Golf term
Gapping
Gapping is the process of checking that the distance between each club in a golfer's bag is even, so there are no large gaps or excessive overlaps in coverage.
A well-gapped bag has a predictable, roughly even distance step from one club to the next. A poorly gapped one might jump 25 yards between two irons and then only 5 yards between the next two, leaving awkward in-between distances with no comfortable club for the shot.
Gapping is best done from real distance data rather than assumed averages. A full set of average distances, and ideally dispersion, for every club — gathered from a launch monitor session or from logged rounds — is what reveals a gap a golfer might not otherwise notice.
Gaps matter more the closer a golfer gets to the green. A bag that's slightly uneven off the tee is a minor inconvenience, but an uneven gap among scoring clubs from 80 to 120 yards routinely forces an awkward partial swing on an approach shot that should be a full, comfortable one.
Related terms & guides
Glossary
Carry Number
A carry number is the distance a ball travels through the air before first touching the ground, as distinct from total distance, which also includes roll after landing.
Glossary
Launch Monitor
A launch monitor is a device that uses radar or camera sensors to measure a golf ball's flight characteristics — data like clubhead speed, launch angle, spin, carry, and total distance — for every shot it's pointed at.
Glossary
Shot Dispersion
Dispersion is how far a golfer's shots with a given club typically spread from their intended target, in both distance and direction.
Guide
Strokes Gained Approach