Golf by the Numbers: How Stats, Math, and Physics Affect Your Game Book

Preface vii

Part 1 General Golf Analysis 1

1 The Shape of Golf 3

2 Golfer's Spread: Variation in Golf 22

3 Good Luck Putting: Randomness on the Greens 43

4 The Rivalry: Cautious and Risky Strategies 59

5 Handicap Systems and Other Hustles 82

Part 2 Analysis of PGA Tour Statistics 99

6 The ShotLink Revolution: Golf Statistics 101

7 Lags and Gags: Putting Statistics 120

8 Chips and Flops: Short Game Statistics 137

9 Iron Byron: Approach Shot Statistics 154

10 The Big Dog: Driving Statistics 172

11 Tigermetrics: Player Rankings 189

12 More Rating Systems and Tiger Tales 210

Appendix A Supplementary Tables 229

Appendix B Player Profiles 235

Notes 251

Glossary 271

References 285