Golf Statistics - Case Study Example

PGA Tour Statistics College: Name: Students ID: Date: Course Name: Unit Code: Time: Instructor: Executive Summary In recent times, the PGA (Professional Golfers Association) Tour has experienced noteworthy improvements in the technology of golf balls and golf clubs. As a result, there has been an increase in the average driving distance of PGA Tour players. In 1992, the average driving distance was 260 yards, but in 2003 this increased to 286 yards and 287.9 yards in 2008. The study results on the 2008 data for the top 150 players indicate that scoring average and driving distance are not significantly related. Players with higher driving accuracy tend to have lower scores. Also, players with higher greens in regulation tend to have lower scores. Greens in regulation is the best predictor of scoring average. Finally, players with higher driving distances generally have less driving accuracy. Numerical and Graphical Summaries of the Data The average driving distance for 2008 is 287.9 yards, an increase of two yards as compared to the results in 2003. The average earnings are $1,913,753. The average driving accuracy is 63.2 per cent and the average greens in regulation is 65 per cent. The farthest driving distance, driving accuracy, and greens in regulation are 315.1, 74, and 71.1 respectively. On the other hand, the lowest driving distance, driving accuracy, and greens in regulation are 261.4 yards, 51.1 per cent, and 58 per cent respectively. The highest scoring average is 72.1 strokes per completed round while the lowest scoring average is 70.1 strokes per completed round. Driving distance was the most varied with a standard deviation of 8.4 yards while the scoring average had the least standard deviation of 0.4 strokes per completed round. No relationship exists between driving distance and scoring average as well as between driving accuracy and scoring average. Greens in regulation and scoring average have a negative linear relationship; higher values of greens in regulation are associated with lower scoring averages. Also driving distance and driving accuracy have a negative linear relationship; the longer the driving distance, the lower the driving accuracy. Relationship between Scoring Average and DrDist The relationship between scoring average and driving distance is not statistically significant given that the p-value = .156 > α = .05. Therefore, the driving distance does not relate with the number of strokes a player takes to complete a round. Relationship between Scoring Average and DrAccu The relationship between scoring average and driving accuracy is statistically significant. The p-value = .003 < α = .05, therefore, players with higher driving accuracy tend to have lower scoring average. This is because a player requires fewer number of strokes to complete a round. However, the model is not of good fit. Relationship between Scoring Average and GIR The relationship between scoring average and greens in regulation is statistically significant. The p-value = .000 < α = .05, therefore, players with higher greens in regulation tend to have lower scores. This is because a player requires fewer number of strokes to complete a round. However, the model is not of good fit. Most Significant Factor in Terms of a Player's Average Score Of the three variables (DrDist, DrAccu, and GIR), greens in regulation (GIR) is the most significant factor in terms of a player's average score. The GIR is harder to achieve given that it takes in both the driving distance and driving accuracy to boost the greens in location. Therefore, it is a better measure of a player’s scoring average. Relationship between Driving Distance and Driving Accuracy The relationship between driving distance and driving accuracy is statistically significant. The p-value = .000 < α = .05, therefore, players with higher driving distances generally have less driving accuracy. As the number of average yards per measured drive increases, it becomes harder for a tee shot to rest in the fairway thereby reducing the driving accuracy. However, the model is not of good fit. Conclusion Even though the driving distance does not significantly influence a player’s performance, it reduces a player’s driving accuracy, given that, as the number of average yards per measured drive increases, it becomes harder for a tee shot to rest in the fairway thereby reducing the driving accuracy. Reference Freedman, D.H et al, 2007, Statistics, 4th edn, New York, W.W Norton & Company. Read More