Table of Contents
What Is Strokes Gained?
Strokes Gained is a statistical methodology developed by Columbia professor Mark Broadie that measures player performance relative to a baseline. Instead of simply counting fairways hit or greens in regulation, Strokes Gained quantifies the value of every shot by comparing it to what an average PGA Tour player would do from the same position.
A positive Strokes Gained value means you performed better than the baseline on that shot, while a negative value means you performed worse. The sum of all Strokes Gained values across a round represents how many strokes better or worse you played compared to the tour average.
Strokes Gained Formula
Expected strokes represent the average number of strokes a PGA Tour player needs to hole out from a given distance and lie. By subtracting the expected strokes at the end position and the one stroke used, you isolate the value of the individual shot relative to the tour average.
PGA Tour Baseline Data
| Distance (yards) | Tee/Fairway | Rough | Sand | Green (feet) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 450 | 4.10 | 4.40 | 4.60 | -- |
| 400 | 3.96 | 4.20 | 4.45 | -- |
| 300 | 3.70 | 3.95 | 4.15 | -- |
| 200 | 3.20 | 3.45 | 3.70 | -- |
| 150 | 2.85 | 3.10 | 3.35 | -- |
| 100 | 2.60 | 2.80 | 3.00 | -- |
| 50 | 2.40 | 2.55 | 2.70 | -- |
| 30 ft | -- | -- | -- | 2.00 |
| 15 ft | -- | -- | -- | 1.78 |
| 6 ft | -- | -- | -- | 1.50 |
| 3 ft | -- | -- | -- | 1.10 |
Strokes Gained Categories
- SG: Off-the-Tee -- Measures tee shot performance on par 4s and par 5s. Includes both distance and accuracy.
- SG: Approach -- Measures approach shots into greens. This is the most correlated category with overall scoring.
- SG: Around-the-Green -- Measures shots within 30 yards of the green when not on the putting surface.
- SG: Putting -- Measures putting performance once on the green.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is SG: Approach the most important?
Research by Mark Broadie shows that approach shots (shots into the green from 100-250 yards) have the highest variance among PGA Tour players. The difference between the best and worst approach players is larger than in any other category, making it the strongest predictor of overall scoring and earnings.
How do I track my own strokes gained?
You need to record the distance and lie for every shot during your round. Apps like Arccos, Shot Scope, and Golfmetrics automate this process using GPS tracking. You can then compare your performance to PGA Tour baselines or to your own historical averages.
What is a good strokes gained total?
A PGA Tour player who gains 2.0 total strokes per round is typically in the top 10 on tour. For amateurs, tracking strokes gained helps identify specific weaknesses. Most amateurs lose the most strokes on approach shots and putting, which together account for about 65% of total scoring.