Four holes a round, and they swing your total by two to three strokes. Here is what strokes gained data shows about how par 3 performance affects your score, why the damage concentrates in a handful of holes, and how many rounds you need before the number means anything.
Every golf app now ships an "AI caddie" that tells you which club to hit and where to aim. Underneath the branding sits a fairly simple piece of math. Understanding it tells you exactly when to trust the recommendation and when to overrule it.
A punch-out from the trees and a ball in the water both break the simple strokes gained formula. Here is how recovery shots and penalty strokes are actually scored, and why the numbers land where they do.
Par 5s are the easiest scoring holes on the course and the ones amateurs waste most often. Here is a strokes gained framework for the tee shot, the layup, and the wedge that turns par 5s into the birdie holes they should be.
A single GIR percentage hides the story. Break greens in regulation down by approach distance and you find the exact yardage band that is costing you strokes.
Going for the green in two feels bold. Laying up feels safe. Neither feeling tells you which one is the right play. Here is the strokes gained math behind the risk vs reward decision, so you stop guessing on the shots that decide your card.