ChartMyGolf
 

Quick Start Guide for the Golf Stats Program

Welcome to ChartMyGolf. You can quickly get started by following the ordered steps below. By the end of the quick start you will have entered your details, the details of a set of tees of a course and the details of a round you have played on that course.

If you want to use the old system of entering your scores (not recomended) please go to the Old Quickstart.

Note: Golfers who typically only play on 9 hole courses should click this link for a brief summary for 9 hole courses.

The steps in order are:

Don't forget, using the power of Silverlight, you will be able to save your work at any time to your hard-drive. This means all your information is safely and securely kept by yourself and is not on our server. It also means you can transfer that saved file between computers so you are not restricted to just one machine to use ChartMyGolf, as would be the case with a typical web-based local-storage solution.

After that it would be best to download our tutorial with a fictional golfer and some rounds he has played to help you get acquainted with all the many graphs and analysis functions that are available to you. The tutorial golfer can be downloaded here and click the following link for some instructions of how to use the tutorial golfer.

New Golfer

First we will create a new golfer. Once you have entered the details of this golfer and saved it to your hard-drive you will not have to input it again. Thereafter it will be available to you at the click of a button.

Golfers Table of Chart My Golf On the main menu click the button shown on the left and you will be taken to the golfer menu.
New Golfer Instructions of Chart My Golf Once in the Golfer Table click the button shown on the left to take you to the New Golfer dialog box.

Enter your first and last name. Next click your correct gender and age group.

Submitting your Golfer to the list

If you are happy with all the information you have entered you can now press NEW.

Note: As you press NEW you will be sent back to the golfer list where you will find your new entry.

Saving your new Golfer

Home Button of Chart My Golf At this point it is a good idea to save your work. Click the icon on the left to get back to the main menu.
Save Instructions of Chart My Golf Click the icon on the left to get the Save Dialog Box. Type in the name of the file and locate it in a suitable directory on your hard-drive. The save file will automatically add the extension glf to the end of your filename so you do not have to add it yourself. Click Save when you are satisfied.

New Course/Tees

Here we will create a new set of tees. Once you have entered the details of this set of tees and saved it to your hard-drive you will not have to enter it again. Thereafter it will be available to you at the click of a button.

Note: If, for example, during the winter months this set of tees is modified to take account of the different weather conditions, you should create a new set of tees and just rename it, eg 'White Tees - Winter 2011'. Do not edit your original set of tees or every round you have played on that set of tees will be altered as well.

Course and Tees Table of Chart My Golf On the main menu click the button shown on the left and you will be taken to the Course/Tees menu.
New Course Instructions of Chart My Golf Once in the Course/Tees table click the button shown on the left to take you to the New Course/Tees dialog box.

At the top of this dialog box you will see several tabs. These are General, Par, Stroke-Index, Yards, Slope and Dogleg.

General Tab

Click on the General Tab. In the space next to Course type the course name, eg St. Andrews. In the space next to Tees type the name of the tees, eg White, Championship, Ladies or White - Winter 2011.

Do not press OK yet.

Par Tab

Once you have completed the general information click on the Par Tab. You will see all 18 holes with the default pars next to them. Below each column you will see the sub-totals of the Out and In nines and below this is the total for all 18 holes.

Below this are two buttons which will default all the holes on either Par 3 or Par 4. If most of your holes are Par 3 then click this button. Alternatively if most of your holes are Par 4 click this default button. These buttons are just added for speed.

Note: If you are playing at a pitch-and-putt the par values could default on par 3.

For all remaining holes who's par is different from the default shown, click the drop-down combo box and select the correct par. The Total and Sub-Totals will change automatically as you modify these pars.

Do not press OK yet.

Stroke Index Tab

Once you have completed the general and par information click on the Stroke-Index Tab. You will see all 18 holes with the default stroke-indexes next to them. This is a ranking of the holes as determined by the local authorities to allow players with different handicaps to play against each other on an equal basis.

