Pioneered by Columbia University Professor Mark Broadie using ShotLink data, Stokes Gained statistics compare a player's performance to the rest of the field.
Originally calculated for putting, and since refined by the PGA Tour, the Tour calculates SG in a number of additional categories such as Tee to Green, Scrambling and Total.
It can also be applied by amateur golfers. Reference can be made to Every Shot Counts, Mark's book or a number of golf tracking systems such as ARCCOS or GAME Golf that have developed their own Strokes Gained statistics using their database of rounds completed by amateurs.
Read this great interview with Mark Broadie that goes deep on the detail.
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