TY - JOUR
T1 - Analyzing professional golf performance and earnings
T2 - insights from strokes gained analysis
AU - Ehrlich, Justin Andrew
AU - Kamimoto, Nicholas
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Purpose: In golf, strokes gained (SG) unify different shot types under a single system, including off the tee (SG: OTT), approach (SG: APP), around the green (SG: ARG) and putting (SG: PUTT). Despite SG having equal value across types, each shot type requires different skills and physical attributes. This paper analyzes how professional golfers leverage these diverse shot types to achieve wins and maximize their earnings. Design/methodology/approach: This paper explores shot type consistency, demonstrating the superior consistency of the long game compared to the short game through regression and correlation analyses. These analyses are conducted season-to-season, tournament-to-tournament and round-to-round using seven seasons of professional golf data. Additionally, we examine the types of shots that contribute to improvements within the field. Findings: Through analyzing average gains across evenly distributed groups and employing a regression model, we find that SG: APP is the most important type of shot, followed by SG: PUTT, SG: OTT and finally SG: ARG. Additionally, when considering both empirical earnings data and a regression model, we find that SG: PUTT becomes less important. Top players primarily win their earnings through SG: APP, followed by SG: OTT, SG: PUTT and finally SG: ARG shots. Next, we examine where strokes are gained at different levels of earnings and find that SG: APP makes up most of the SG increases across the field, followed by SG: PUTT, then SG: OTT and SG: ARG. Originality/value: In this paper, we extend previous research by analyzing the entire professional golf association field rather than focusing solely on amateurs or small sections of the professional field; we also conduct our analysis using SG instead of traditional stats.
AB - Purpose: In golf, strokes gained (SG) unify different shot types under a single system, including off the tee (SG: OTT), approach (SG: APP), around the green (SG: ARG) and putting (SG: PUTT). Despite SG having equal value across types, each shot type requires different skills and physical attributes. This paper analyzes how professional golfers leverage these diverse shot types to achieve wins and maximize their earnings. Design/methodology/approach: This paper explores shot type consistency, demonstrating the superior consistency of the long game compared to the short game through regression and correlation analyses. These analyses are conducted season-to-season, tournament-to-tournament and round-to-round using seven seasons of professional golf data. Additionally, we examine the types of shots that contribute to improvements within the field. Findings: Through analyzing average gains across evenly distributed groups and employing a regression model, we find that SG: APP is the most important type of shot, followed by SG: PUTT, SG: OTT and finally SG: ARG. Additionally, when considering both empirical earnings data and a regression model, we find that SG: PUTT becomes less important. Top players primarily win their earnings through SG: APP, followed by SG: OTT, SG: PUTT and finally SG: ARG shots. Next, we examine where strokes are gained at different levels of earnings and find that SG: APP makes up most of the SG increases across the field, followed by SG: PUTT, then SG: OTT and SG: ARG. Originality/value: In this paper, we extend previous research by analyzing the entire professional golf association field rather than focusing solely on amateurs or small sections of the professional field; we also conduct our analysis using SG instead of traditional stats.
KW - Earnings
KW - Golf performance
KW - Professional golf
KW - Skills consistency
KW - Sport analytics
KW - Strokes gained (SG)
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U2 - 10.1108/MF-06-2024-0475
DO - 10.1108/MF-06-2024-0475
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85211150236
SN - 0307-4358
JO - Managerial Finance
JF - Managerial Finance
ER -