Stats explained
Know Your Numbers
Strokes Gained, benchmarks, and stat breakdowns translated into plain English. What the data says you should do.
Strokes Gained Explained
- Mar 6, 2026 · 8 min read
Strokes Gained for Amateurs: A Plain-English Guide
Strokes Gained tells you exactly which part of your game is costing you shots, compared to a benchmark. Here's how it works, what numbers matter for amateurs, and how to read your own.
- Apr 22, 2025 · 6 min read
Strokes Gained by Club: How to Find the Weakest Stick in Your Bag
Strokes Gained by individual club is the single most underused stat in amateur golf. It pinpoints exactly which club is costing you strokes — and which to replace, reshaft, or retire.
- Apr 28, 2026 · 6 min read
The Cheapest Way to Get Strokes Gained Data in 2026
Strokes Gained used to require a tour-level system. Now it's $0–$15 a month. Here's the cheapest reliable way to get it as an amateur — and what to skip.
- Jul 24, 2026 · 5 min read
How Many Rounds Before Strokes-Gained Data Is Reliable?
Strokes-gained averages need a sample size. Here's what the math says about how many rounds you need before the numbers stop lying.
Benchmarks by Handicap
- May 29, 2026 · 4 min read
What's a Good GIR Percentage for a 10 Handicap?
Greens in regulation benchmarks by handicap, based on real amateur tracking data. Where a 10 actually lands, and what GIR you'd need to hit to drop to scratch.
- Sep 23, 2025 · 6 min read
GIR by Distance Bucket: The Benchmark Table That Replaces 'Total GIR'
Total GIR is useless. GIR by distance bucket — 50-100, 100-150, 150-175, 175-200, 200+ — is the only approach stat that tells you where the leak actually is.
- May 8, 2026 · 5 min read
How Many Putts Per Round Should a 10 Handicap Take?
A 10 handicap takes about 31 putts per round on average. Anything under 30 is good; over 33 is your single biggest leak. Here's the full benchmark and what to do about yours.
- Jul 7, 2026 · 5 min read
Putting Averages by Distance: The Only Table You Need
Real make percentages by distance, by handicap, from amateur tracking data. Where you're average, where you're losing strokes, and what to practice.
- Jul 14, 2026 · 4 min read
Sand Save Percentage by Handicap (Real Numbers, Not Tour Numbers)
Real sand save percentages by handicap, from amateur tracking data. Why the average golfer saves about 1 in 5 — and how to nudge that up with the right practice.
- Jun 19, 2026 · 5 min read
Scrambling Percentage Explained (And Your Real Benchmark)
Scrambling is the stat that separates good short games from great ones. Here's what it actually measures, the benchmarks by handicap, and how to move yours.
- Jun 26, 2026 · 5 min read
Proximity to Hole: The Stat Nobody Tracks But Should
Proximity to hole — average distance your approach shots end from the pin — is the strongest predictor of approach skill. Here's what yours should be.
- May 19, 2026 · 4 min read
Average Driver Distance by Handicap (Real Data, Not Tour Numbers)
Real average driver carry distances by handicap, based on amateur tracking data. Spoiler: a 10 handicap carries it 220 yards, not 270.
- Jun 9, 2026 · 5 min read
Fairways Hit: How Much Does It Actually Matter?
Driving accuracy is the most-talked-about stat in golf and one of the least predictive of score. Here's the data on what fairways hit is really worth.
Decisions from Data
- Nov 12, 2024 · 6 min read
The Shot Cone: The One Concept That Rewrites How You Aim
Every shot you hit has a dispersion pattern — a cone. Aiming at the center of that cone, not at the flag, is the single biggest score-saver in amateur golf.
- Aug 19, 2025 · 6 min read
Pin Position Data: How Pin Location Quietly Costs You Strokes a Round
Front, middle, back, left, right — pin position changes effective yardage by roughly a full club and proximity meaningfully. Here's what tracker pin-collection data actually shows.
