Strokes gained

Strokes gained approach sounds technical, but the meaning is simple: it grades every shot you hit at a green against what an average player would do from the same spot.

A free golf stats app should give you more than a scorecard with ads. Here is the feature checklist that separates a tool that lowers your scores from one that just stores them.

Three apps. Three approaches to golf analytics. Arccos requires sensors. Shot Scope requires a watch. golfity requires nothing but your phone. Here is what each one actually delivers.

You sit between beginner and advanced, using analytics tools built around tour pros. Here is what your strokes gained should actually look like, and what your numbers tell you to do next.

Ten rounds is the point where your golf data starts becoming actionable. This audit shows exactly what to review and what to do next.

A handicap number tells you what you shot. Strokes gained tells you why you shot it. One scores the round, the other diagnoses the player — and you genuinely need both.