Close Menu
    Facebook Instagram
    Instagram YouTube X (Twitter)
    Breaking Eighty | Best Golf Courses and Golf Product ReviewsBreaking Eighty | Best Golf Courses and Golf Product Reviews
    Subscribe
    • Home
    • About
    • Product Reviews
      • Golf Shoes
      • Golf Bags
      • Golf Clubs
      • Golf GPS
      • Golf Launch Monitors
      • Golf Rangefinders
      • Golf Recovery
    • Buying Guides
      • Best Golf Shoes
      • Best Launch Monitors
        • Best Simulator Studios
      • Best Golf Rangefinders
      • Best Golf Bags
      • Best Golf Cart Speakers
      • Best Putting Mats
      • Best Golf Clubs
        • Best Golf Drivers
        • Best Fairway Woods
        • Best Golf Irons
        • Best Golf Hybrids
        • Best Golf Wedges
    • Travel
      1. Golf Resorts
      2. Private Golf Clubs
      3. Best in State
      4. Hotel Reviews
      5. Breaking Eighty Top 100
      6. All Golf Course Reviews
      7. View All

      I Went Back to Brasada Ranch After 12 Years — Here’s What Surprised Me

      May 29, 2025

      Why Vietnam Might Be the Most Underrated Golf Destination in the World

      May 1, 2025

      Dutchman’s Pipe Club Lives up to (High) Expectations

      February 3, 2025

      The Richland Course at Reynolds Lake Oconee is a Wonderful Marriage of Old and New

      October 29, 2024

      Hoiana Shores: Insane Links Golf in…Vietnam?!

      April 23, 2025

      Dutchman’s Pipe Club Lives up to (High) Expectations

      February 3, 2025

      The Richland Course at Reynolds Lake Oconee is a Wonderful Marriage of Old and New

      October 29, 2024

      This Might Be the Most Exclusive Golf Course in Oregon

      September 20, 2024

      Best Golf Courses in Oregon: Everything You Need to Know

      September 3, 2024

      Best Golf Courses In New York: It’s (Private) Golf Mecca

      February 27, 2024

      Best Golf Courses In California: The Best Golf State in America?

      January 4, 2024

      Best Golf Courses In Wisconsin: Everything You Need to Know

      January 1, 2024

      Peninsula NYC Review: One of New York’s Grandest Hotels

      January 9, 2025

      Indulgent Paradise: Why Nemacolin Resort is a Must-Visit

      August 12, 2024

      I Wasn’t Prepared for Just How Special Sensei Porcupine Creek Would Be.

      June 6, 2024

      Ritz Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes: The Best Hotel in Town?

      March 4, 2024

      I Went Back to Brasada Ranch After 12 Years — Here’s What Surprised Me

      May 29, 2025

      12+ Best Father’s Day Golf Deals for 2025

      May 20, 2025
      8.5

      The FootJoy HyperFlex is an Excellent Pair of Golf Shoes

      May 19, 2025

      The 3 Best Golf Travel Bags in 2025 (and One You Should Definitely Avoid)

      May 15, 2025

      I Went Back to Brasada Ranch After 12 Years — Here’s What Surprised Me

      May 29, 2025

      12+ Best Father’s Day Golf Deals for 2025

      May 20, 2025
      8.5

      The FootJoy HyperFlex is an Excellent Pair of Golf Shoes

      May 19, 2025

      The 3 Best Golf Travel Bags in 2025 (and One You Should Definitely Avoid)

      May 15, 2025

      I Went Back to Brasada Ranch After 12 Years — Here’s What Surprised Me

      May 29, 2025

      Why Vietnam Might Be the Most Underrated Golf Destination in the World

      May 1, 2025

      Hoiana Shores: Insane Links Golf in…Vietnam?!

      April 23, 2025

      Dutchman’s Pipe Club Lives up to (High) Expectations

      February 3, 2025
    • Eighty Club
    • Contact
    Breaking Eighty | Best Golf Courses and Golf Product ReviewsBreaking Eighty | Best Golf Courses and Golf Product Reviews
    Home»book reviews»Every Shot Counts: A Primer on Golf’s Strokes Gained Methodology
    book reviews

    Every Shot Counts: A Primer on Golf’s Strokes Gained Methodology

    The quintessential book on golf's strokes gained methodology.
    Sean OgleBy Sean OgleUpdated:February 9, 20241 Comment
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Normally when I travel I forgo my typical non-fiction business books and find a trashy Clive Cussler adventure novel to read.

    However, on a recent trip out to New York City I came across the book Every Shot Counts by Mark Broadie – and figured it would be worth a read.

    Every Shot Counts is essentially a book about shaking up the way stats are kept in golf.  Traditionally we’ve tracked stats that have very little relevance towards actually improving your game.

    Greens in regulation don’t necessarily mean a whole lot if we can’t tell how we got there in the first place.

    Putts per round can be misleading, because it doesn’t factor in how good the approach shot is or the distances of your putts.

