Example of strokes gained calculation

We calculate your strokes gained for each shot in a hole, to help you better understand this new metric

We calculate your strokes gained for each shot in a hole, to help you better understand this new metric

Let's imagine you are playing a 446 yards par-4. The PGA Tour's scoring average, or benchmark, for a shot from 446 yards from the tee (remember, distance and location are the key variables) is 4.1 shots.

You hit a great drive and leave the ball in the fairway 116 yards from the hole. We go the benchmark again and we find that in the PGA Tour the scoring average from 116 yards on the fairway is 2.825.

How good was your drive? From the tee, your scoring average was 4.1, but after the first shot you were in a position where the scoring average was 2.825. If you subtract those numbers, you get 4.1 - 2.825 - 1 = 0.275, which means you "gained" 0.275 shots, a great drive!


Shot Location Benchmark from location Strokes gained
1 446 yards - Tee 4.100 4.100 - 2.825 - 1 = +0.275
2 116 yards - Fairway 2.825 2.825 - 1.826 - 1 = -0.001
3 16' 11" - Green 1.826 1.826 - 0 - 1 = +0.826


Your second shot takes the ball to 16' 11" on the green, which means you go from a benchmark of 2.825 shots to 1.826 shots, your strokes gained is 2.825 - 1.826 - 1 = -0.001, which means that was just like the average shot in the PGA Tour.

The average score from 16' 11" on the green is 1.826, but you hole the putt, which means your strokes gained for this shot were 1.826 - 0 - 1 = +0.826, a really great putt for birdie.

If you want to play around with different lies and distances, we have a Strokes Gained Calculator that will help you understand everything, have fun with it!



local_offer
Strokes gained

Related posts:

The PGA Tour measures strokes gained in four different categories
Strokes Gained on the PGA Tour

The PGA Tour measures strokes gained in four different categories

golfity introduces customizable benchmarks, allowing golfers to compare their skills against PGA Tour players, scratch players and 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 handicaps, for a more relevant and encouraging analysis.
Your golf scores, your strokes gained benchmark

golfity introduces customizable benchmarks, allowing golfers to compare their skills against PGA Tour players, scratch players and 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 handicaps, for a more relevant and encouraging analysis.

Bryson DeChambeau hit a 417 yards drive at the 2020 Ryder Cup, how many strokes did he gain with that?
Bryson DeChambeau's strokes gained for his monster drive in the Ryder Cup

Bryson DeChambeau hit a 417 yards drive at the 2020 Ryder Cup, how many strokes did he gain with that?

Strokes Gained Putting is the best measure of your putting skill and you can now use our free Strokes Gained Putting Calculator to calculate it.
Strokes Gained Putting calculator

Strokes Gained Putting is the best measure of your putting skill and you can now use our free Strokes Gained Putting Calculator to calculate it.

Mark Broadie is the creator of strokes gained, the best metric to analyze golfer's performance
Mark Broadie, the creator of strokes gained

Mark Broadie is the creator of strokes gained, the best metric to analyze golfer's performance

Ready to feel like a pro?
Sign up now for a free account and improve your golf!