Lesson 1: What is an Average?
An average is a single number that represents a whole group of numbers. It tells you what is ‘typical’ for that group.
To find an average, you add up all the numbers and then divide by how many numbers there are. If you scored 5, 4, 6, 4, and 6 on five holes, your total is 25, and your average is 25 ÷ 5 = 5.
Averages are incredibly useful in golf. Instead of saying ‘sometimes I hit my 7-iron 60 yards and sometimes I hit it 75 yards’, you can say ‘on average, I hit my 7-iron 67 yards.’ That average gives you a reliable number to plan with.
The best golfers in the world know their average distances for every club they carry. They have calculated these averages by hitting each club many times and recording the results.
Average = (add all numbers together) ÷ (how many numbers there are).
Averages tell you what is typical. One shot is a fact. An average of many shots is a reliable pattern.
Quick average practice: You scored 4, 5, 4, 6, and 6 on your last 5 holes. Add them up. Divide by 5. What is your average score per hole? Is that above or below par (assume par is 4 for each hole)?
Hit 10 putts from the same spot on the practice green — all the same distance. Count how many go in. Record the number. Repeat from a different distance. Do this from three different distances and record all your results. For each distance, calculate your success percentage: (putts made ÷ 10) × 100. Which distance is your best? Which needs the most practice?