Modern golfers are increasingly turning to data to shave strokes off their scorecard, moving away from relying solely on gut feeling and instead gravitating towards laser rangefinder, GPS watches and shot trackers. At the center of this shift is Shot Scope, a company whose foundation was built on performance tracking from the moment the business was conceived. According to Gavin Dear, Shot Scope’s Chief Commercial Officer, shot tracking wasn't an afterthought – it was the initial catalyst for the brand 12 years ago.
“That was day one,” says Dear. “We thought we could do it better than what was out in the market, and it’s what we could build a business around. Shot tracking was always at the forefront of Shot Scope. And it’s been built into all of our products from the first day.”
Over the last decade, Shot Scope has evolved from a niche tracking tool into a massive data ecosystem. Today, the company processes thousands of rounds and driving range sessions daily, alongside data captured from newer tools like its breakthrough LM1 personal launch monitor – and delivers it in an insightful way to consumers. By tracking distance, shot dispersion, and short-game proximity, Shot Scope helps golfers confront reality on the course – most notably, starting with overcoming the common tendency to misjudge how far they actually hit their clubs.
A recent report gathered from LM1 users’ practice sessions delivers some revealing data on how golfers from various handicap ranges practice, how far they hit shots with each club, how carry distances and clubhead speed compare by golfers’ ages, and many more fascinating insights.
For example, we learn – or perhaps just confirm – that driver is the most frequently used club on the range, followed somewhat closely by the 7-iron. While the 8-iron and pitching wedge are the next most commonly used clubs, 7-iron is far-and-away the go-to iron used in practice sessions.
How much the driver is used across handicap ranges tells us something about how lower handicaps might know some simple secrets to scoring. Exactly 17 percent of the average scratch player’s practice session is dedicated to driver shots. That percentage essentially rises based on handicap with 20+ handicappers using driver for more than 20 percent of their range-session shots.
Conversely, practice with the scoring clubs – the Gap, Sand, and Lob Wedges – decreases as handicap ranges go up. For example, scratch players use their Lob Wedge for 6.5 percent of their range work, while 20+ handicappers hit just 2.6 of their practice shots with the highest-lofted wedge.
That could mean some higher handicappers don’t carry a 60-degree club, aren’t confident with playing it, or simply don’t value practicing those shots. Meanwhile, better players are honing those shots for crucial scoring situations on the course and reaping the benefit with consistently lower scores.
Dear points out that he himself has become distance-challenged with age. So he personally finds post-round Shot Scope recaps fascinating by looking at overheads of how he’s played each hole – both in strategy and distance. He can see how much wind affects his ball flight and how close his approach shots land near a flag – calling it collectively a great indicator of how confident he feels about his game.
Data from LM1 users reinforces the obvious and inevitable truth about the distance conundrum as players age. Here’s the straight truth on clubhead speed:
While data tracking has become a broader trend across sports, Shot Scope distinguishes itself through accessibility and choice. Unlike competitors such as Arccos, Shot Scope refuses to lock user insights behind mandatory recurring fees. “We never have plans to start subscriptions,” says Dear. “It’s not in our ethos. It’s not what we want to do as a company. We don't want to charge golfers for using our devices.”
Additionally, Shot Scope offers multiple hardware entry points to cater to different player preferences rather than forcing a single tracking method. Golfers can gather performance data using automatic GPS smartwatches, compact handheld devices, standard rangefinders, launch monitors, or even an Apple Watch app. The goal is to let them choose their preferred workflow without imposing rigid hardware requirements.
Shot Scope officials proudly incorporate a classic Scottish golf mentality into software development: keep the game simple, fast and unobtrusive. The company relies heavily on active user feedback, beta testing groups, and ideas from an internal team of 40 avid golfers to ensure that every software update provides practical value rather than unnecessary gimmickry. Looking forward, the goal is not just accumulating millions of data points, but converting raw metrics into clear strategies on the tee.
Tools, within the Shot Scope app, like the accessible and free Shot Scope 6 module, transform the potentially daunting task of data analysis into actionable insights at a glance that help form a framework golfers may use to methodically improve their games.
The Shot Scope 6 consists of:
● Troublesome Tee Shots: Identifying misses that lead to penalty strokes or recovery shots.
● Driving Distance: Tracking Performance-Average (P-Avg) to understand club distances off the tee.
● Greens in Regulation (GIR): One of the strongest indicators of lower scoring potential.
● Multiple Chip Shots: Eliminating wasted strokes from inside 50 yards.
● Number of Three Putts: Reducing the number of ‘cheap’ shots lost on the greens.
● Missed Putts Inside 5 Feet: Developing short-range putting proficiency can transform bogeys into pars and relieve pressure on other areas of the game.
Across the six metrics mentioned, the Shot Scope 6 provides a benchmark for scoring barriers such as breaking 80 or 90. This allows golfers to quickly and easily pinpoint areas for improvement that prevented them from hitting their target in that round.
“In golf, there’s tons of data about everything, but how do you make it concise and actionable?” poses Dear. “We feel really confident about what we’re doing as a company, the growth that we’re experiencing and the journey we’re taking Shot Scope users on. Our generalized data advice is fantastic, and it really helps. We're carefully studying what data will have a tangible impact for the golfer.”
As decision-making across all sports becomes increasingly data-led, AI-infused and more mainstream, Shot Scope continues to position its expanding ecosystem to make performance insights seamless, accessible, and subscription-free for golfers of all skill levels.
Find out more about Shot Scope here:https://shotscope.com/discover/features/track-your-game/