Stay updated with the latest Golf news by subscribing to receive our free Golf updates. You’ll receive a daily email in the form of myFT Daily Digest, summarizing the latest Golf news.
In his press conference, Bryson DeChambeau, the winner of the 2020 US Open, mentioned an unconventional golf revolutionary named Mark Broadie. According to DeChambeau, Broadie discussed how the narrow fairways in the tournament were not advantageous for golfers who hit the fairway. Ironically, DeChambeau had been hitting 350-yard drives en route to his victory, defying the historical emphasis on precision and caution in the tournament.
Broadie, a mild-mannered professor of decision sciences at Columbia Business School in New York City, developed a groundbreaking statistical measure for golf called “strokes gained” more than a decade ago. This measure breaks down a golfer’s score into different components to determine which skills are essential for achieving low scores.
Through his analysis, Broadie found that the fairways at Winged Foot Golf Club, where the US Open was held, were so narrow that DeChambeau’s long drives gave him an advantage by risking getting closer to the hole. Even accurate drivers would struggle to avoid the thick rough, especially when they were 50 yards behind DeChambeau.
Today, Broadie’s insights have become integral to the game of golf. Players use his methods and strategies to gain an edge, even if it means improving their performance by a fraction of a stroke. These marginal improvements can ultimately result in millions of dollars in prize money and a series of titles over the course of a season.
Despite being in his 60s, Broadie continues to teach MBA students and has achieved cult celebrity status in the sport. He started his journey by manually charting golf shots and inputting the data into a computer program.
Traditional golf metrics, such as driving distance and putts per round, are considered inadequate. Broadie realized that meaningful statistics could only be derived by analyzing individual shot-level data.
To illustrate the difference between a golfer who shoots 80 and one who shoots 90, or the advantage gained from hitting the ball 20 yards farther, Broadie introduced a simple unit of measurement. The concept of “strokes gained” calculates the difference between a player’s performance on a particular shot and the average performance of all players. It allows for precise evaluation of a player’s overall performance.
In 2003, the introduction of ShotLink, a laser technology used to track and store every shot in PGA Tour tournaments, provided Broadie with the rich dataset he needed to refine his strokes gained concept.
The PGA Tour recognized the marketing potential of Broadie’s concept and decided to launch strokes gained for putting first, to make the transition easier. Instead of delving into equations, the Tour appealed to stakeholders by conducting a visual experiment to determine which group of golfers excelled in putting. The strokes gained group was overwhelmingly preferred, marking a major shift in the golfing world.
Strokes gained has transformed golfers’ approach to the game. Previously instinctive players have become data-driven, while number crunchers have found validation in Broadie’s work. Golfers like Edoardo Molinari, who relied on homemade statistical models, now see the importance of using stats in the modern era.
Chris Solomon, co-founder of the popular No Laying Up golf podcast, credits Broadie’s book “Every Shot Counts” with changing the way he watches golf. Strokes gained provides insights into players’ performances that cannot be observed through casual viewing.
For example, Scottie Scheffler, the current top-ranked golfer, excels in drives and approaches, gaining nearly three shots per round. Despite his weak putting performance, his overall performance is still superior.
Broadie compares strokes gained to financial analyses that highlight outperformance. His contributions to the understanding of golf have had a lasting impact on the sport.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
