Strokes Gained
Strokes Gained Off the Tee, Explained
Strokes gained off the tee measures your driving by comparing the expected strokes to finish the hole from the tee with the expected strokes from wherever your tee shot finished — on par 4s and par 5s only.
What is strokes gained off the tee?
It’s strokes gained applied to your driver and tee shots on par 4s and par 5s — rewarding both distance and accuracy in a single number. (Par-3 tee shots are scored as approach.)
Strokes gained off the tee: the expected strokes to hole out from the tee minus the expected strokes from where your tee shot finished, minus one — measured on par 4s and par 5s.
Because it compares your finishing position to a tour baseline, it values a long drive that finds trouble differently from a short one in the fairway — see the complete strokes gained guide for the framework.
How is strokes gained off the tee calculated?
Take the tour baseline for the hole’s length, subtract the baseline from where your drive finished (its remaining distance and lie), and subtract one for the shot.
| Hole length | Expected strokes to hole out |
|---|---|
| 400 yd (par 4) | 3.99 |
| 440 yd (par 4) | 4.08 |
| 500 yd (par 5) | 4.41 |
| 540 yd (par 5) | 4.65 |
- On a 400-yard par 4, the tour baseline from the tee is 3.99.
- You hit a 300-yard drive into the fairway, leaving 100 yards. The fairway baseline at 100 yards is 2.80.
- Strokes gained off the tee = 3.99 − 2.80 − 1 = +0.19.
- Hit the same drive into the rough (100 yards, baseline 3.02) and it’s 3.99 − 3.02 − 1 = −0.03 — missing the fairway cost you about 0.22 strokes.
Is distance or accuracy more important off the tee?
Distance, more often than golfers assume. Broadie’s data shows a longer drive in the light rough frequently beats a shorter one in the fairway, because every yard closer lowers the expected strokes that follow.
That doesn’t mean swing out of your shoes — the big miss (a penalty or a punch-out) is what wrecks off-the-tee numbers. The goal is a tee shot you can find, as far as you can hit it without bringing real trouble into play. Compare your driving to your other categories with strokes gained vs. traditional stats.
Frequently asked questions
Do par-3 tee shots count as strokes gained off the tee?
Does strokes gained off the tee reward distance or accuracy?
Sources
Keep reading
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.
Strokes Gained
Strokes Gained Approach, Explained
Strokes gained approach measures your shots into the green from beyond about 30 yards — and it is the single biggest separator between skill levels.
Strokes Gained
Strokes Gained vs. Traditional Stats (Fairways, Greens, Putts)
Strokes gained prices every shot in strokes against a benchmark, while traditional stats — fairways, greens, and putts — count outcomes without context, so they can hide weaknesses and even punish good play.
Strokes Gained
Strokes Gained Putting, Explained
Strokes gained putting measures your putting against a benchmark by comparing the expected putts to hole out from each starting distance to the number of putts you actually take.