Understanding Strokes Gained Statistics: How It Works & Calculated?

One golfer hits a straight shot down the fairway, while another finds the rough but is closer to the pin. Which shot was really better? That’s where golf strokes gained changes the game. It’s not enough to just hit fairways and greens in regulation anymore; you also need to know how each shot really affects the score. Strokes gained statistics have changed the way golfers look at their games. They go beyond simple scorecards to show you exactly where you’re gaining or losing opportunities on the course. But what is strokes gained in golf, and how do you figure it out? Let’s take a closer look at the numbers behind one of golf’s most intriguing stats.

What is Strokes Gained in Golf?

Strokes Gained (SG) is a golf statistic that measures a player’s performance on every shot by comparing it to a benchmark, usually the PGA Tour average. It calculates the difference between the expected number of strokes needed to finish the hole from a starting position and the actual result of the shot. This system breaks performance into key areas such as off-the-tee, approach the green, around the green, and putting, helping golfers clearly identify their strengths and weaknesses.

The 4 Key Types of Strokes Gained

Here are the four types of strokes gained:

SG: Off-the-Tee (OTT)

This metric assesses the player’s performance on all tee shots on par 4 and par 5 holes. It evaluates the combined effectiveness of accuracy and distance to determine how well the player sets up their next shot.

SG: Approach-the-Green (APP)

The strokes gained approach evaluates shots that are aimed at the green from the fairway or rough, including tee shots on par 3s. It measures a player’s ability to hit greens in regulation and minimize distance to the hole, generally from 30 yards or more away from the green.

SG: Around-the-Green (ATG)

This golf strokes gained metric assesses short game performance, specifically for shots within 30 yards of the edge of the green that are not putts. The metric includes bunker shots, pitches, and chips, focusing on the ability to get the ball close to the hole to save par.

SG: Putting

The performance of strokes gained putting is measured solely on the green. It compares the number of putts taken from the specific distances against the average, identifying if a player is gaining strokes by making more putts than the benchmark.

Origin of Strokes Gained

Mark Broadie, a professor at Columbia Business School, came up with Strokes Gained as a better way to measure golf performance than traditional “soiled” golf stats like putts per round, fairway in regulation (FIR), greens in regulation (GIR), ups & downs (scrambling), handicap index, and sand saves.

Several important events mark the beginning and growth of the system:

Initial Research (Early 2000s): Broadie began to analyze millions of golf shots to figure out why some players scored better than others and identified that traditional stats were often incorrect.

Partnership with ShotLink (2008): The PGA Tour worked with Broadie to improve the metric by using ShotLink data, which is a real-time system that keeps track of the exact location and distance of every shot.

Official Introduction (2011): The PGA Tour officially added “Strokes Gained: Putting” to its list of stats.

Full Implementation (2014-2016): In 2014, Broadie published his important book, Every Shot Counts, which explained how he did it. The PGA Tour added the metric to all parts of the game by 2014: Off-the-Tee, Approach, and Around-the-Green.

Why Use Strokes Gained?

Greens in regulation and fairway hits are examples of traditional golf statistics that show results, but they don’t fully measure how a shot affects scoring. By comparing each shot to the expected result from the same position, strokes gained gives a more accurate picture. Here are the main reasons why strokes gained is a popular way to judge and improve golf performance.

Determine Your Weakness: SG is better than traditional stats like total putts because it tells you if you’re losing strokes because of bad approach shots or just hitting many greens from close range, which makes putts look worse.

Contextual Performance Analysis: It accounts for the shot difficulty, such as the lie, distance to the hole, and hazards, and gives a “+/-” number that shows how well the shot was played compared to the average. For example, a 300-yard drive into the rough might have a lower SG than a 250-yard drive in the fairway.

Efficient Practice Planning: By figuring out which part of your game (like driving or wedge play) costs you the most strokes compared to a benchmark, you can spend your practice time on what really helps you lower your score.

Objective Metrics for Everyone: Professional players have made SG popular, but it is also very useful for amateurs to use scratch or specific handicap benchmarks to see how their game is improving over time.

How is Strokes Gained Calculated?

Strokes gained measures the value of each shot by comparing your performance (start-to-finish strokes) to the average of players from the same location, like PGA Tour pros, instead of just par. A positive number indicates a better-than-average performance (gaining shots), while a negative number signifies a worse-than-average performance (losing shots).

The Core Formula

For any individual shot, the calculation is

Strokes Gained = (Baseline from Start) – (Baseline from End) – 1

• Baseline from Start: The average strokes expected to finish the hole from the current location and lie (fairway, rough, sand, etc.).
• Baseline from End: The average strokes expected to finish from the new location where the ball landed.
• -1: This represents the single stroke you just played.

For example, if a golfer is 150 yards from the hole, the average player needs 2.8 strokes to finish from there. The golfer hits an approach shot that stops 20 feet from the hole. The average number of strokes to hole out is 1.8.

Calculation: SG = 2.8 − 1.8 − 1 = 0

This value means that the shot was about the same as the benchmark. The strokes gained value would be positive if the ball had gone in the hole.