The local authorities do an excellent job ranking these holes to make it fair for all golfers of all handicaps. Inside this program we will calculate your personal stroke-index and will even compare it to the official stroke-index. The user must recognise this is only done as an analysis tool to assist you in planning your game to maximize your potential. The programmers recognise a purely statistical stroke-indexing method could never replace the work of the relevant local authorities who's official rankings are the only fair way to rank holes.

Below this are two buttons which will default all the holes into increasing or decreasing stroke-index. Click the most appropriate button for your set of tees. These buttons are just added for speed.

Change the stroke-index for all remaining holes who's stroke-index is different from the correct value. Note, a stroke-index can only appear once in the 18 holes and the program will take this into account.

Do not press OK yet.

Yards Tab

Once you have completed the general, par and stroke-index information click on the Yards. You will see all 18 holes with the default yards of each hole next to them.

Below this are two buttons which will default all the holes at a set yardage per hole. Click the most appropriate button for your set of tees. These buttons are just added for speed.

Change the yardage for all remaining holes who's yardage is different from the correct value. The total yardage and the yardage for each nine will update automatically.

Do not press OK yet.

Slope Tab

Once you have completed the general, par, stoke-index and yardage information click on the Slope Tab. You will see all 18 holes with the default slope information next to them.

Below this are two buttons which will default all the holes on two values. If most of your holes are represented by this value click this button. These buttons are just added for speed.

For all remaining holes who's slope is different from the default shown, click the drop-down combo box and select the correct value.

Note: At present the statistics section of ChartMyGolf does not investigate your playing style compared with the slope information. This will change in future updates. One of the major benefits of browser-based web programs is they will update automatically.

Do not press OK yet.

Dogleg Tab

Once you have completed the general, par, stoke-index, yardage and slope information click on the Dogleg Tab. You will see all 18 holes with the default dogleg information next to them.

Below this are two buttons which will default all the holes on two values. If most of your holes are represented by this value click this button. These buttons are just added for speed.

For all remaining holes who's dogleg information is different from the default shown, click the drop-down combo box and select the correct value.

Note: At present the statistics section of ChartMyGolf does not investigate your playing style compared with the dogleg information. This will change in future updates. One of the major benefits of browser-based web programs is they will update automatically.

Submitting your Tees to the list

If you are happy with all the information you have entered you can now press OK.

Home Button of Chart My Golf At this point it is a good idea to save your work. Click the icon on the left to get back to the main menu.
Save Instructions of Chart My Golf Click the icon on the left to get the Save Dialog Box. Type in the name of the file and locate it in a suitable directory on your hard-drive. The save file will automatically add the extension glf to the end of your filename so you do not have to add it yourself. Click Save when you are satisfied.

New Round

Here we will enter your first round of golf. Have your score-card nearby just in case you forget something. You can submit a plethora of information or as little as you want. There is no wrong way of doing this. The analysis techniques in ChartMyGolf are very powerful and can be a great aid to improving your game with just small sets of data. However, the more you submit the more you can analyse and the more improvements can be made to your game. Don't forget, once you have pin-pointed the areas of your game that need work your local professional will be more than willing to help.

Once you have entered the details of this round of golf you can come back and amend information as and when you remember details of your game.

Rounds of Golf Table of Chart My Golf On the main menu click the button shown on the left and you will be taken to the Round menu.

Select the golfer you want to view by selecting the appropriate golfer in the drop-down combo box at the top of the page. They are ordered alphabetically by the last name. All the rounds played by this golfer will be shown in the table below.

New Round Instructions of Chart My Golf Once the golfer has been chosen click the button shown on the left to take you to the New Round dialog box.

General Information

In the space next to Golfer select the golfer who has played the round you are submitting from the drop down list. If you are coming from the Rounds Table this will already be set for you. If the golfer does not appear in this list you can create a new one by clicking the NEW button on the right of this list.

In the space next to Tees select the course/tees on which the round you are submitting was played from the drop down list. If the course/tees does not appear in this list you can create a new one by clicking the NEW button on the right of this list.

In the date and time panel you must now record when the round was played. Click the clock-icon next to the time to get a drop down list of the times throughout the day. Scroll and select the correct time. Next input the date by clicking the date icon, scrolling through the months with the left and right buttons and then clicking the date.

