For most of golf’s history, the primary way to measure a golfer’s performance was simple: count the strokes. But the number on the scorecard tells only part of the story. A golfer can shoot 72 with a brilliant putting day covering up a disastrous iron game — and the scoreline reveals nothing about it.
Strokes gained changes that. Developed by Columbia Business School professor Mark Broadie and adopted by the PGA Tour in 2011, strokes gained is a statistical framework that measures performance across every phase of the game against a defined baseline — telling you exactly where you’re gaining or losing shots relative to other golfers.
This guide explains what strokes gained is, how it works, and how golfers of all abilities can use it to improve.
The Core Idea: Every Shot Has an Expected Value
The foundation of strokes gained is a concept called “expected strokes” — the average number of shots a tour-level golfer would take from any given position on the course to hole out. This data was compiled from millions of tracked golf shots, creating a comprehensive map of expected scores from every distance, lie, and situation.
From 150 yards in the fairway, the average tour player takes approximately 2.80 more shots to hole out. From 150 yards in the rough, that number is higher — maybe 2.95. From a greenside bunker, it might be 2.50. These baselines exist for virtually every situation on a golf course.
Strokes gained for any individual shot is calculated as:
Strokes Gained = Expected strokes from starting position − Expected strokes from ending position − 1
If you hit a shot from a position with an expected score of 3.5 to a position with an expected score of 1.8, your strokes gained on that shot is 3.5 − 1.8 − 1 = 0.7. You’ve gained 0.7 strokes on the field with that shot. Hit a poor approach that moves your expected score from 3.5 to 3.0, and your strokes gained is only 3.5 − 3.0 − 1 = −0.5. A half-shot lost.
The Four Strokes Gained Categories
The PGA Tour divides strokes gained into four key categories that together account for the full round:
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee (SG:OTT)
Measures performance from the tee on par 4s and par 5s. It accounts for both distance and accuracy — a drive 50 yards longer than average but in the rough may generate less strokes gained than a shorter, well-positioned drive in the fairway, depending on the specific numbers. This category has revealed how dramatically driving distance influences scoring at the elite level.
Strokes Gained: Approach (SG:APP)
Measures approach shot performance from beyond 30 yards. It’s consistently one of the strongest predictors of scoring average among PGA Tour players. A golfer who gains 0.5 strokes per round on approach shots — hitting approach shots 0.5 strokes better than the tour average — is a significant edge over a full season.
Strokes Gained: Around the Green (SG:ARG)
Measures the short game within 30 yards of the hole, excluding putting. Chipping, pitching, and bunker play are all captured here. This is one of the most variable categories among amateurs — a single green-side catastrophe can dramatically swing a round’s SG:ARG total.
Strokes Gained: Putting (SG:PUTT)
The best-known strokes gained metric, and the one most directly applicable to amateurs. It measures putting performance against the expected number of putts from any given distance. A player who one-putts from 25 feet gains significantly; a player who three-putts from 8 feet loses significantly. Unlike “putts per round” — which penalizes players who miss greens — SG:PUTT purely isolates putting skill.
Strokes Gained Total (SG:TOT)
Strokes Gained: Total sums all four categories to give an overall measure of performance relative to the field. On the PGA Tour, SG:TOT is measured relative to the tour average (0). Rory McIlroy or Scottie Scheffler in their best years might be +3 to +4 SG:TOT — meaning they gain 3–4 strokes per round on the average tour player, which is the difference between winning week in, week out and missing cuts.
What Strokes Gained Has Revealed About Golf
The strokes gained revolution has overturned several long-held golf beliefs:
- “Drive for show, putt for dough” is mostly wrong. Strokes gained analysis consistently shows that approach shot performance (SG:APP) is more predictive of scoring average than putting. Distance off the tee (SG:OTT) also matters enormously. Putting is important, but it’s rarely the primary driver of elite performance.
- Distance is vastly undervalued by amateurs. Driving distance generates more strokes gained at every level of golf than most players appreciate. The longer you hit, the shorter your approach shots — and shorter approach shots go closer to the hole, dramatically improving scoring probability.
- Short game (SG:ARG) varies wildly. For amateur golfers, around-the-green performance is often the highest-variance category and one of the greatest opportunities for improvement.
How Amateur Golfers Can Use Strokes Gained
You don’t need a PGA Tour ShotLink system to apply strokes gained principles. Several approaches exist for club golfers:
Shot-Tracking Apps
Apps like Arccos, Golfshot, Shot Scope, and Garmin Golf all track shot data via GPS and provide strokes gained analysis. After a few rounds of data, you’ll have a clear picture of exactly where you’re gaining and losing shots compared to golfers of your handicap. This is the most direct path to data-driven improvement.
The Baseline Concept
Even without tracking apps, understanding the expected strokes concept helps your on-course decision-making. Knowing that the average 15-handicapper takes roughly 3.5 shots from 150 yards in rough versus 3.1 from the fairway makes the value of hitting fairways viscerally clear. It reframes strategy from instinct to expected value.
Identify Your Weakest Category
Once you have strokes gained data, the highest-return practice time goes to your weakest category. If you’re losing 3 shots per round on approach shots and only 0.5 on putting, spending 80% of your practice time on the putting green is misallocated. Strokes gained tells you where the shots are actually going — often surprising golfers who thought they knew their own game.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can strokes gained be used for matchplay?
Strokes gained is fundamentally a stroke play metric based on expected scores per hole. Its direct application in matchplay is limited, though the insights it generates about your game — where you gain and lose shots — are equally valuable for matchplay preparation and practice priorities.
What’s a good strokes gained total for an amateur?
Strokes gained for amateurs is typically measured relative to a handicap-specific baseline rather than the PGA Tour average. A scratch golfer should be near 0 relative to scratch; a 10-handicapper will lose several shots per round relative to scratch across all categories. Apps like Arccos and Shot Scope calculate your strokes gained relative to golfers of your own handicap, making the comparisons meaningful.
Is strokes gained available for courses without GPS mapping?
Most major shot-tracking apps cover tens of thousands of courses worldwide with GPS mapping. Coverage gaps exist, particularly for smaller or remote courses, but the technology has expanded significantly. Alternatively, manual tracking with a rangefinder and a spreadsheet can produce your own strokes gained data, though it requires more effort.
