5 Stats Every Golfer Needs To Know

In this video, PGA professional Alex Elliott reveals the 5 stats every golfer needs to know about their game.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

In this video, PGA professional Alex Elliott reveals the 5 stats every golfer needs to know about their game.

5 Stats Every Golfer Needs To Know

With many amateur golfers currently in lockdown, now is the time to take a close look at your game - thinking about your strengths and weaknesses and where future improvements might lie.

By understanding your game better, you'll know the fastest route to better scores.

Take a look at the 5 stats every golfer needs to know and map out your route for a lower handicap.

WATCH: 5 Stats Every Golfer Needs To Know

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5 Stats Every Golfer Needs To Know

1. How many fairways are you hitting?

Distance at the club level is less important than in the professional ranks whereas hitting the fairway is of paramount importance.

So the first stat we want you to make note of is how many fairways you have hit in each of the past 5 rounds.

We then know what impact that is having on how many greens you are hitting, or if your driving isn't an issue whatsoever. Instead you could be missing greens because of poor iron-play.

Make a note of how many fairways you hit during a round (Getty Images)

2. How many greens are you hitting?

The second stat we want you to make note of is how many greens you are hitting.

This is hugely important because one of the biggest things around proving your handicap is simply hitting more greens in regulation.

Hitting more greens means more chances to accumulate net birdies, birdies, pars and so on. This helps regardless of the format you are playing too.

3. The rate of up and downs

4. Sand saves

Make a note of how many up and downs you are producing and within this we want you to break this down into up and downs from outside bunkers, and also up and downs from bunkers.

This will give you a clear indication of what aspect of your short game needs the most work.

Stay up to date with how many times you get up and down in and out of the sand (Getty Images)

5. Putting footage

Make a note of the total footage of putts you make per round. The way you work this out is combining the length of putts you make on each hole until you have a total after the round.

Interpreting The Data

All of these stats will give you a much clearer understanding on what the strengths and weaknesses are in your game.

It will also help explain certain statistical anomalies that may present themselves. For example if you don't hit a lot of greens in a round, that does not necessarily mean your iron play needs work. Instead you could be missing the green in regulation because you aren't driving the ball well.

Being able to see all the statistics next to one another will paint a clearer picture for what needs work in your golf game.

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Sam Tremlett
E-commerce Editor

A golfer for most of his life, Sam is Golf Monthly's E-commerce Editor.

Working with golf gear and equipment over the last six years, Sam has quickly built outstanding knowledge and expertise on golf products ranging from drivers, to balls, to shoes. 

He combines this knowledge with a passion for helping golfers get the best gear for them, and as such Sam manages a team of writers that look to deliver the most accurate and informative reviews and buying advice. This takes the form of buying guides, reviews, supporting gear content as well as creating deal content.

This is so the reader can find exactly what they are looking for, at a good price.


Sam now spends most of his time testing and looking after golf gear content for the website, whilst he is also responsible for all content related to golf apparel. 

Additionally Sam oversees Golf Monthly voucher/coupon content which seeks to find you the best offers and promotions from well-known brands like Callaway, TaylorMade and many more.


Unfortunately, Sam is not a member of any club at the moment but regularly gets out on the golf course to keep up the facade of having a single-figure handicap. 


Sam's What's In The Bag: 

Driver: Cobra LTDxLS (9 degrees) 

Fairway Wood: Ping G430 Max (15 degrees), Nike Covert Tour 2.0 (19 degrees) 

Irons (4-PW): Titleist AP2 

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7 54˚, 58˚ 

Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5.5 

Ball: Srixon Z-Star Diamond

Shoes: G/FORE Gallivanter/Nike Air Zoom Victory Tour 3/Cuater The Ringer
(For off the course he goes for Nike Jordan 1 Low G shoes as well)