not frustration. Remember this niblick of truth: the pros make just 50% of their 8 foot putts, and only 30% of their 12 foot putts, so make your improvement targets achievable!
For personalized analysis of your putting performance, go to www.ShotByShot.com
Something that I struggle with is how to simulate the pressure of that "must make" 3-footer on the practice green. Try placing five golf balls in a circle around a hole - preferably one with some slope. Don't letting the session end until you have holed out all five balls. When you've mastered that, you can increase either the number of the balls or the distance from the hole (or both). You will be limited by your patience and the time you have available, but trust me, that final putt has a way of becoming quite real. A key component of this drill is to build confidence, not frustration. Remember this niblick of truth: the pros make just 50% of their 8 foot putts, and only 30% of their 12 foot putts, so make your improvement targets achievable!
For personalized analysis of your putting performance, go to www.ShotByShot.com
Friday, May 8, 2009
Pre-Shot Routine
There is a lot to be learned by observing great golfers. Who better to watch and emulate than the World’s Most Recognized Athlete? I have been studying Tiger Woods since he reached the top shelf of golf in 2000. A statistical “stalker” of sorts, I recorded every televised event and then used the replay to record Tiger’s SHOT BY SHOT data. I’ve moved beyond the VCR, but I still record every event, and learn something new at every viewing.
Call me a stat-obsessed geek, but during the final round of the 2007 PGA Championship I decided to put a stop watch to Tiger’s pre-shot routine. I had done this with Phil Mickelson during his march to victory in the final round of the 2004 Masters. I found the results and comparisons interesting.
What do I mean by Pre-Shot Routine?
There are two important processes we should go through before we hit the ball. First, we plan the shot. This involves visualizing the shot and selecting the right club to make it happen. It can involve discussion with a caddie and/or a playing partner. As much of this part of the process as possible should take place before it is officially your turn.
Then once the shot decision has been made, we step forward, move into address position, and execute the shot. At this point the cameras are rolling. I think of that step forward into the address position as moving into an Isolation Bubble. Once in the bubble, no second thoughts or doubts should be allowed to permeate.
The part of the Pre-Shot Routine that I timed for Tiger and Phil was this “bubble” segment – the time from the moment each player stepped forward from behind the ball until contact with the ball was made.
What did I learn?
I timed a representative sample of tee shots, approach shots, short game shots and putts for both players. Tiger and Phil have decidedly different routines for different types of shots. Their full swing routines are quicker than their routines for putting and the short game.
Full Swing
Tiger’s full swing routine is between 9 and 11 seconds every time. Step forward, setup, two short waggles and WOOSH! For the same full shots, Phil’s routine is slightly longer - between 14 and 17 seconds.
Putting & Short Game
Interestingly, both champions had slightly longer pre-shot routines on and around the greens, but both averaged 20 seconds. Tiger’s longest putting routine – 24 seconds – came on a breaking 12 foot putt for birdie. (And 24 seconds is still quite quick in comparison to how long Jack Nicklaus would loom over a must-make putt.) My guess is that the slightly longer routines here are dictated by the addition of the distance or “touch” variable to the process.
How can you use this?
Call me a stat-obsessed geek, but during the final round of the 2007 PGA Championship I decided to put a stop watch to Tiger’s pre-shot routine. I had done this with Phil Mickelson during his march to victory in the final round of the 2004 Masters. I found the results and comparisons interesting.
What do I mean by Pre-Shot Routine?
There are two important processes we should go through before we hit the ball. First, we plan the shot. This involves visualizing the shot and selecting the right club to make it happen. It can involve discussion with a caddie and/or a playing partner. As much of this part of the process as possible should take place before it is officially your turn.
Then once the shot decision has been made, we step forward, move into address position, and execute the shot. At this point the cameras are rolling. I think of that step forward into the address position as moving into an Isolation Bubble. Once in the bubble, no second thoughts or doubts should be allowed to permeate.
The part of the Pre-Shot Routine that I timed for Tiger and Phil was this “bubble” segment – the time from the moment each player stepped forward from behind the ball until contact with the ball was made.
What did I learn?
