📈 Let's talk stats
Last week's newsletter featured the riveting topic of thank you notes. While I could write an entire series dedicated to the subject, I'll spare you. Instead, we're starting a new series for March
focused on stats for junior golfers.
We've not spent too much time talking about them and the role (if any) they should play. It's an interesting topic because I can see the change in the popularity of looking at stats even since Hamilton was starting out 10 years ago. Again, it's another indication of rapid changes
in junior golf over the years.
Referencing data about your son or daughter's golf game is easier now than ever. There are more launch monitors, apps, games, and websites that can offer detailed insights into swing speed, ball flight, scoring trends, practice habits, and tournament performance. This gives junior
golfers and their parents more information than ever to track improvement and identify areas to work on.
For this week's newsletter, let's take a look at the options available for getting into the details of their golf game.
Keep it simple with a scorecard
This is still one of the best starting points, especially for younger junior golfers. Simply tracking fairways hit, greens in regulation, putts, and up-and-downs can reveal a lot about where strokes are being lost. It’s not only low-tech and easy to keep track of, it also teaches juniors to start thinking about their round in a more analytical way.
Golf stats
apps
You can find several apps designed specifically for tracking golf stats. These allow players to input information during or after the round and automatically generate trends over time.
Many apps will
show scoring averages, strengths and weaknesses, and even suggest areas to practice based on the data.
We've recently discovered the DRVN.golf stat tracker. It does have a monthly subscription fee ranging from $10 or $20 (or a custom plan), but it's worth it if you have a junior golfer trying to "level up." It was created by another junior golf parent and I think you'll find the information extremely useful.
Launch monitor data
If you have access to a launch monitor, such as during lessons, at a practice facility, or at home, then you may be shocked at the amount of data available. Metrics like club speed, ball speed, carry distance, and launch angle can help younger golfers understand the “why” behind certain shots.
Tournament stats
You can also focus on tournament stats since some junior tours and tournament platforms provide round-by-round statistics and scoring history. This may help your son or daughter get a clearer picture of how they perform under pressure compared to casual rounds. Junior Golf Hub
is a great example.
Over the next few newsletters, we’ll dig deeper into which stats actually matter, which ones are overrated, and how to use data without letting it take the fun out of the game.
P.S. This is also a great time to remind you if you'd rather focus on feel versus stats, the Line Lion training aid is a perfect choice!