    Broadie is an advocate for a new method of golf stat tracking called “strokes gained” – and that’s exactly what this book is all about.

    About a decade ago, the PGA Tour dopted the strokes gained statistic for putting and now use it as one of their primary indicators of putting performance.

    What does it mean exactly?

    Essentially the putting strokes gained method shows how a player putted compared to other players on tour.

    If he gained one stroke on putts, it means that because of his good putting, he shot one stroke lower than the average of the other players in a tournament.

    As an example, let’s say a golfer holes out from 30 feet. If the tour average for a 30 foot putt is 2.0 strokes, then that person would gain 1 stroke on the putt.

    Every Shot Counts: The Strokes Gained Methodology
    Every Shot Counts: The Strokes Gained Methodology
    $18.00

    if you're looking to leverage data to improve your golf game, the Strokes Gained methodology is the most accurate way to do it. Pair this book with a set of Arccos Caddie sensors? You have Tour Player level statistics.

    Buy on Amazon
    We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
    05/29/2025 07:13 pm GMT

    It’s More than Just Putting…

    What’s interesting about Every Shot Counts is that he then takes it and applies it to more than just putting. He uses the same metric for approach shots, drives, and more.

    It’s a fascinating way to look at golf stats, but more importantly, some of the conclusions he’s come up with because of it defy traditional logic for what’s important in golf.

    Some of the key things that are covered in the book are:

    • Long approaches are more important than putts
    • Distance is more important than accuracy
    • Out of bounds is even more dangerous than you think it is

    He goes on to cover a handful of other key ideas that will change the way you think about the game and how you practice it.

    While I loved the concept overall, by the end of the book, I was a little overloaded on stats.  It got a little dry at times, and the stories, while making an excellent case for the Strokes Gained methodology, all felt a bit similar by the end.

    The Exciting Thing About Strokes Gained

    A decade ago the whole strokes gained concept wouldn’t mean much to the average golfer, since they had no easy way to track it.

    But technology has come a long way. Game tracking systems like Arccos, Shot Scope, and Garmin enable you to track every single shot you hit automatically.

    So at the end of the round not only can you see how far you actually hit your driver, you can also see all of your strokes gained data for the round as well.

    This book should almost be a prerequisite to using any of those systems.

    Is Every Shot Counts Worth Reading?

    It’s definitely worth reading, because this is such a dramatic jump from where we’ve historically been in terms of stats for golf.

    As I said, it can get a little dry and math-y at times, but that’s ok considering it will help you completely rethink your approach to course management and practice.

    Every Shot Counts: The Strokes Gained Methodology
    Every Shot Counts: The Strokes Gained Methodology
    $18.00

    if you're looking to leverage data to improve your golf game, the Strokes Gained methodology is the most accurate way to do it. Pair this book with a set of Arccos Caddie sensors? You have Tour Player level statistics.

    Buy on Amazon
    We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
    05/29/2025 07:13 pm GMT
    arccos game golf
    Previous ArticleVessel Player IV Pro DXR Review: The Best Vessel Golf Bag?
    Next Article Stitch SL2 Air Walker Review: Their Lightest Bag Yet.
    Sean Ogle

    As the Founder of Breaking Eighty Sean has spent the last 10+ years reviewing the best golf products and golf courses in the world. He prides himself on only writing about products and courses he's experienced first hand, and helping others find exactly what they need to enhance their enjoyment of the game we all love so much.

    Related Posts

    10 Best Golf Rangefinders in 2025 (I’ve Tested Every One)

    May 12, 2025

    My 10 Favorite Golf Products of All Time

    January 28, 2025

    Best GPS Golf Watches of 2025: 8 Great Rangefinder Alternatives

    December 17, 2024

    Best Golf Podcasts of 2025: 16 Places To Get Your Golf Fix

    December 9, 2024

    1 Comment

    1. Andy on July 3, 2014 7:41 pm

      Great review Sean! I’ve read through it once, and am re-reading portions again. I agree, it’s a bit dry in place (how could a stats book not be?!) but all in all a great read. I’m REALLY looking forward to the apps to help track this stuff in my game. Keep up the great work!

      Reply
    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Quest: Play Top Courses
    Currently:
  • Top 100 in America: 49/100
  • Top 100 Public: 36/100
  • Top 100 in World: 52/100
  • Next Up: Good question!
    Email me! sean@breakingeighty.com
    About Us
    • About
    • The Eighty Club
    • Affiliate Disclosure
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
    Buying Guides
    • Best Golf Rangefinders
    • Best Golf Launch Monitors
    • Best Golf GPS
    • Best Golf Bags
    • Best Golf Shoes
    • More Golf Buying Guides
    • Golf Coupon Codes
    Golf Courses and Travel
    • Golf Resorts
    • Private Golf Clubs
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Breaking Eighty Top 100
    • Best in State
    • All Golf Course Reviews
    X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
    © 2012-2025 Location 180, LLC

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.