I timed a representative sample of tee shots, approach shots, short game shots and putts for both players. Tiger and Phil have decidedly different routines for different types of shots. Their full swing routines are quicker than their routines for putting and the short game.
Full Swing
Tiger’s full swing routine is between 9 and 11 seconds every time. Step forward, setup, two short waggles and WOOSH! For the same full shots, Phil’s routine is slightly longer - between 14 and 17 seconds.
Putting & Short Game
Interestingly, both champions had slightly longer pre-shot routines on and around the greens, but both averaged 20 seconds. Tiger’s longest putting routine – 24 seconds – came on a breaking 12 foot putt for birdie. (And 24 seconds is still quite quick in comparison to how long Jack Nicklaus would loom over a must-make putt.) My guess is that the slightly longer routines here are dictated by the addition of the distance or “touch” variable to the process.
How can you use this?
- Develop your own pre-shot routine and divide it into the two segments discussed: Planning & Execution.
- Have a friend time you in the “bubble” – from the moment you step forward and begin to address the ball until your club makes contact with the ball. If you're in it longer than 20 seconds you are not only wasting time, you are leaving too much of an opening for doubt and confusion to seep into your bubble.
- Practice your pre-shot routine whenever you practice. Make it an automatic part of each shot and the same every time, whether you are on the course or in the practice area. Relying on a solid routine is the best defense against the pressure of competition.
For a Complete Analysis of Your Game, log on to: www.ShotByShot.com
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Make the Sand Your Friend!
The Sand Shot requires more confidence that any other shot in golf, and can be the most intimidating. You must use a reasonably full swing to propel your golf ball a relatively short distance – all the while making sure to MISS the ball. Is it any wonder that the tendency to decelerate on impact is only rivaled by the desperate urge to help the golf ball up and out of the sand with the club and/or your entire body?
Before you can get creative about shot making and target visualization, you must develop confidence in your basic sand technique. If either your technique or your self-esteem needs help, consult with your local teaching pro to develop a simple “confidence shot.” This should be a shot that you can trust to get out of any sand trap and onto the green - from any reasonable lie – every time.
A good practice drill to develop this confidence is to set a goal of executing a consecutive number of acceptable sand shots from different distance and lies before quitting. When you reach your goal, stop for the day, or move on to another facet of your golf game.
How do you set a realistic goal? Here are some statistics: In a recent study of US Open qualifiers facing sand shots 50 feet from the cup, the best 50% of these shots ended up 7½ feet from the hole, or within 15% of the original distance. The average 10 handicap golfer should certainly be satisfied with getting the ball on the green within 30% of the original distance. This creates a very large and forgiving bull’s eye.
Strive to get the ball up and down, but keep in mind that PGA Tour leaders in this category get up and down only 60% of the time. So what you really want to focus on is avoiding the “up, up and down, down” or the up, down, down and down.” By visualizing the target as the middle of a very large circle, you will minimize self-imposed pressure, make fewer mistakes, and see measurable improvement in your golf scoring.
For more specific analysis of your sand game performance, go to www.ShotByShot.com.
Before you can get creative about shot making and target visualization, you must develop confidence in your basic sand technique. If either your technique or your self-esteem needs help, consult with your local teaching pro to develop a simple “confidence shot.” This should be a shot that you can trust to get out of any sand trap and onto the green - from any reasonable lie – every time.
A good practice drill to develop this confidence is to set a goal of executing a consecutive number of acceptable sand shots from different distance and lies before quitting. When you reach your goal, stop for the day, or move on to another facet of your golf game.
How do you set a realistic goal? Here are some statistics: In a recent study of US Open qualifiers facing sand shots 50 feet from the cup, the best 50% of these shots ended up 7½ feet from the hole, or within 15% of the original distance. The average 10 handicap golfer should certainly be satisfied with getting the ball on the green within 30% of the original distance. This creates a very large and forgiving bull’s eye.
Strive to get the ball up and down, but keep in mind that PGA Tour leaders in this category get up and down only 60% of the time. So what you really want to focus on is avoiding the “up, up and down, down” or the up, down, down and down.” By visualizing the target as the middle of a very large circle, you will minimize self-imposed pressure, make fewer mistakes, and see measurable improvement in your golf scoring.
