We are often asked the question “How do I analyze my golf game…?”

The field of golf analysis is huge and applies differently for every golfer. This makes it impossible for us to outline in this article, all the ins and outs of how to do it. Below are some simple rules to help you analyze your golf game. Although they are aimed at the elite golfer the rules still apply for everyone.

Group and compare sets of rounds together like your most recent 15 rounds against the 15 rounds before that. Or look at certain time periods. Let’s say this year’s performance against last year’s or the period either side of your last golf lesson.

Adopt a tree structure approach starting at the trunk. Always look at your Stroke Average in relation to the Par and length of the golf course. Then move down a few branches and look at your scoring on the Par 3’s, Par 4’s and Par 5’s. Generally, your performance will be weaker on a certain branch or type of golf hole which is where you should concentrate your golf analysis.

For this branch, ask the questions, “Are you making enough birdies (net birdies) or too many bogeys (net bogeys)?” and “What’s your Driving Accuracy and Greens in Regulation like?” Then it boils down to golf strategy, golf equipment and golf ability levels.

Par 3’s
These golf holes represent a mini game of golf in themselves. Look at Par 3 Greens in Regulation to determine if you have good distance and directional control with your irons. If you do, then look at your Short Game and Putting stats. If these are generally good then the problem will most likely be to do with golf strategy. You may be too aggressive or too conservative. An interesting fact is that a Par score on a Par 3 golf hole will move up the leaderboard in most Tour golf events.

Par 4’s
Look at your Par 4 Greens in Regulation and the distance you hit the golf ball. Driving Accuracy is less important for big hitters as long as their Greens in Regulation are good. This is because their approach shots are with shorter golf clubs which are more accurate, even from the rough. Driving Accuracy is more important for shorter hitters because their approach shots are further away from the green and with longer golf clubs, which are harder to hit from the rough. Generally, golfers are nearly as accurate with approach shots from the Semi Rough as they are from the Fairway so when analyzing Driving Accuracy, always check how many shots finish in the Semi Rough and take this as a positive point (note that in summer months, fairways can be very dry so many good drives do end up in the Semi Rough). Again the Short Game and Putting may be to blame if you’re hitting enough greens.

Par 5’s
Look at your Driving Accuracy on the Par 4’s compared to the Par 5’s to see if you’re less accurate on the Par 5’s. You may be hitting the golf ball too hard off the tee on the Par 5’s. Tour golfers tend to do this in an attempt to hit the green in Sub Regulation (2 shots on a Par 5 golf hole). Being a little more technical, compare the Up & Down Success of your wedges from the fairway against the accuracy of your Sub Regulation Approach Shots. Over time, you may see that you’ll score better by laying up to good pitching distances rather than taking on very risky long approach golf shots. Two important things to note, (1) Confidence is built by seeing good golf shots so smashing your Par 5 tee shots and losing accuracy may not be the best thing to do, (2) Shorter hitters must excel with their wedges to compete at Tour level on the Par 5’s.

Try and simplify your analysis down to basics which can be used to improve practice and golf tournament preparation like “Don’t hit the ball so hard off the tee on Par 5’s”. This can have an enormous knock-on effect for a golfer’s scoring on those golf holes yet is very simple for them to understand.