Driving accuracy
Common Misinterpretations of Driving Accuracy
Why a missed fairway can still be good—and a fairway can still leave trouble.
The stat can lie if you let it
Driving accuracy is easy to misread. A missed fairway one yard into the first cut may be better than a fairway lie blocked by trees. A long drive downhill with tailwind may not mean your normal carry changed.
Common mistakes
- Treating all fairway misses equally.
- Ignoring wind, firmness, and elevation.
- Chasing distance at the cost of penalties.
- Comparing your numbers to players with different speed and tees.
Context turns the stat into advice.
Better question
Ask, “Did this tee shot make the next shot easier?” That is the version that lowers scores.