Golf Scores

Next you can submit your total score for each hole. You will see all 18 holes with default scores next to them. Below each column you will see the sub-totals of the Out and In nines and below this is the total for all 18 holes.

Below the Score labels are two buttons which will default all the holes on either scores of Par or Par+1. These buttons are just added for speed.

For all holes where the score is different from the default shown, click the arrows on the right to increase or decrease the score. The Total and Sub-Totals will change automatically as you modify these scores.

Note: If you did not score a hole, keep on decreasing the score until a x appears. The nine and total score will also reflect a no score status.

Fairways Hit

The Fairways Hit value tells you if you managed to hit the fairway with your tee shot. If you ended up in the rough, or the woods at the side of the fairway then your Fairways Hit value for a hole will be No (N). If you did hit the Fairway then your value for a hole will be Yes (Y). The Nines and Total score are presented slightly differently. Instead of a score you get a percentage. For all holes for which a No or Yes was registered for that section of the course, the percentage is the ratio of Yes values compared to No values. In other words a high percentage value (near 100%) is good, saying you are hitting the fairways with a good regularity. A low percentage value (near 0%) is bad, saying you are hitting your tee shots into the rough a little too much. If the latter is true it might be a good idea to seek your local golf-professional's advice.

Note: On a par 3 hole you are aiming for the green with your tee shot. Consequently on par 3 holes the Fairways Hit value is always No Score (x). However, hitting the green with your tee shot on a par 3 hole is covered in Greens in Regulation.

Below the Fairways Hit labels are two buttons which will default all the holes on either No Score (x) or Yes (Y). These buttons are just added for speed.

For all holes where the value is different from the default shown, click the arrows on the right to increase or decrease the score. The Total and Sub-Totals will change automatically as you modify these values.

Note: If you did not score a hole, keep on clicking the down button until a x appears.

Fairway Bunkers

Next you can submit the number of times you played a shot from a fairway bunker. Do not count greenside bunkers in this total.

For example assume you hit a fairway-bunker with your tee shot, then in trying to get out bounced off the front and landed back in it again so you had to take another shot from that bunker. In this situation your fairway bunker shot will be 2, even though it was the same bunker, as you played 2 shots from fairway bunkers.

You will see all 18 holes with the default fairway bunkers score next to them. Below each column you will see the sub-totals of the Out and In nines and below this is the total for all 18 holes.

Below the Fairway Bunkers label are two buttons which will default all the holes on either 0 or No Score (x). These buttons are just added for speed.

For all holes where the score is different from the default shown, click the arrows on the right to increase or decrease the fairway bunker score. The Total and Sub-Totals will change automatically as you modify these scores.

Note: If you cannot remember whether you hit a bunker or not on a hole, keep on decreasing the fairway bunker score until a x (no score) appears. The nine and total score will also reflect a no score status.

Water

Next you can submit the number of times you hit water. For example if you hit the water with your tee shot and then retake the shot and hit the water again then your water score for the hole is 2. (Note: this does not include any additional penalty shots you obtain for hitting the water.)

You will see all 18 holes with the default water score next to them. Below each column you will see the sub-totals of the Out and In nines and below this is the total for all 18 holes.

Below the Water labels are two buttons which will default all the holes on either 0 or No Score (x). These buttons are just added for speed.

For all holes where the water score is different from the default shown, click the arrows on the right to increase or decrease the water score. The Total and Sub-Totals will change automatically as you modify these scores.

Note: If you do not remember if you hit the water or not, keep on decreasing the water score until a x (no score) appears. The nine and total score will also reflect a no score status.

Penalties

Next you can submit the number of penalties you have received on each hole. For example, if you hit the water with your tee shot and then retook your shot but managed to avoid the water this time your cumulative shots for that hole would be 3 so far, 1 of which is a penalty. It is the number of penalty shots that are being recorded here.

You will see all 18 holes with the default penalties next to them. Below each column you will see the sub-totals of the Out and In nines and below this is the total for all 18 holes.

Below the Penalties label are two buttons which will default all the holes on either 0 or No Score (x). These buttons are just added for speed.

