5 shocking golf stats that will make you rethink your game

Do you ever watch coverage of live golf and see a stat that stops you in your tracks? Well, we’re the same. In fact, stats from amateur golfers can be even more shocking.

That’s why in a recent trawl of stats from Shot Scope, the GPS-giant based in Scotland, some pieces of data really stood out to us. While these might be interesting to read, they might also make you re-think some of your strategy on the golf course.

Remember, these numbers are taken from real data from players who use Shot Scope devices.

5 Shot Scope stats that shocked us

Hitting the fairway is overrated

Bear with us on this one. The average scratch player hits, with their driver, 48% of fairways. The average 25-handicap golfer, also with driver in hand, hits 47% of fairways. Yes, there’s only a 1% difference between a mid-20 handicap and a potential club champion in number of fairways hit. Even the average PGA Tour player only hits the short grass around 61% of the time.

The big difference? Distance. Scratch golfers hit the ball around 80 yards longer with the big stick. They find fewer penalty areas, too.

Go long, to go low!

Do better golfers hit more fairways? Yes, but only marginally!

The real difference? They typically hit it 45yds longer than the average golfer.#performancedata #shottracking #amateurgolf pic.twitter.com/r607kTo6DD

— Shot Scope (@shotscope) December 9, 2024

Hitting the green is never a given

From 100 yards, a 15-handicap golfer is more likely to miss the green than hit it. You know those times when you’re in the fairway, you’ve got a clear path to the green and a wedge in hand, but you only leave yourself 30 feet for birdie? That’s actually a very solid shot.

Scratch players aren’t making a load of birdies

You know that scratch player at your club who seems to make a birdie on every other hole? Well, they aren’t. The average scratch player only makes 2.3 birdies a round. Compare that with a 25-handicap player on the Shot Scope, and there’s barely a two-shot swing. However, the scratch player makes up shots with a lack of double-bogeys – less than 0.3 per round – compared to a 25-handicap, who makes double or worse nearly ten times a round. So, if you want to get to scratch, then swapping the doubles for bogeys, rather than pars for birdies, is the way to go.

• Copy Cam Smith’s putting routine

• Learn from this DP World Tour winner to master your fairway woods

You’re probably not warming-up properly

Why do we say that? Well, everyone apart from scratch golfers averages a better score on the back nine than the front nine. While we can’t say exactly why that is happening, we think a lack of a warm-up, not adjusting to course conditions, and first tee nerves has something to do with it. If you can get your round off to a decent start, then you’ll be gaining a big advantage on other players.

The 3-wood isn’t your friend

Taking the 3-wood for safety? That’s probably not wise. In no handicap range is there a noticeable difference in accuracy between hitting driver and hitting 3-wood. Where there is a big difference, however, is in distance. A 10-handicap loses around 30 yards when they drop down to a fairway wood off the tee. That makes for a much longer approach shot, which means fewer greens.

One stat that certainly did not shock us, however, is the one that indicates the biggest difference between handicaps.

Greens in regulation is the statistic from Shot Scope that has the most direct correlation to handicap. Basically, that’s the number of putts for birdie you have in a round. It’s the stat with the most direct correlation to your handicap. On average, a scratch golfer hits 11 greens in a round. Then, a 5-handicap golfer hits seven greens per round. That trend continues to the 25-handicap golfers, who only average two greens in regulation per round. If you want to lower your score, hit more greens.

More from Shot Scope

• Shot Scope PRO LX+ review

• Shot Scope X5 watch review

• Shot Scope Pro ZR rangefinder review

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Lewis Fraser As bunkered’s Performance Editor, Lewis oversees the content that’s designed to make you a better player. From the latest gear to tuition, nutrition, strategy and more, he’s the man. A graduate of the University of Stirling, Lewis joined bunkered in 2021. Formerly a caddie at Castle Stuart Golf Links, he is a member of Bathgate Golf Club where he plays off four.

Performance Editor