Every golfer has a part of their game that quietly knocks shots off the scorecard. Thanks to Shot Scope’s Strokes Gained data, we can now determine precisely where those losses occur. For that, we looked at not only which clubs make you miss shots, but which strings cost the most per shot and per round.
The data compares players of all obstacles to a benchmark, grouping each move by scale to reveal what distances separate the elite players from the rest. Interestingly, every player fights with the same exact shot.
The most expensive shot in golf
When you look at Strokes Gained for shootinggolfers lose more ground from 176 to 200 yards. This is long or hybrid territory, where contact, launch and steering become harder to control.
| Handicap | Yardage | Average SG per shot |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | 176–200 | -0.40 |
| 20 | 176–200 | -0.34 |
| 15 | 176–200 | -0.29 |
| 10 | 176–200 | -0.21 |
| 5 | 176–200 | -0.12 |
At any handicap level, this range represents the greatest drop in performance compared to golfers with a scratch.
It makes sense. These shots are demanding and require speed to cover the distance. In addition, you’ll need accurate face control to hit the greens and a solid putt to create consistent spin. Even small mistakes result in long putts or recovery shots from the green.
While 176 to 200 yardage is more expensive to swingit’s not necessarily the one that hurts your total score the most.
Real cost over one round
A 25 handicap might face just three or four shots in the round from 176 to 200 yards. But they’ll face plenty of shots from over 351 yards thanks to the long par-4s and par-5s.
When looking at total shots missed per roundthe most expensive string of the yard is moved from the long iron territory to your box.
| Handicap | Yardage | Average SG per round |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | 351+ | -2.94 |
| 20 | 351+ | -2.62 |
| 15 | 351+ | -2.10 |
| 10 | 351+ | -1.49 |
| 5 | 351+ | -0.81 |
Think of it as compound interest: a bad long iron might cost 0.3 shots, but five or six slightly off-target tip shots can quietly wipe out three full shots each round.
Scratch golfers don’t hit every fairway. They just hit it off further and with smaller errors. The extra distance narrows their approach gaps, letting them hit more greens and make fewer costly recoveries.
Meanwhile, higher handicappers often play longer holes with less distance, meaning their approaches come from much further away, causing them to drop shots faster.
What to practice
If you’ve been itching to get to the range and work on starting your driver, this data says go for it. The tee shots on long par-4s and par-5s are where players lose the most total strokes in a round, and improving your driver launch and distribution can save you many strokes without changing anything else in your game.
Driver practice priorities
- Work on continuous launch and centrifugation to optimize transport distance.
- Develop a reliable shot form and target pattern instead of chasing perfect straight shots.
- Focus on error checking. The difference between 15 yards off the line and 40 yards off the line is often an entire stroke.
If you’re dying to get out on the range and hit drivers, it can really be one of the best ways to improve your scoring average.
But distance isn’t the only path to lower scores. Tip shots are where golfers miss the most strokes in a round. However, if you are wondering which club actually saves mostly for shots, Shot Scope data says it’s a shooter. The driver determines how much trouble you’ll get into, but he determines how efficiently you’ll get out again. You will still need to spend some time on the putting green.
Final thoughts
If you’ve always been told that the putt saves all the shots and the driver doesn’t matter as much, the data tells a different story. Yes, the putter holds the rolls together, but the driver decides how hard you’ll have to work for those shots. Distance and control off the tee still separate the good from the great.
Post Where golfers miss the most shots: Data reveals golf’s costliest shot appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
