To analyze your data, you first need to request and download it from Garmin's website. Follow these steps:
To provide advanced analytics like approach shot accuracy and miss tendencies, Golf Insights requires detailed shot data found in your Garmin data export. This data is typically generated by devices that support AutoShot detection, Approach CT10 sensors, or Simulator sessions.
Devices that only provide basic yardages and scorecards without individual shot recording (the Golf-SHOT.json or Golf-SIM_SESSION.json files) will not work with the full Golf Insights analytical suite.
| Garmin Model / Series | Supports Golf Insights? | Key Requirement or Reason for "No" |
|---|---|---|
| Approach S70 / S62 / S60 | Yes | Supports full AutoShot and CT10 sensors. |
| Approach S44 / S42 / S40 | Yes | Supports AutoShot and manual shot tracking. (Note 1) |
| Approach S20 / S12 / G12 | Yes | Works best when paired with CT10 sensors. (Note 1, 2) |
| Approach S10 | No | Yardage and scorecard only; no shot tracking. |
| fēnix 8 / 7 / 6 / 5 Plus | Yes | Full AutoShot and CT10 sensor compatibility. |
| fēnix 5 / 3 / Chronos | Limited | AutoShot support; most do not support CT10. (Note 3) |
| epix (Gen 2) / epix Pro | Yes | Supports AutoShot, CT10 sensors, and "Add Shot". |
| MARQ (Gen 1 & 2) | Yes | Full golf tracking engine including AutoShot and CT10. |
| Venu 3 / 2 / Sq / X1 | Yes | Includes AutoShot and CT10 sensor support. |
| vívoactive 5 / 4 / 3 | Yes | Basic AutoShot support and CT10 compatibility. |
| Forerunner 965 / 955 / 945 | Yes | Full AutoShot and CT10 sensor support. |
| Forerunner 265 / 255 / 165 | No | Basic golf features only; lacks shot tracking. |
| Approach R10 / R50 | Yes | Simulators: Generates required session and shot data. |
| Instinct 3 / 2 / Crossover | No | No shot tracking or CT10 support natively. |
| Approach CT10 Sensors | Universal | Recommended: Adds shot tracking to many "No" devices. (Note 2) |
Note 1: Some devices allow you to manually record a shot on the watch if AutoShot misses it, ensuring data is captured for Golf Insights.
Note 2: Many watches lacking native AutoShot can work with Golf Insights if paired with Garmin Approach CT10 sensors. These provide the "truth" for every club, including putts and chips.
Note 3: Older platforms like fēnix 3 lack the modern architecture to pair with CT10 sensors, though they may record basic AutoShot data.
1. Why these metrics? Driving, Approach, Short Game, and Putting are the "Big 4" areas most correlated with lowering handicaps.
2. Trend Determination: We compare your Last 20 Rounds against your longer-term baseline to see if you are Improving, Maintaining, or Declining.
3. Peer Comparisons: We compare you to a Peer Group based on your Handicap Index, Age, and Sex.
Strokes Gained is a popular metric that compares every shot you hit against a professional PGA Tour baseline. While technically precise, it essentially tells you how much better a professional is than you. For most amateurs, this can be discouraging and difficult to turn into a practical practice plan.
Peer Benchmarking compares your performance against a group of golfers with your exact profile—matching your Handicap Index, Age, and Sex.
Why it's better: Peer benchmarking provides "Attainable Excellence." Knowing you are trailing your own peer group in a specific category (like Scrambling or Driving Accuracy) identifies a realistic area where you can gain a competitive advantage. It helps you focus on the improvements that will actually help you beat the players you compete against every weekend, rather than chasing a professional standard.
Greens in Regulation (GIR) is a standard scoring result that tracks whether you reached the putting surface in "Par minus 2" strokes or fewer. For example, hitting the green in one shot on a Par 3 or two shots on a Par 4 counts as a GIR. It is a result-based measurement of your overall scoring efficiency on a hole.
Approach Shots focus on your intention rather than just the scorecard result. We identify every shot where you realistically tried to hit the green by looking at your distance to the pin and your historical capability with the club used. This allows us to provide a detailed breakdown of why you missed the green, such as a tendency to miss short or pull the ball to the left.
Scrambling is the art of "saving par". It measures your ability to make a par or better on any hole where you failed to hit the green in regulation. It is a strictly result-based metric for the entire hole.
Up And Down measures your specific short-game skill from a "Near Green" position. It calculates how often you successfully hole out in just two strokes (a wedge shot followed by one putt or a hole-out) when you are close to the green, regardless of whether you are scrambling for par or trying to save a bogey.
GPS data isn't perfect, and neither is every swing. Occasionally, a signal glitch might record a shot as 500 yards, or a severe "topped" ball might travel only 2 yards. We use an automated cleaning process to find and remove these extreme errors. This ensures your club distances and averages represent your actual game rather than being distorted by a few fluke numbers.
For clubs marked as "Short Game" (like the Lob Wedge), we must separate short chips from full swings so your distance stats remain accurate.
Stability: Compares Last 20 vs. Last 40 rounds. Better for long-term consistency.
Sensitivity: Compares Last 20 vs. Previous 20 rounds. Better for seeing immediate impacts of practice or equipment changes.
Mode (Typical): The distance you hit most often (the "Stock" shot). Use this for planning shots you are confident in.
Median: The mathematical middle. Use this for general course management and clearing hazards, as it accounts for your typical dispersion.
Hover over any chart and click the Camera Icon in the top-right to download a high-quality PNG image for printing or sharing with a coach.
Make Life Great, Inc. is the small company behind Golf Insights, dedicated to building tools that improve both your personal and professional life.
Golf Insights is currently free to use. Our goal is to provide clarity and help golfers improve their game, not to generate a profit.
There are ongoing costs to keep the site running—primarily hosting, domain maintenance, and insurance. While these are currently covered, we may eventually introduce a small fee to ensure the site remains sustainable over the long term.
If we do introduce a fee, our commitment to you is that we will keep as much of the core value free as we possibly can. Furthermore, we will never share or sell your personal information.