· App Features
Why golfity Shows Different Benchmarks (And Which to Use)
Open golfity and your strokes gained number depends on which benchmark you picked. Here is what each one means, why the same shot scores differently, and how to choose.
The first time people open the benchmark selector in golfity, the reaction is usually the same: why are there seven of these, and which one is the real number?
Here is the short answer. All of them are real. A strokes gained value only means something relative to a reference player, and golfity benchmarks let you choose that reference. Switch it, and the same shot can go from “below average” to “well above average” without you touching the data. That is not a bug or a marketing gimmick — it is how strokes gained works.
What a Benchmark Actually Is
A benchmark is the player your round gets measured against. Every strokes gained number is a comparison: how you played a shot versus how a reference player typically plays it from the same spot.
Mark Broadie built the original reference table from PGA Tour ShotLink data, which is why almost every public calculator compares you to tour pros by default. You can read more about that work in our profile of the creator of strokes gained. The problem is that “you vs. the best players on earth” is rarely the comparison a 14-handicap needs on a Tuesday.
So golfity ships seven benchmarks instead of one:
- PGA Tour — the original, hardest baseline. 0.0 means you played the shot like an average tour pro.
- Scratch (0) — the top edge of amateur golf.
- 5 handicap — strong single-digit player.
- 10 handicap — the classic “improving” range.
- 15 handicap — near the average for tracked golfers.
- 20 handicap — the committed weekend player.
- 25 handicap — where short-game swings decide the card.
Each one is a fully separate expected-strokes table, not the tour number shifted by a flat amount. That detail matters, because the gap between a pro and a 25-handicap is huge from 190 yards and tiny from three feet. A flat offset would point you at the wrong leaks.
Why the Same Shot Scores Differently
Say you hit a 7-iron from 160 yards and stop it 25 feet away. Run that one shot through the strokes gained calculator against different benchmarks and the number moves:
| Reference Player | SG on the shot |
|---|---|
| PGA Tour | +0.02 |
| Scratch | +0.12 |
| 10 handicap | +0.28 |
| 15 handicap | +0.38 |
| 20 handicap | +0.45 |
The swing never changed. Against the tour it was forgettable; against a 15-handicap baseline it was a clearly good iron shot. This is the handicap comparison most golfers actually want — did I beat players at my level today? — and it is the entire reason the benchmark selector exists.
Which Benchmark Should You Use
A simple rule works for almost everyone: match the benchmark to the question you are asking.
| Your Question | Benchmark |
|---|---|
| Did I play above or below my level today? | Your handicap level |
| Which category is my real strength vs. peers? | Your handicap level |
| What does the next level up look like? | One bracket better |
| How big is my gap to elite golf? | PGA Tour |
| Am I making long-term progress? | PGA Tour |
In practice, set your default to your current handicap bracket so every round reads against players you actually compete with. Glance at the PGA Tour view once a quarter for the absolute, never-drifting measure of progress. And when you set a goal, flip to one bracket better — the categories that look worst there are your highest-leverage targets.
We go deeper on this in PGA Tour benchmark vs amateur benchmark, and on why an amateur reference often beats a tour one in why comparing to a 10-handicap can be better than comparing to a pro.
Switching Benchmarks Doesn’t Cost You Anything
The part people miss: changing your benchmark rescores your entire history. golfity stores your shots, not your strokes gained, so when you switch the reference player every round, category average, and the scorecard with strokes gained view recalculate instantly. No re-entry, no second profile, no lost data.
That means you can read Saturday’s round against the 15-handicap baseline, flip to scratch to see what the next tier demands, and check the tour view to see how far the whole mountain still stretches — all from the same tracked round.
One honest caveat: be realistic about your bracket. A 19-handicap who sets the benchmark to 10 will look broken across the board, which is as useless as comparing yourself to the tour. Step up one level at a time, and if you are not sure what a good number looks like at your level, start with what is a good strokes gained score.
The benchmark is just a lens. Pick the one that matches what you are trying to learn, track your next round, and let the data tell you where you really stand.
