The chart to the left denotes nine statistical categories on the PGA tour, and the corresponding stat for 125th place in each.Why 125? Because the top 125 money leaders on the PGA tour earn exemption (their tour card) for 2009.
So, in order to set realistic goals for my golf game, and because I enjoy statistics, I am keeping all of these for my rounds this coming year. My goal in each will be to finish at the 125th place level of each.
Now, I'm not so delusional as to think I actually have a chance to finish in the top 125 of each. Were that so, I would likely not be keying this entry in, and would more likely be in Florida with an over-hyped, over-paid swing guru, planning for the upcoming year on tour.
But I would like to think I could come close to some of them, and the real goal is to lower my handicap four strokes (although, that, too, might be overly optimistic). So one of the ways I hope to accomplish this is to mind all of my stats, and watch for clues as to where my game needs the most work. Off the top of my head, I would guess my top challenges would be scrambling, sand saves, and total driving (driving long and straight; I'm a one-or-the-other kind of golfer).
My other golf goal is to make the cut at the MGA Mid-Amateur, or qualify for the State Amateur or Mid-Players.
Even if I miss my goals for golf in 2009, if my wife and I manage to make the trip to Pebble Beach this year, all will be OK in my little world.
3 comments:
I've been keeping similar stats for about six years. I have a full spread-sheet dedicated. I need to update this with 2008, but here is a graph I created tracking my score, net against bogie golf.
http://macnoland.com/golf/MacGolfScoresGraph.aspx
That's pretty cool. I remembered an article I read in Golf Digest, and hunted it down, on the four most important golf stats to help one improve his/her game. They are, according to the author, total driving, greens in regulation, scrambling, and three-putt avoidance.
I will be adding the last one to my stat-keeping in '09. I could not find 2008 tour stats for this (did they stop recording them in '07??), but in 2007 125th place was 3.52%. (Meaning, the 125th-best player in this stat three-putted on only 3.52% of holes played.)
Let's try that article link again.
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