When you go and play a new course you might think that you have an advantage of a free mind, not knowing where the danger is and without the memories of past disasters.
"I always mess up this hole" is likely something you'll hear in your usual four ball, with players sometimes mentally scarred by frequently struggling with certain holes or shots at their home club.
However, data from Arccos Golf, cleaned from over 750 million rounds, shows some very interesting insights when golfers with 30+ rounds at their home club travel to play other courses.
So, do you player better home or away? On the whole, the answer is home. Clearly course knowledge does pay off, knowing where not to go and having experience of which strategies work best for certain holes that you've played time and time again.
Whether it's knowing to take an iron off the tee on a certain par 4 or that left is dead on a certain green, clearly knowing the course you're faced with is an advantage - and the stats back it up.
Golfers average two or more strokes gained worse when playing away 39% of the time, Arccos data shows.
And players average over one strokes gained worse more than half the time, with the stats showing 1+ strokes worse on new courses coming in 55% of rounds recorded.
The numbers confirms that home teams have the advantage in matches against away clubs, and perhaps you should ask for one or two extra strokes when your friend is taking you round their course.
For those golfers who enjoy a new challenge and the freedom of not knowing where the trouble is, the stats show that golfers average 1+ strokes gained at a new course 19% of the time.
And those really good rounds of 2+ strokes gained come 11% of the time.
So it's not like you can't shoot a good round at a new course, of course, it's just more likely that golfers will find a new test trickier than one they know well.
Playing a new golf course - what the stats show
- Chances a player's strokes gained at the new course was 2 or more shots worse than their home course - 39%
- Chances 1+ strokes worse - 55%
- Chances 2+ strokes better - 11%
- Chances 1+ strokes better 19%
* Data from golfers who have 30+ rounds logged at their home course.
-
Graham DeLaet Facts: 20 Things To Know About The PGA Tour Pro Turned BroadcasterGraham DeLaet had a successful career in the game, but after injuries took a toll, he has stepped into a broadcasting role in recent years - here are 20 facts about him
-
Arron Oberholser Facts: 15 Things To Know About The PGA Tour-Winning Golf Channel BroadcasterArron Oberholser left his PGA Tour career behind to take up life as a Golf Channel broadcaster in 2013 – here are 15 things to know about him
-
Amateur Golfers Make Less Than 40 Percent Of Putts From This Crucial Length'... Arccos Data Reveals Stark Putting TruthsWhen standing over a 'makeable' putt, many golfers would fancy their chances as they pull the putter head back... But this data might make them think twice!
-
Fresh Data Shows The Age Amateur Golfers Hit Their Longest Drives... Is This True For You?Driving distance isn't everything, but data suggests longer tee shots can lead to a lower handicap. So, at what age do amateur golfers hit their longest drives?
-
Data Reveals How Many 3-Putts Amateur Golfers Make Per Round3-putts are extremely frustrating and damaging to your scorecard, but how often do they occur for amateur golfers in the average round? This data reveals all...
-
Heading To The 1st Tee? Stop Right There! This Data Proves Why The Range Might Be A Better Choice...Getting better at golf requires more than just playing regularly on the course, with the data suggesting that practise time could be the key to success...
-
How Close To The Pin Do Amateur Golfers Hit Their Approach Shots?We often set unrealistic expectations on the golf course, which can leave us feeling deflated, so just how close can we expect to get with our approach shots?
-
Is It Better To Miss The Green In The Bunker Or Rough? The Data Is Clear Cut...When assessing options for your next approach shot, this data will help you make better decisions on the 'good' miss and reduce the risk of bringing bogey into play
-
Why You DON'T Need To Make More Birdies To Chop 5 Shots Off Your HandicapFor a mid-handicap golfer, the route towards shooting lower scores and improving your handicap index is clear... if you have access to the right data!
-
How Far Do Amateur Golfers Hit Their Irons? Find Out How You Compare…Ever wondered how your iron shots compare to other golfers in terms of distance? The latest Arccos data reveals all...