- Mar 20, 2026 · 6 min read
Putting, Approach, or Driver: Which to Fix First? (Benchmarks by Handicap)
Should you fix your putting, approach, or driver first? It depends on your handicap. Here are the benchmark numbers that tell you which one is actually costing you shots.
- Jun 3, 2025 · 6 min read
Smart Distance: Why 150 Yards Is Almost Never 150 Yards
Wind, elevation, temperature, and lie change effective yardage by 10 to 25 yards on most shots. Here's the 'plays like' math that the trackers do for you — and how to do it yourself.
App & Tool Comparisons
- Mar 27, 2026 · 7 min read
Coach by ATX vs Arccos: Which Tells You What to Work On?
Arccos auto-tracks shots with sensors; Coach by ATX uses voice and a coaching layer on top of the data. Here's an honest head-to-head for golfers who want to actually improve.
- Apr 7, 2026 · 6 min read
Coach by ATX vs Shot Scope: Which Is Better for Improving?
Shot Scope built its reputation on simple, accurate tracking. Coach by ATX adds a conversational coach on top of the data. Here's how they actually compare for a 5–20 handicap.
- Jul 31, 2026 · 5 min read
Coach by ATX vs Grint: Which Is Better for Tracking?
The Grint built a loyal following on simple, GPS-based tracking. Coach by ATX adds an AI coach on top of the data. Here's how they actually compare.
- Aug 11, 2026 · 6 min read
Coach by ATX vs 18Birdies: Feature-by-Feature Breakdown
18Birdies leads the consumer market. Coach by ATX is built around coaching, not gamification. Here's an honest, feature-by-feature comparison.
- Apr 17, 2026 · 8 min read
The Best Golf Apps for Improving (Not Just Scoring) in 2026
A 2026 ranking of golf apps that actually help you improve — not just track scores. Includes Coach by ATX, Arccos, Shot Scope, GolfLogix, and the ones to skip.
More from Know Your Numbers
- Aug 25, 2026 · 5 min read
Do Golf Shot Trackers Actually Make You Better?
Honest answer from a working coach: shot trackers work only when they change what you practice. Here's the evidence, the trap most golfers fall into, and how to use tracking data so it actually lowers your handicap.
- Aug 18, 2026 · 4 min read
What Is Net Double Bogey? (And Why It Matters for Your Handicap)
Net double bogey is the maximum score you can post on any hole for handicap purposes. Here's the plain-English explanation of what it is, how to calculate it, and why one bad hole no longer wrecks your index.
- Aug 11, 2026 · 5 min read
Where the Average Golfer Actually Loses Strokes
Everyone thinks putting matters most. The data disagrees. Here's the Strokes Gained breakdown of where amateurs actually bleed shots — and where the fastest gains are hiding.
- Jul 21, 2026 · 6 min read
Strokes Gained, Explained for Regular Golfers
Strokes Gained is the only stat that answers 'what's actually costing me shots?' Plain-English breakdown for amateurs: what it measures, how to use it, and where it beats every other stat.
- Jul 14, 2026 · 5 min read
How to Get a Golf Handicap Without Joining a Club
You can calculate a WHS-style handicap without paying a club or GHIN membership. Here's how the math actually works, which apps do it right, and where the 'official' line matters.
- Jun 25, 2026 · 6 min read
Granular Putting Stats: How to Stop Three-Putting for Good
Coach by ATX breaks down first-putt proximity, three-putt frequency by distance, and lag-pressure patterns. Here's how granular putting data finds the root cause — and the fix.
- Jun 25, 2026 · 6 min read
WHS Handicap Calculator: How Coach by ATX Computes Your Index Using the Exact WHS Formula
Coach by ATX calculates your handicap using the same World Handicap System formula GHIN uses. Here's how the 8-of-20 rule, score differentials, and course rating work — and why most amateur calculators get it wrong. (Not an official GHIN index.)