This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
PGAEEXCLUSIVE


every week, and whoever wins that week is someone who’s playing well above their norm. That’s part of the reason that people tend to believe in the importance of putting – they see putts going in from all over the planet when they watch the highlight reels of someone winning a tournament, but they don’t show the shots that get them there.


IGPN: You spoke previously at an MIT Conference with Justin Rose’s coach and former coach to Tiger Woods, Sean Foley, about how he and other coaches can turn the data produced using strokes gained into actionable data and also on the statistical approach coaches should have – what do you think are the main ways a coach can use this type of information?


MB: It’s definitely easier for coaches whose pupils are PGA Tour golfers because of the ShotLink data that’s available…the PGA Tour records all of the shots of all of the players at all PGA Tour events. You can break down a golfer’s strengths and weaknesses fairly accurately [using strokes gained] and that allows a coach like Sean Foley to focus his instruction on what will give the biggest bang for the buck.


dominates. He’s great at everything but really great at approach shots. It’s a surprise to a lot of people but not someone like Sean Foley, his coach.


Roughly about two-


thirds of a 10-stroke difference comes from shots outside of 100 yards and about one- third comes from shots inside 100 yards


The other thing I’ve found is that when you look at PGA Tour winners, the explanatory power of putting is higher. Using 10 years of data, I find that putting contributes about 15% of the scoring advantage of the best Tour players compared to average Tour players. If you look at tournament winners then putting contributes about 35% of the scoring advantage during their wins.


Part of the reason is that when you look at tournament winners, then there’s a different one


www.pgae.com


It would be ideal if amateurs went to their instructors with strokes gained reports, which detailed their trends, strengths and weaknesses. It is possible for amateur golfers to collect data on their own shots, using lasers or yardage books, and then use the tables in the book to do the strokes gained analysis on their own. We’re working on an app that I am hoping will be ready for beta-testing in two or three months that will make it even easier for individuals to do it themselves.


You want to make it as painless as possible for golfers to record their shot information – the PGA Tour pros have it great because someone else is doing it for them – but for amateur golfers data entry is the hurdle. The good thing is it’s really not that painful for an amateur to record their own data – I’ve been doing it for years and the app will make it even easier.


In my database of amateur golf shots, it shows that putting contributes about the same to scoring differences as it does for the pros. But every golfer is unique, and having a strokes gained report for individual golfers would be, I think, quite useful for coaches.


The book shows how you can go out to the practice green or short game area and test your skills by hitting a bunch of putts and shots. There are tables in the book where you can compare yourself to pros and amateurs of various levels. It’s fun and you can do it in a short period of time, an hour or so, though it has the disadvantage that it’s not in tournament play and it’s not in the changing conditions that you might get on the course.


In EVERY SHOT COUNTS: Using the Revolutionary Strokes-Gained Approach to Improve Your Golf Performance and Strategy (Gotham Books, March 10, 2014, Hardcover, eBook) Broadie explains the simple idea behind strokes gained and shows how it applies to all golf shots. He uses it to answer many questions of golf performance: What does it take to win a PGA Tour tournament? What is the secret behind Tiger Woods’ success? Which skills separate amateurs from pros? How much is twenty extra yards of driving distance worth?


EVERY SHOT COUNTS also uses this new data to analyze golf strategy: Lay up or go for it? Play an aggressive or conservative shot off the tee? Not a book about swing mechanics, EVERY SHOT COUNTS uses data and analytics to better understand golf performance and golf strategy. EVERY SHOT COUNTS reveals truths that will change the way golfers of all handicaps look at and play the game.


For more information visit www.everyshotcounts.com and to purchase your copy of EVERY SHOT COUNTS visit the Amazon Bookstore here http://eur.pe/PA76cZ (includes a short preview of the book).


SGBGOLF 19


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45