Tour Statistics: How Do Average Golfers Compare?

In yesterday’s paper, a sidebar column listed the statistic top ten in various categories from the PGA Tour, Champions Tour and LPGA Tour. As I looked these over, the variances from tour to tour in certain categories really stood out for me. So I thought I’d offer my observations and toss this out to you all for dialog and comment.

First of all, can you really “beat the course” from tee to green ? Most golfers spend the bulk of their practice time on long shots . . . full swings. I always offer that you should allocate a significant portion of that time to your short game and putting. Compare your objectives to the best players in the world.

The #10 PGA Tour player hits 73% of the fairways. That’s 10 times in the 14 holes that are not par threes. On the Champions Tour, the #10 spot is also right at 73%, with the LPGA Tour the #10 spot at 78%.

So, if the best players in the world only hit it in the fairway 7 out of 10 times, what should your expectations be ? 50% ? 35% ? What do you all think ?

In the Greens in Regulation category, the #10 PGA Tour player is at 68%. Just over 12 greens per round ! So, these guys can hit 11-12 greens per round and shoot scores that average 70 or so – what does that tell you about their short games ? On the Champions Tour and LPGA Tour, the GIR numbers are almost identical, but look at the scores these players are shooting !

Maybe the Sand Saves category is most revealing as to where they spend a great amount of their practice time. Up-and-down percentage from the bunker of the #10 spot is 61% on the PGA Tour, 54% on the LPGA Tour and Champions Tour. What’s your percentage ?

I challenge all of you to keep track of your rounds for a few weeks, analyze them. Of key importance are your fairways and greens stats, but really focus on your short game performance. Analyze your average putt length after a chip or pitch of 50 yards or less, and how many times you took more than three shots to get up and down from that range – those are completely thrown away shots that you can get back quickly with just a little short game practice.

and I always hear people cursing and swearing whenever they miss the GIR or can't make par. ( many of these folks play in the 90s or 100s)

Knowing your stats is a key to improve your golf game
My putting sucks!

jurongtiger wrote:

In yesterday’s paper, a sidebar column listed the statistic top ten in various categories from the PGA Tour, Champions Tour and LPGA Tour. As I looked these over, the variances from tour to tour in certain categories really stood out for me. So I thought I’d offer my observations and toss this out to you all for dialog and comment.

First of all, can you really “beat the course” from tee to green ? Most golfers spend the bulk of their practice time on long shots . . . full swings. I always offer that you should allocate a significant portion of that time to your short game and putting. Compare your objectives to the best players in the world.

The #10 PGA Tour player hits 73% of the fairways. That’s 10 times in the 14 holes that are not par threes. On the Champions Tour, the #10 spot is also right at 73%, with the LPGA Tour the #10 spot at 78%.

So, if the best players in the world only hit it in the fairway 7 out of 10 times, what should your expectations be ? 50% ? 35% ? What do you all think ?

In the Greens in Regulation category, the #10 PGA Tour player is at 68%. Just over 12 greens per round ! So, these guys can hit 11-12 greens per round and shoot scores that average 70 or so – what does that tell you about their short games ? On the Champions Tour and LPGA Tour, the GIR numbers are almost identical, but look at the scores these players are shooting !

Maybe the Sand Saves category is most revealing as to where they spend a great amount of their practice time. Up-and-down percentage from the bunker of the #10 spot is 61% on the PGA Tour, 54% on the LPGA Tour and Champions Tour. What’s your percentage ?

I challenge all of you to keep track of your rounds for a few weeks, analyze them. Of key importance are your fairways and greens stats, but really focus on your short game performance. Analyze your average putt length after a chip or pitch of 50 yards or less, and how many times you took more than three shots to get up and down from that range – those are completely thrown away shots that you can get back quickly with just a little short game practice.

Hi JT I have passed my due date already la. Really rather enjoy my game, enjoy every strokes that I took, on or not, its ok . Just give me good company. Thats all I am asking. For you young guys and gals, just go ahead of me. I will try to close up as quickly as I can ok?

titu

Hello Titu

You sound like you very old man leh.

Have you met my sifu, Ghoonk before?

According to golfshot GPS on my iPhone,

In my last 20 games,

i hit 72.2% of fairways
miss 10.3% left, 17.5% right

I hit 24.3% GIR, miss 75.7%

My scrambling is at 11.5%, and sand saves are at 14.1% (i.e. I manage to par 14 out of 100 holes where I end up in a bunker somewhere)

Putting average is 2.08 per hole, but when I GIR, it goes up to 2.35, which probably means that I either get complacent, or I land the ball on some ulu part of the green and kena some killer lag putt that I failed to convert

GolfShot GPS also tells me that I shoot an average of

4.3 on Par 3s (serious work needed here)
5.1 on Par 4s (bogey man)
6.0 on Par 5s (bogey man)

Overall scoring %ages:

Eagles 0%
Birdies 2%
Pars 22%
Bogies 49%
Double bogey or worse 27%

It also tells me that my GIR %ages are much higher at Sadiyaat Beach Golf Club, and The Els Club, and not so great at JGE Earth and even worse on the JGE Fire course

Using the yardage measurement capabilities in GolfShot using GPS, my 'long' drives are around 280 yards, averaging around 250 to 260 yards.

Just bought a new golf tool last night - Tour Tempo (USD24.99) and I have to say that I've been pleasantly surprised so far.

jurongtiger wrote:

Hello Titu

You sound like you very old man leh.

Have you met my sifu, Ghoonk before?

simi sifu? golf kaki la!

I am a bogey man most times......GIR is extremely rare cos of limited talent.

well, tats why I am a seasoned beginner

What is a tour tempo???

I also wan

time for you to get an iPhone 3GS la. buy used, since people are letting go to buy the iPhone 4, and the following apps would be fantastic to have:

Golfshot GPS
Tour Tempo
GolfPlan w/ Paul Azinger

I show you Tour Tempo next time. damn awesome

Duval_S wrote:

I am a bogey man most times......GIR is extremely rare cos of limited talent.

well, tats why I am a seasoned beginner

Bro, you are rght. i now also seasoned heeheh
i think we both got limited talent

i am far far behind you brudder......play catching up all the time....still got long way to become a SEASONED player

My GIR percentage is pretty bad ... which is why a 3 putt if I do get a GIR really, really, pisses me off ...