Keeping Stats/Notes Manually?

[ryan.palm]

I’m a 8 handicap with aspirations to go lower…often ask myself “what should I work on” knowing I have limited playing/practice time due to work/kids. Each winter I think - I’ll keep stats/notes this coming year, and never do. I’m admittedly an addict on my phone, so typically put it away for a round and try not to look at it as I know I’ll open my email and then my mind takes off…I know there are many apps out there - but in this digital world I am looking to keep analog here to stay focused.

Anyone have any methods/tips/forms for tracking playing stats manually? I can obviously keep the basics on a scorecard, but think I want to go next level…or at least the next level up from fairways hit, GIR, and putts…

Thanks in advance!!

[CeeWhiz]

I use the 18Birdies app and it tracks a fair amount of stats for me. I also like to hand write in a moleskin journal some highlights and notes after my round.

For tracking mid rounds, analog might be tough. You could write as much as you can on the scorecard then transfer to a small journal after.

[okiwiz]

I just use my scorecard. Then when I get home I transfer stats to my open office spreadsheet. I track putts, average score as well as pars, birdies, and chip ins. If I wanted to there is room to add a column for notes about each shot

[Craigers]

I’m terrible at tracking stats… got an s62 watch and love it… it does the majority of the work for me, just input score and putts at the end of each hole and never touch my phone.

It’s an expensive solution, for sure… but I use it as my daily watch, gps on course and it’s a decent smart watch.

I think it’s been a huge net positive for my game but didn’t get in enough rounds with it to be sure.

[Bigdadenergy]

I tend to be less of a stats guy and more of a distances and shot shape note-taker. Unless I’m traveling I play a rotation of about 4 courses and that will probably be fewer now that I’ve joined a club. So I keep notes on yardages, green reading, angles, ideal driving positions, etc.

[papageorgio]

I take caddy notes. Track NGIR (near green) and putts

[spud.308]

Used to take an extra scorecard & track club, proximity to intended target + which direction I missed. L, R, Short, Long.

[WVDS68]

I have a Garmin S40 that does the same for me, and it’s a cheaper alternative to the S62. It get’s you the basis data with minimal input.

[Jon_UK]

I use a Google spreadsheet. It’s configured to my home course so I can track the average score per hole over time and across the last 3 rounds; FIR, GIR, putts; number of birdies/pars/bogeys etc. (sadly, too much of the etc.).

Then on a separate tab I have a little graph tracking my rounds over the year since I started playing regularly (happily the line is trending down). And just for fun it spits out my cost per round/hole/shot, so I can see how much value I’m getting from my membership fee. A silver lining to a bad round is lowering that last stat a little more

[sk33tr]

I play fast and dealing with an app on the course slows things up. When I play, my phone is in the bag. I’ve used this GT card for years but now. I’ll just add these trackers to my clubs scorecard before my round and make notes on deficiencies from that day. I’ll look them over time to review trends. This year I started to carry this Vision 54 card to track my focus for each shot. Its a simple yet effective tool.

[Wasa]

I use the Shot Scope V3 gps watch which automatically keeps all of my stats. The only thing I do is press a button on each hole so it knows where the pin is that day so it can keep my putting stats. I can’t imagine keeping comprehensive stats manually. That’s not where I want my mind focused while golfing.

[Kdprice2015]

I use The Grint for stats in its basic form i.e. GIR, FIR, short, long etc

I’d love to record every shot while on course but can’t bring myself to do it as it would affect other players and I’d start concentrating on whether shot tracked or not and not my game and the enjoyment.

I believe stats are great but unless you’re competing, i wouldn’t give them too much weight. I.e if you only practice a few times a week and play once a week do you need to be consumed by them? Are you consitent enough in one area of your game to only concentrate on another?

Not trying to be a negative Nigel just offering an alternative perspective (I play off 7).

[CeeWhiz]

I find the 18Birdies app to be minimally invasive. It has gps so I do look at it for my shot selection. And then once the hole is finished, it takes me 10sec to input a few key stats. Then it’s back in the cart until I’m in fairway and need it again next hole. Pic below is the input screen after a hole.

[CeeWhiz]

It keeps track of these stats for me so over time I can see how I’m trending. Below are a few pics of some of the stats screens.

[Jon_UK]

I should have added that I use 18 Birdies on the course and then just manually add them to my own nerdy spreadsheet when I’m back home - the key benefit is learning where I’m doing well and not so well on my home course. I really like 18 Birdies too.

[TimS]

I’m kind of a stats geek and do feel that keeping track of different aspects of the game help. I created a homemade little chart that I keep in a pocket-sized flip folder the logs:

* hit fairway
* hit green in regulation
* # putts per hole
* sand - up and down
* chips - up and down
* penalty shots
* score

I then transfer these stats to a program that our state golf association has with our handicaps and can compare them to previous years and/or quickly see where my game needs work.

[C-Dubb]

I use ShotScope to to track my rounds. I like the fact that I can play a round in the morning download it from my shotscope and review the data when I get to my desk. It helps me to see what I did well and what I need to work on.

[openfacelefty]

What is the app interface like? What stats are shown?

[openfacelefty]

I’m using decade for tracking - the full gps tracking. All I track is approach shot distance and I estimate putt lengths. I do like entering after the round and using the GPS as it gives me a time to reflect on the shots

[Golfer_Jake_78]

The new GHIN app tracks some pretty useful stats. If you want to make the investment, you can’t beat the stats DECADE gives you.

I find it does help to keep stats to show you where to improve. But it also helps set expectations. For example, I hit 46% greens in regulation. So if I hit 8-9 GIR, I’m right where my stats say I should be.

Knowing where you miss can help too. About 30% of my misses are short. So I’ve started taking more club.

Find an app you like and start keeping stats. I guarantee it will help you.