Golf term
Shot Distribution
A shot distribution is the full range of outcomes — every plausible landing spot and its likelihood — that a golfer's swing with a given club produces, rather than a single expected distance.
Golfers usually describe a club with one number — "my 7-iron goes 150 yards" — but that number is really the center of a distribution: a spread of outcomes around it, with some far more likely than others. Two golfers can share the same average distance and have very different distributions, one tightly bunched and one with a long tail of mishits.
A shot distribution has a distance dimension and a direction dimension, and the two are normally analyzed separately since they rarely share the same spread. Dispersion is the specific measure of how wide that spread is; distribution is the fuller picture of its shape.
The shape of a distribution matters as much as its width for decision-making. A distribution with a heavy short-side tail behaves very differently next to a hazard than a symmetrical one does, even when both have roughly the same average spread.
Related terms & guides
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.
Glossary
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.
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.
Strokes Gained
Strokes Gained Explained: The Complete Guide
Strokes gained measures every shot against a benchmark of expected scores, revealing exactly where you gain or lose strokes versus a chosen standard — instead of guessing from fairways, greens, and putts.
Guide
The Golf Stats Worth Tracking