18Birdies archive · deep analysis · interactive

The insight dashboard

93 solo rounds · 3,043 GPS swings · every chart below recomputes for the years you select

Years

How the game changed, year by year

The whole story in one table (all years, unaffected by the filter). Scoring collapsed because the blow-ups collapsed — birdie/par rates barely moved.

You vs. the handicap ladder

Selected years vs Shot Scope's published averages by handicap.

The approach ladder — how close each distance gets you

How to read it: each column = shots that STARTED that far from the hole. The dark line is where they typically FINISH (distance left to the flag); the shaded box covers the middle half of outcomes. Lower = better. Example: from 75–100y out, a 21y median means your typical wedge leaves a 21-yard next shot. With one or two years selected, small buckets (n under ~30) wobble — trust the all-years view for the shape.

Green-hit rate — the sequence method

Nick's rule on strictly verified holes (unbroken GPS chain, 1–2 putt gap): the final swing verifiably reached the green. "Hit" strictly means reached putter range at the green (a recorded putt can be from just off it).

Greens hit by club × distance

Same verified holes, split by the club in hand. Cells show green-hit % (attempts). Blank = fewer than 6 attempts. This is the "which club do I actually trust" table.

The bag report — usage & real distances

Every club: how often you hit it, and its true distance (median, middle 50% shaded). Toggle years above to watch the bag evolve.

Anatomy of the scores

Every hole, by strokes

Disaster holes decide the round

Driving

How this is measured: for each drive the GPS knows the tee, where the ball finished, and the green. We draw a straight tee→green "target line" and measure how many yards left or right of it the drive ended. So "left/right" means of that line, not in the rough — it's a scatter measure (doglegs can fool it on single holes; the pattern over dozens of drives is what counts). Actual fairways hit comes from the app's own stat.

Scoring trend

18-hole 9-hole (×2) 10-round avg

By course

The prescription

1Cap the disasters at 2 per round. After any tee ball in trouble, the next shot's only job is back in play.
2Lay up to 75–100 yards on par 5s and unreachable par 4s. The 200+ go-for-it has a 0-for-33 verified record.
3One more club on approaches, center of green. Short misses beat long 2:1.
4Driver only when the fairway is wide — two-way miss; 5-wood into position on tight holes.
5Practice the 25–50y pitch. At least a third need a do-over chip today.