Strokes Gained
Also known as: SG
Strokes gained measures how many strokes a player gains or loses relative to a benchmark (tour average or peer group) on each category of shots — off the tee, approach, around the green, and putting.
Developed by Mark Broadie from PGA Tour shot data, strokes gained assigns a value to each shot based on the expected number of strokes from that situation. A chip from 10 feet off the green that leaves a 15-foot putt costs more than expected; one that leaves a 2-foot tap-in gains strokes. Strokes gained reveals which part of the game is costing or winning strokes, something that raw statistics (fairways hit, greens in regulation) obscure. It is now the standard measurement for professional performance analysis and increasingly available to amateurs through round-tracking apps.
Example — Shot-tracking app
A player who gains 2 strokes per round on approaches but loses 1.5 on the green learns to focus practice on putting, because that is where the scoring gap lies.
Related terms
- Handicap IndexA Handicap Index is the World Handicap System (WHS) measure of a golfer's demonstrated playing ability on a neutral course. A lower index means a better player.
- DispersionDispersion is how spread out your shots are, plotted as a pattern. A tight dispersion means repeatable contact; a wide one signals inconsistency in face, path, or strike.
- PuttingPutting is rolling the ball along the ground toward the hole using a flat-faced club (putter). It accounts for roughly 40% of strokes in a typical round, making it the most impactful single skill in scoring.
Related guides & benchmarks
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