For more specific analysis of your sand game performance, go to www.ShotByShot.com.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Putt for Dough
We have been discussing the positive impact that getting up & down can have on your golf scores. To get the ball up & down, you generally need to do two things pretty well: 1) select and execute the short shot that gets you on the green; and 2) make that putt!
Sounds easy, but is it? In a recent study of US Open qualifiers, how close do you think they had to be to make 100% of their putts? Can you relate to 1 ½ feet? These top performers make just 50% of their 8 foot putts, and only 30% of their 12 foot putts! Hopefully this makes you feel better.
One of the many things that the pros do that is worth imitating is to divide putting into two separate categories: lag putts, and short strokes. A different mindset applies to each.
Lag Putts
A good rule of thumb is to think of any putt outside 6 feet as a lag. From 6 to 12 feet you want your putts to reach the hole and have a good chance to go in, but you will only frustrate yourself if you expect to make them all. Direction and distance are both important, but in general, the farther away you are from the hole, the more priority you should place on distance.
The mind-set should be much the same as with a chip shot – if you miss, you want to leave yourself in a great position to make the next putt. Feel is key. Concentrate on the line first, visualize the putt, and focus on getting a feel for the distance and weight of the stroke. Then set up on the line and make this feel your swing key through impact.
Short Strokes
The short stroke is any putt where you are close enough to the hole that distance should not be a factor even if you miss. Practice a stroke especially for the job at hand. One of the most common causes of misses is deceleration due to last-second “result anxiety.” A good image is to picture a croquet wicket spanning the width of the hole. Visualize a stroke that will put the ball through the wicket.
If you practice nothing else, you should be working to build skill in your short stroke. Confidence in this area will take pressure off of the rest of your game, and consistent success will drive your opponents crazy!
For more personalized analysis of your putting performance and improvement progress, go to www.ShotByShot.com
Sounds easy, but is it? In a recent study of US Open qualifiers, how close do you think they had to be to make 100% of their putts? Can you relate to 1 ½ feet? These top performers make just 50% of their 8 foot putts, and only 30% of their 12 foot putts! Hopefully this makes you feel better.
One of the many things that the pros do that is worth imitating is to divide putting into two separate categories: lag putts, and short strokes. A different mindset applies to each.
Lag Putts
A good rule of thumb is to think of any putt outside 6 feet as a lag. From 6 to 12 feet you want your putts to reach the hole and have a good chance to go in, but you will only frustrate yourself if you expect to make them all. Direction and distance are both important, but in general, the farther away you are from the hole, the more priority you should place on distance.
The mind-set should be much the same as with a chip shot – if you miss, you want to leave yourself in a great position to make the next putt. Feel is key. Concentrate on the line first, visualize the putt, and focus on getting a feel for the distance and weight of the stroke. Then set up on the line and make this feel your swing key through impact.
Short Strokes
The short stroke is any putt where you are close enough to the hole that distance should not be a factor even if you miss. Practice a stroke especially for the job at hand. One of the most common causes of misses is deceleration due to last-second “result anxiety.” A good image is to picture a croquet wicket spanning the width of the hole. Visualize a stroke that will put the ball through the wicket.
If you practice nothing else, you should be working to build skill in your short stroke. Confidence in this area will take pressure off of the rest of your game, and consistent success will drive your opponents crazy!
For more personalized analysis of your putting performance and improvement progress, go to www.ShotByShot.com
Monday, May 4, 2009
Short Game: How Close is Close?
My last article highlighted the importance of eliminating short game errors from our golf rounds. Building on that, here’s more diagnostics on short game performance. Traditional golf stat programs have you evaluate your short game by counting “Saves,” or the percentage of opportunities that you get up and down. Certainly getting up and down is always the goal, but as a statistic it can be misleading. This is because it mixes two important parts of the golf game – short game shots and putting. If you are just tracking Saves, you could be masking issues (or excellence!) in either your chip/pitch or putting skill.
