What is stokes gained?

Strokes Gained (SG) is a modern golf statistic that measures how much better or worse a player performs on each shot compared to a defined benchmark, usually the PGA Tour average. Instead of simply counting fairways hit or putts per round, Strokes Gained shows the true value of every shot, whether it’s a drive, approach, chip, or putt.

• Every position on a golf course—tee box, fairway, bunker, rough, green—has an expected number of strokes required for a typical player to finish the hole from that spot.

Strokes Gained: Off the Tee (SG: OTT)

• What it measures: How well you drive the ball compared to the benchmark, including accuracy, distance, and ability to avoid trouble.

• Shots included: All tee shots on par 4s and par 5s

• What it tells you: How effective your driving is at setting up scoring opportunities. Whether distance or accuracy is helping or hurting your game.

Strokes Gained: Approach (SG: APP)

• What it measures: Performance on approach shots outside 30 yards from the hole, from fairway, rough, or sand.

• Shots included: All full-swing shots not from the tee and not on the green.

• What it tells you: How well you hit irons and wedges. One of the strongest predictors of scoring and handicap improvement.  

Strokes Gained: Around the Green (SG: ARG)

• What it measures: Performance inside 30 yards when you're not on the green.

• Shots included: Chips, Pitches, Flop shots, Bunker shots, Short-sided recoveries

• What it tells you: How effective your driving is at setting up scoring opportunities. Whether distance or accuracy is helping or hurting your game.

Strokes Gained: Putting (SG: PUTT)

• What it measures: How many strokes you gain or lose on the greens compared to the benchmark.

• Shots included: All putts from every distance, including fringe putts if measured.

• What it tells you: Your consistency and performance on the greens. Which distances you’re strongest or weakest from.

Why Strokes Gained Matters

• Shows which part of your game contributes most to your score

• Is used by top players and coaches worldwide

• Is the most accurate way to identify strengths and weaknesses

• Removes biases from traditional stats (like fairways hit or putts per round)

What is the Go Birdie Go Player Score?

The Go Birdie Go (GBG) Player Score is a 0–100 rating of your overall golf performance. It combines:

• • Performance Score – how you perform in Strokes Gained vs Tour standard
  • KPI Score – how well you do the key fundamentals of good golf (fairways, greens, putting, etc.)
  
  
• The score is designed to work for all skill levels—from beginner to tour-level players—and to make it obvious where to focus to improve.
• ‍

How does the GBG Player Score work?

• The GBG score uses a proprietary formula built on:
  1. Opportunities: Every round gives you scoring “chances” (fairways, greens, makeable putts, up-and-down situations, etc.).
  2. Conversion: We look at how often you capitalize on those chances compared to expected performance and tour baselines.
  3. Two core components:
  1. Performance Score (0–100)
  • Based on Strokes Gained categories (Driving, Approach, Short Game, Putting) and Total Strokes Gained
  • 0 Strokes Gained = Performance Score of 85 (scratch-level performance)
  • The tour range for Performance Score is 80–100, with the average tour performance around 85
  • This is a harder score to push higher because it compares you directly to Tour-level shot-by-shot results
  2. KPI Score (0–100)
  • Based on the core stats that matter most:
  • Fairways hit
  • Greens in regulation
  • Birdie percentage
  • Scrambling percentage
  • Up-and-down percentage
  • 3-putt avoidance
  • Penalty avoidance
  • Double-bogey avoidance
  • The leader in each KPI group scores a 95
  • Your KPI Score shows how strong your fundamentals and decision-making are
  The overall GBG Player Score blends these components (plus a few weighting and scaling adjustments) into a single 0–100 number.