What Is Strokes Gained: Total?

How it works

Each shot is compared to the expected strokes needed to finish the hole from that exact spot, and the difference — expected minus actual, plus one — is the strokes gained on that shot. Summing every shot in a round produces strokes gained total, and summing the four category totals gives the same answer.

What's a good Strokes Gained: Total?

Tour winners often post +3 to +6 strokes gained total for a round; an average PGA Tour player sits near zero relative to the field. A mid-handicap amateur is typically -15 to -25 versus a scratch benchmark over 18 holes, with the gap concentrated in approach and around-the-green play more than putting.

Go deeper

• Handicap