A useful number for approach-shot improvement
In a November 3, 2026 Golf Digest feature, golf analytics expert Mark Broadie suggested a practical metric for mid-handicap golfers: median leave, the median remaining distance to the hole after an approach shot.
His suggestion is to record where shots from around 125–175 yards finish, measure the distance to the hole and sort the outcomes from nearest to farthest. The middle value is the median. Unlike the arithmetic mean, it is less distorted by one unusually good or bad shot.
A worked example
Imagine nine approaches finish 8, 11, 14, 15, 18, 20, 23, 26 and 31 yards from the hole. They are already in order, so the fifth value—18 yards—is the median. These figures are invented editorial examples, not Broadie's data or PGA TOUR statistics.
Include misses that finish off the green. Counting only greens in regulation makes the metric look artificially good. The measurement is the remaining distance after the shot, not carry distance, strokes to hole out or strokes gained.
A repeatable practice protocol
- Pick one reasonably narrow starting-distance band, such as 140–160 yards. Broadie's broader example spans 125–175 yards; staying within the same band makes comparisons more meaningful.
- Record 9–15 approach shots from reasonably comparable lies. Write down the distance remaining after each shot, including misses. Note short/long and left/right patterns separately.
- Sort the remaining distances. With an odd number of shots, select the middle one; with an even number, average the two central values.
- Repeat in a later session using similar starting distances, lies, measurement methods and conditions.
What median leave cannot tell you: shot direction, penalty strokes, putting performance or strokes gained. Two golfers may have identical medians yet very different dispersion patterns. Keep the raw records, not just the headline number.
Bottom line: the metric replaces vague impressions of iron performance with a consistent observation. It does not fix a swing or guarantee better scores, but it can reveal where practice should focus.