For all holes where the penalties is different from the default shown, click the arrows on the right to increase or decrease the penalties scores. The Total and Sub-Totals will change automatically as you modify these scores.

Note: If you cannot remember the number of penalties you received on a hole, keep on decreasing the penalties score until a x (no score) appears. The nine and total score will also reflect a no score status.

Approach Shot

Next you can submit the type of approach shot you achieved. Possible entries are no score, off green, long putt, mid putt and short putt. If you land on the green enter the length of putt you are left with. How you define the putt is up to you. You might choose short putts to be within a club length or two (including approaches that end up in the hole). Long putts might be in excess of 20 feet. Its up to you. If you do not land on the green enter 'off green'.

The Nines and Total score are presented slightly differently. Instead of a category you get a percentage. A high percentage near 100% means you are predominantly being left with short putts, a low percentage near 0% means you are predominantly landing off the green.

Below the Approach labels are two buttons which will default all the holes on either No Score (x) or Mid Putt. These buttons are just added for speed.

For all holes where the value is different from the default shown, click the arrows on the right to increase or decrease the approach category. The Total and Sub-Totals will change automatically as you modify these values.

Note: If you cannot remember the type of approach for a hole, keep on decreasing the approach category until a x (no score) appears. The nine and total score will also reflect a no score status.

Greenside Bunkers

Next you can submit the number of times you played a shot from a greenside bunker. Do not count fairway bunkers in this total.

For example assume you hit a greenside-bunker with your approach shot, then in trying to get out bounced off the front and landed back in it again so you had to take another shot from that bunker. In this situation your greenside bunker shot will be 2, even though it was the same bunker, as you played 2 shots from greenside bunkers.

You will see all 18 holes with the default greenside bunkers score next to them. Below each column you will see the sub-totals of the Out and In nines and below this is the total for all 18 holes.

Below the Greenside Bunkers label are two buttons which will default all the holes on either 0 or No Score (x). These buttons are just added for speed.

For all holes where the score is different from the default shown, click the arrows on the right to increase or decrease the greenside bunker score. The Total and Sub-Totals will change automatically as you modify these scores.

Note: If you cannot remember whether you hit a greenside bunker or not on a hole, keep on decreasing the greenside bunker score until a x (no score) appears. The nine and total score will also reflect a no score status.

Off Green Chips

Next you can submit the number of times you played a shot from the grass off the green. Do not count greenside bunkers in this total. You count both chip shots in this total as well as off green shots taken with a putter.

You will see all 18 holes with the default off green chips score next to them. Below each column you will see the sub-totals of the Out and In nines and below this is the total for all 18 holes.

Below the Off Green Chips label are two buttons which will default all the holes on either 0 or No Score (x). These buttons are just added for speed.

For all holes where the score is different from the default shown, click the arrows on the right to increase or decrease the off green chip score. The Total and Sub-Totals will change automatically as you modify these scores.

Note: If you cannot remember whether you made an off green chip on a hole, keep on decreasing the off green chip score until a x (no score) appears. The nine and total score will also reflect a no score status.

Putts

Next you can submit the number of on green putts you have taken for each hole. Do not count off green putts as they are counted as offgreen chips.

You will see all 18 holes with the default putts score next to them. Below each column you will see the sub-totals of the Out and In nines and below this is the total for all 18 holes.

Below the Putts labels are two buttons which will default all the holes on either putts of 2 or No Score (x). These buttons are just added for speed.

For all holes where the putts are different from the default shown, click the arrows on the right to increase or decrease the putts score. The Total and Sub-Totals will change automatically as you modify these scores.

Note: If you cannot remember the number of putts you have taken on a hole, keep on decreasing the putts score until a x (no score) appears. The nine and total score will also reflect a no score status.

Example 1

The input screen for a round is set up so you have to submit as little information as possible about your round. From this small amount of data a large number of statistics can be calculated.

For example, you tee-off on a par 4 hole and miss the fairway, landing in the rough. You are in a difficult position so elect not to play for the green with your next stoke, instead just getting back on the fairway a little bit closer to the green. You then make a chip shot onto the green, but it overshoots and goes into the greenside bunker behind. Unphased by your bad luck you manage to hit your sand wedge shot onto the green where it comes to rest just inches from the hole. You then tap this gimme into the hole.

