Take A Closer Look at Strokes Gained Analytics: Different Strokes for Different Folks

The new Strokes Gained Analytics released last week have been causing a stir! Arccos players now get a comprehensive analysis that gives them some phenomenal personalized insights into their game that could even make the pros a little jealous.

Getting a closer look at your performance can be a little scary, but at least you have a place to start when addressing your shortcomings, and can hopefully rely on some of your strengths in the meantime. Drilling down into each game facet will give you a better understanding of how you play in that area, and where you can likely shave off some strokes.

Driving Accuracy Vs Driving Distance

While it’s fun to let the ‘big dog eat’, your Strokes Gained Analytics might be telling you that the 'big dog' needs a little diet. Focusing your improvement to one or the other gives you the ability to hyper-target your drills for faster improvement. If your accuracy with your 3 Wood is significantly higher than your Driver, the trick to lowering your overall score could be as simple as not pulling your driver on holes with tight or unforgiving fairways. If distance is your weakness, it could be time to get your driver skills tuned up with a pro, or just start consuming 6,000 calories a day like Bryson…. (Hello quarantine diet).

In most cases your performance off the tee can greatly determine your performance on the rest of the hole. In the new SGA feature you can evaluate your accuracy based on if you hit left of the fairway, consistent with hitting fairways, or if you tend to hit right, as well as distance compared to your target handicap. One of the fresh new stats is also how you perform on holes of various shapes. Maybe right doglegs are your thing because you tend to miss right. What is easier: finding a course with a lot of right doglegs, or fixing your trail arm getting sassy in your downswing? (Note: should probably fix the trail arm…)

Related: Arccos Golf Introduces The Game's Most Advanced Personalized Strokes Gained Platform

Approaching Your Terrain Game

Where you are hitting from like off the tee, or in the rough, fairway, or sand, can obviously greatly impact your performance during a round. Now with SGA, Arccos players can identify exactly how they perform on various terrains. This gives you the clarity to adjust your practice drills to specifically address your weaker lies, and start to gain some strokes back. If you’re better off the fairway than the tee, try lowering your tees, or even not using one at all. If you’re better out of the rough as you have more practice, hit the range and practice some better lies to try and get a better feel for your swing. 

Around the Greens

Unless you have a flawless GIR%, your short game is pretty critical to ensuring you can shoot lower scores. SGA can give you better insight into how you are chipping and getting out of bunkers, which could be the key to cracking your personal bests. Because finesse around the greens sets you up for success on the greens. Start by evaluating your Chip by Pin Distance - Do you need to practice your longer or short chip shots? Maybe you need to look at switching to a wedge with a different loft? 

Maybe you need to work on your Sand Accuracy - what is your average distance to pin compared to your target handicap? Do you need to get in the practice bunker? If sand is your kryptonite, it’s probably time to get a bunker-shaped sandbox in the backyard ‘for the kids’… That way, the next time you’re out on the course and in a bunker, you can really focus on how to get the ball closer to hole!

Related: Trillium Rose Talks Strokes Gained, Arccos Caddie Link and The Importance of On-Course Data

Putting

As the old saying goes, “you drive for show, and putt for dough,” and your performance on the greens is pretty imperative to lower your handicap. With SGA, Arccos players can get a better look at how they putt at different distances, as well as putting momentum in the “Putting By Hole” section. This is an awesome tool to show where you get your putting stride and can see what factors might be playing into your deliverables on the green. If you start out cold and warm up mid round, it could be worth spending a little extra time on the practice green before your round. If you warm up after the turn, maybe it’s because you had a snack and your back has finally stretched a bit. Maybe a little yoga and a pre-round hotdog will be the new ju-ju you need to get your putting in check earlier in your round. 

But what about the old stats?

While the player stats in the mobile Arccos Caddie App have had their recent ‘glow up’ with SGA—Arccos players can still access the old framework on the online dashboard. 

If you are interested in having better insights into your golf performance—download the Arccos Caddie app, and get started by purchasing Arccos Caddie Smart Sensors today.