How Do Different Types of Shots Affect Strokes Gained Data?

The distance to the hole, how accurate the shot is, and the lie (the position of the ball, such as in the fairway, rough, or bunker) all affect the strokes gained values. Because of these factors, different types of shots can produce different strokes gained results, even on the same hole.

Example

Let’s say two players hit their tee shots on a par 4 that was 381 yards long:

• Player A: Hits the ball into the fairway, which is 185 yards from the hole.
• Player B: The ball goes into the rough, but it’s only 60 yards from the hole.

Using this standard example:

Calculation

Strokes Gained = (Baseline from Start) – (Baseline from End) – 1 (stroke taken)

Player A:

• Starting baseline: 3.95
• End-Baseline: 3.15
• SG = 3.95 – 3.15 – 1 = -0.20

Player A loses 0.20 strokes compared to the benchmark.

Player B

• Starting Baseline: 3.95
• End Baseline: 2.55
• SG = 3.95 – 2.55 – 1 = +0.40

Player B gains 0.40 strokes compared to the benchmark.

The shot still leaves a long approach of 185 yards, even though Player A hit the fairway. Player B’s ball is much closer to the hole, which means they will need a lot fewer strokes to finish the hole. Player B gets more expected strokes, even though the ball is close to the hole but it is in the rough.

This example shows that strokes gained looks at more than just whether the fairway was hit; it also looks at how much a shot improves the scoring position.

While it may not seem significant to lose 0.20 strokes and gain 0.40 strokes on a single shot, it accumulates over the course of a full round. On par 4s and par 5s, golfers usually hit 14 to 15 tee shots. If they consistently gain 0.30 to 0.40 strokes per drive, they could save 4 to 5 strokes in a round, which could have a big effect on their score.

How Can I Use Strokes Gained to Get Better?

Strokes gained is more than just a way to measure performance; it can also assist you in improving your overall game. When used correctly, it gives you information that can help you practice better and make better decisions on the course.

Here are some ways you can use strokes gained data to play better:

• Monitor your Data: Use technology like a golf scoring app to keep track of the starting position, distance, and outcome of each shot.
• Find Your Weakest Point: Look at the four groups (Tee Shots, Approach, Short Game, and Putting) and see which one has the most negative number (strokes lost).
• Practice with a Goal: Rather than doing the same practice sessions, work on your weakest area. If you’re missing shots based on your approach play, work on shots from 150 to 175 yards, not just your driver.
• Set Goals Based on Data: Based on your data, set clear, measurable goals. For example, try to lower your “strokes lost” on approach shots by 0.5 over the course of a month.
• Compare to Other Handicaps: If a scratch benchmark makes you feel bad, set your app to compare your stats to those of a golfer with a 5- or 10-handicap so you can set goals that are easy to reach.

Strokes Gained Leaders

Scottie Scheffler led in total Strokes Gained with a score of 2.743 in the year of 2025. Rory McIlroy is also performing strongly in the early events of 2026, particularly around THE PLAYERS Championship.

Based on early strokes gained data from the 2025/2026 PGA Tour season, here are the leaders in the Strokes Gained categories:

Performance Highlights

• SG: Total & Tee-to-Green (Rory McIlroy): Consistently ranked as the most complete player on tour through the start of the 2025-2026 season.
• SG: Off-the-Tee (Michael Brennan): Leads in distance metrics, specifically driving 320+ yards.
• SG: Around-the-Green (Tommy Fleetwood): Fleetwood ranks first on TOUR with a 0.900 average in 2026, while his bogey avoidance rate of 13.89% ranks 79th.
• SG: Approach (Zac Blair): Leads in approach shots from under 100 yards and overall iron performance.
• SG: Putting (Zach Johnson): He showed elite putting form, ranking 1st by demonstrating exceptional putting skills, achieving a score of +1.232 and an average of 0.519 in his last five starts.

Note: As the 2026 PGA Tour season is currently in progress, these leaders represent top performers in the early stages and leading up to the playoffs.

FAQs

What does “minus stroke gained” mean?

In golf, “minus strokes gained” (or a negative SG value) means that you lost strokes to a certain benchmark, like the PGA Tour average or a certain handicap level, on a certain shot, hole, or round.

What do strokes gained from tee to green mean?

Strokes Gained from Tee-to-Green (SG: T2G) measures a golfer’s performance on all shots that are not putts, relative to a benchmark (like the PGA Tour average). It combines performance from three main areas that are off the tee (driving), approach shots (iron play), and around the green. It tells you how many strokes you gained or lost compared to the field from the moment you tee off until you reach the green.

Is a negative strokes gained good?

No, a negative stroke gained (SG) value is usually thought of as “bad.” A negative number in golf stats means you lost strokes against a benchmark. This value means you did worse than average on that shot or round.

What is a good stroke gained putting?

A good Strokes Gained (SG) putting number is any positive number, which means you are putting better than the average on the PGA Tour. While top pros usually score between +0.5 and +1.0 or more per round, amateur golfers usually score between +0.5 and +1.0. Putting between +0.1 and +0.5 is excellent.