At ShotByShot, we believe the proper way to evaluate short game ability is to measure the average putting distance after the short game shot, and calculate the % of opportunities that are successfully hit to within 5 feet.
Chip/Pitch Shots - How Important?
The answer for any golfer depends on the number of opportunities faced in each round. Long game performance directly affects the number of chip/pitch opportunities because more greens-hit-in-regulation means fewer short game shots – but that’s a topic for another day.
Here are some basic statistics from the ShotByShot database to help put your short game skill in perspective:
These stats will tell you whether or not your Short Game represents an improvement opportunity, or if your precious practice and lesson time (and $$$) should be spent elsewhere.
For a Complete Analysis of Your Game, go to: http://www.shotbyshot.com/
At ShotByShot, we believe the proper way to evaluate short game ability is to measure the average putting distance after the short game shot, and calculate the % of opportunities that are successfully hit to within 5 feet.
Chip/Pitch Shots - How Important?
The answer for any golfer depends on the number of opportunities faced in each round. Long game performance directly affects the number of chip/pitch opportunities because more greens-hit-in-regulation means fewer short game shots – but that’s a topic for another day.
Here are some basic statistics from the ShotByShot database to help put your short game skill in perspective:
These stats will tell you whether or not your Short Game represents an improvement opportunity, or if your precious practice and lesson time (and $$$) should be spent elsewhere.
For a Complete Analysis of Your Game, go to: http://www.shotbyshot.com/
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Don't Forget the Short Game
I have commented previously about how frequency and severity of errors separates golfers at every level. Everyone hits good shots, but it is the bad shots that tend to be the player's signature and the determining factor in scoring. Mistakes are particularly problematic in the short game because they tend to leave an impression that carries over to the next tee.
How can you determine whether your own Short Game error performance is in or out of line with your handicap? Take a look at where you fall on the chart below by keeping track of your Chip/Pitch and Sand opportunities for the next 3 to 5 rounds. On your scorecard make a note of the total number of opportunities, and the number of those opportunites that result in an error. (Any shot that does not finish on the putting surface is considered an error.) Divide the # of errors by the total of attempts to calculate your % of Errors, and see how your stats stack up:
OK, so now what do you do if your short game error ratio is out of whack? Shot selection is one of the most common judgment errors made by amateurs. Discipline yourself to evaluate the position of your ball, the lie, its relation to the hole and the amount of green with which you have to work. Try to categorize each opportunity as a Green, Yellow or Red light.
Green = A good lie and position; one you should try to get close, if not hole out.
Yellow = Not a great lie but one that you can get to within 10 to 12 feet or closer with an average, low risk shot.
Red = A difficult lie and position. Choose a shot that will get you safely on the green in a position where you can expect to 2-putt.
Work at this when you practice and play and you will dramatically reduce your short game errors and improve your score.
(For more detailed comparative analysis on how the pieces of your game compare to your target handicap, go to http://www.shotbyshot.com/)
How can you determine whether your own Short Game error performance is in or out of line with your handicap? Take a look at where you fall on the chart below by keeping track of your Chip/Pitch and Sand opportunities for the next 3 to 5 rounds. On your scorecard make a note of the total number of opportunities, and the number of those opportunites that result in an error. (Any shot that does not finish on the putting surface is considered an error.) Divide the # of errors by the total of attempts to calculate your % of Errors, and see how your stats stack up:
OK, so now what do you do if your short game error ratio is out of whack? Shot selection is one of the most common judgment errors made by amateurs. Discipline yourself to evaluate the position of your ball, the lie, its relation to the hole and the amount of green with which you have to work. Try to categorize each opportunity as a Green, Yellow or Red light.Green = A good lie and position; one you should try to get close, if not hole out.
Yellow = Not a great lie but one that you can get to within 10 to 12 feet or closer with an average, low risk shot.
Red = A difficult lie and position. Choose a shot that will get you safely on the green in a position where you can expect to 2-putt.
Work at this when you practice and play and you will dramatically reduce your short game errors and improve your score.
(For more detailed comparative analysis on how the pieces of your game compare to your target handicap, go to http://www.shotbyshot.com/)
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