You don't need a launch monitor to learn where your strokes go. Write down five things on every hole and after five or six rounds you'll know whether to spend your practice time on the putting green, the range or your course strategy.
1. Putts
Count every stroke on the green. Watch two numbers: putts per round and 3-putts per round. Most of the strokes you lose putting come from 3-putts, and most 3-putts come from leaving the first putt too far away. If you have two or more a round, practice long lag putts before short ones.
2. Fairways hit
On par 4s and 5s, note whether your tee shot finished in the fairway, or missed left or right. The direction matters more than the percentage: if most misses go one way, aim away from that side and pick a club that keeps the ball in play.
3. Greens in regulation
You hit a green in regulation when your ball is on the green with two putts left for par: in 1 shot on a par 3, 2 on a par 4 or 3 on a par 5. You don't need to record it separately. If your score minus your putts is par minus 2 or less, you hit it. It's the stat most closely tied to scoring, and it rewards your approach shots.
4. Penalties and lost balls
Every drop costs at least a stroke. Count them, and note where they happen. If penalties are costing you three or more strokes a round, the cheapest fix is strategy, not swing changes: a club that stays in play off the tee, and aiming away from water and out of bounds.
5. Double bogeys or worse
Count the holes where you made double bogey or worse. For most golfers above a 10 handicap, these holes cost more than everything else combined. They usually start with a penalty, a shot from trouble that didn't come out, or a 3-putt, and your other four stats will show you which.
Make it stick
- Record each hole as you walk off the green, not at the end of the round.
- Judge your stats over at least three rounds; one round is noise.
- Pick one stat to improve at a time, practice for it, and see whether it moves.
Updated November 12, 2026 by the Greens team.