What is strokes gained off the tee, and what counts as a tee shot for this metric?
In plain language, what does "Strokes Gained Tee" mean on my monitor or export?
SG Tee measures how much your tee shots (typically drives on par 4s and par 5s) gain or lose compared to the baseline. It factors in both distance and accuracy — not just whether you hit the fairway.
Units: strokes per round
Why does this metric matter for ball flight, dispersion, or scoring?
Driving is the highest-leverage shot category. A good tee shot leaves a shorter, cleaner approach. SG Tee captures this better than fairway % alone because it accounts for distance — a 280-yard fairway hit gains more than a 220-yard fairway hit.
What is a typical or competitive range for this stat?
Tour leaders: +1.0 to +1.5. Tour average: 0. Scratch: -0.5 to 0. Mid-handicap: -1.0 to -2.5.
What usually makes this number look bad or noisy in real rounds?
Negative SG Tee: usually distance or penalty strokes from OB/water. Short but accurate drivers can still have positive SG Tee if they avoid big misses.