You fill in this hole on the ChartMyGolf new round dialog box as follows:

  • Your score for the hole is 5.
  • Since you missed the fairway with your tee shot, your entry in Fairways Hit is 'N' for no.
  • You did not hit any fairway bunkers so Fairway Bunkers is 0.
  • You did not hit any water or receive any other penalties for the hole so both these are 0 as well.
  • Even though this was a par 4 hole, your Approach Shot was not your second shot. It was your third. The Approach Shot is a non-standard, personal statistic. Only you can determine what is your Approach Shot; the shot you personally believe is your attempt to hit the green. In the example above our second shot was not aimed at the green, we were just trying to get back on the fairway after a disastrous tee shot. Our third shot was our attempt to hit the green. Sadly in our example this went wrong and it rolled off the back of the green. Consequently the Approach Shot in this case is marked as off green.
  • We landed in a greenside bunker and managed to get out in 1 shot, so hence we put a 1 in the Greenside Bunker entry.
  • We had no Off Green chips, as bunkers are not included in this entry, so we mark a 0 in this slot.
  • We only had to use our putter once, tapping in our gimme, so we score a 1 in the Putts entry.

From this limited information all your statistics are automatically calculated for you. For example your greenside total is 2. You did not achieve a GIR (Green in Regulation) as you took 4 shots rather than the expected 2 to get onto the green. You did not achieve a GIR+1 because you would have had to get onto the green with 3 shots, but you did achieve a GIR+2 since you got onto the green in 4 (the normal 2 plus an additional 2). However, you achieved a Sand Save for this hole as you still managed to hole out within 2 shots from the greenside bunker.

Example 2

In this next example we are on a par 3 hole. We do not record Fairways Hit on these holes, as there is no fairway to hit. Instead we are trying to hit the green with our tee shot, so the result of this shot is also our Approach shot. We hit the green but leave ourselves a mid range putt. You manage to hole this putt for a birdie.

You fill in this hole on the ChartMyGolf new round dialog box as follows:

  • Your score for the hole is 2.
  • Since this is a par 3 your entry in Fairways Hit is 'x' for no score.
  • You did not hit any fairway bunkers so Fairway Bunkers is 0.
  • You did not hit any water or receive any other penalties for the hole so both these are 0 as well.
  • Your Approach Shot is a mid range putt. The definition of the length of putt for the approach shot is subjective and personal in nature. Short putts are ones you would expect to get without question and long putts are those you would only expect to get if you were very lucky. Mid range putts are those in between.
  • We landed on the green so Greenside Bunkers and Off Green Chips are both 0.
  • We hole out with our single putt so our Putts entry is 1.

Again, from this limited information all your statistics are automatically calculated for you. For example your greenside total is 1. You achieved a GIR (Green in Regulation) as you hit the green with the expected 1 shot.

Submitting your Round to the list

If you are happy with all the information you have entered you can now press OK and you will be sent back to the rounds table.

View Round Button of Chart My Golf You can review the information you have just submitted and some averages and mini-graphs for this round by making sure the round is selected and clicking the View icon shown on the left. For more information of this Round Summary go to the Golf Round Summary help page.
Home Button of Chart My Golf At this point it is a good idea to save your work. Click the icon on the left to get back to the main menu.
Click the icon on the left to get the Save Dialog Box. Type in the name of the file and locate it in a suitable directory on your hard-drive. The save file will automatically add the extension glf to the end of your filename so you do not have to add it yourself. Click Save when you are satisfied.

Tutorial for viewing your Golf Stats

You have now completed the quick start section. You have entered your details, the details of a set of tees and a round of golf played on that set of tees. It would now be a good idea to have a look at the tutorial which will help you understand how to read the graphs. The tutorial is based on a hypothetical golfer who's details can be downloaded here. (If you are using a Windows operating system, right click the link and click Save As.)

For a golf stat glossary you can link here. Some ideas on how to keep your golf stats on the course can be found here.

Return to the main [Help] menu.

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