What Is DECADE Golf? My Honest Review & Is It Worth It?

Tired of hitting the ball well on the range but watching your scores balloon on the course? You know you have a better golfer inside you, but the same frustrating mistakes, mental lapses, and big numbers keep derailing your rounds. This guide is for you. It unpacks the secrets behind a system that is changing how golfers of all levels think their way around the course.

The DECADE Golf system is a comprehensive course management program created by Scott Fawcett that uses shot distribution patterns and PGA Tour scoring statistics to help golfers make smarter, data-driven decisions to lower their scores. Leveraging extensive analysis of tour-level data and established patterns of play, this system provides a clear roadmap to stop guessing and start executing with purpose. This guide unpacks the proven principles, the data-driven strategies, and the honest pros and cons to help you understand what DECADE is and if it’s the key to unlocking your potential.

Key Facts

Data-Driven Origin: The system was created by Scott Fawcett, a former professional golfer with a mathematics background, who combined shot distribution patterns with PGA Tour scoring data to solve golf strategy.

Proven Amateur Success: Its first major success story was Will Zalatoris, who, after implementing the system, rocketed from a junior ranking outside the top 3,000 to #3 in the world in just three months.

The Ultimate Endorsement: The system proved so effective that the NCAA once banned Fawcett from giving seminars to teams, deeming it an “unfair competitive advantage” for players using it.

Broad Applicability: Evidence shows DECADE is used by thousands of golfers, from 18-handicaps trying to break 90 to top professionals like Bryson DeChambeau, Webb Simpson, and Keith Mitchell.

Focus on Mistake Reduction: The core philosophy is not about making more birdies, but about making fewer bogeys and doubles by managing risk and eliminating costly emotional decisions.

Contents show

What Is the DECADE Golf System? A Data-Driven Path to Lower Scores

The DECADE Golf system is a comprehensive course management program created by Scott Fawcett that uses shot distribution patterns and PGA Tour scoring statistics to help golfers make smarter, data-driven decisions to lower their scores. Tired of making the same on-course mistakes and wondering why your scores aren’t dropping? DECADE was designed to answer that exact question, not with swing tips, but with a strategic blueprint for every shot you face.

Developed by a former professional golfer with a deep understanding of mathematics, this system moves you away from “gut feel” and into the world of statistical probability. It gives you a clear framework to make better choices on the course. At its heart, the DECADE system aims to help you:

Optimize your target selection on every shot.
Understand and plan for your own personal shot patterns.
Reduce the number of costly mistakes and “blow-up” holes.
Manage your expectations and emotions for a stronger mental game.
Ultimately, shoot consistently lower scores by playing smarter, not just swinging better.

The Origin Story: Who Is Scott Fawcett and Why Did He Create DECADE?

DECADE was created by former pro golfer Scott Fawcett, who used his math background to develop a strategy system that famously propelled Will Zalatoris and Bryson DeChambeau to the top of the amateur golf world. The story of DECADE isn’t just about numbers; it’s about a relentless search for a better way to play the game.

Did you know the system got so effective it was temporarily banned by the NCAA for being an ‘unfair competitive advantage’? That’s a powerful testament to its impact. Here’s a quick look at how it all began:

The Inspiration (2013): After his own pro career didn’t pan out as hoped, Scott Fawcett, a former Texas A&M golfer, was inspired by Mark Broadie’s book “Every Shot Counts.” He began diving deep into the mathematics of golf, creating complex spreadsheets that combined shot patterns and scoring expectations to find a strategic solution to the game.
The Injury & Opportunity (2014): An injury prevented Fawcett from testing his theories himself. So, he turned to caddying for a promising junior golfer named Will Zalatoris.
The Proof of Concept: Implementing Fawcett’s new system, Zalatoris went on a legendary tear. He improved his world junior ranking from over 3,000 to #3 in just three months, winning the Texas Amateur, U.S. Junior Championship, and TransMiss Championship along the way.
The Viral Spread: Word of this “cheat code” spread like wildfire through the competitive golf community. College coaches and other top amateurs, like Bryson DeChambeau who used it en route to his 2015 US Amateur win, came calling.

The system’s early success was so profound that it led to one of golf’s most powerful, if ironic, endorsements:

The NCAA even banned Fawcett from giving seminars to teams, deeming it an “unfair competitive advantage.” This move only solidified DECADE’s reputation as a game-changing strategic tool.

The Core Principles: What Does the DECADE Acronym Stand For?

DECADE is an acronym for the system’s six core principles: Distance, Expectation, Correct Target, Analyze, Discipline, and Execute, which form a framework for on-course strategy. These six pillars are designed to guide your thinking from before you even pull a club until after your round is complete, creating a continuous loop of learning and improvement.

Which of these six principles do you struggle with the most in your own game? Understanding them is the first step to building a better strategy.

Distance: This is about more than just knowing your 7-iron goes 150 yards. It’s about understanding your precise yardages for every club, how they change with conditions, and knowing your true carry numbers.
Expectation: Setting realistic goals for every shot. This means acknowledging your natural shot variance and accepting that you won’t hit every shot perfectly. It’s about playing probability golf, not perfect golf.
Correct Target: The heart of the system. This involves choosing the optimal target based on your personal shot patterns, the hole layout, hazards, and PGA Tour data to minimize risk and maximize your scoring potential.
Analyze: The learning doesn’t stop on the 18th green. This principle involves reviewing your performance post-round, using data to identify what you did well and where your strategy broke down.
Discipline: The mental fortitude to stick to your data-driven strategy, even when your emotions are telling you to try a risky “hero shot.” This is often the hardest part for amateurs to master.
Execute: Once the decision is made, you commit 100% to the shot. This principle is about trusting the process you’ve just followed and making a confident, committed swing.

How DECADE Golf Actually Works to Lower Your Scores

DECADE works by teaching golfers to choose optimal targets based on their personal shot dispersion and PGA Tour data, manage expectations, and avoid costly emotional mistakes, leading to better risk management and lower scores. It fundamentally changes your on-course decision-making process from one based on hope to one based on logic and statistics.

Pro Tip: DECADE teaches that golf isn’t about making more birdies, but making fewer bogeys. The key is managing risk, not chasing hero shots.

The system essentially provides a filter for every decision you make. Instead of just seeing a flagstick and firing at it, you learn to see a cone of probability. It forces you to think about the consequences of your misses, not just the glory of your perfect shots.

A core tenet of the DECADE mental game is learning to accept and even plan for “good misses.” A shot that lands safely on the green 30 feet from the hole is infinitely better than a “great attempt” that ends up short-sided in a bunker.

Here are the key ways the what is decade golf strategy translates to the course:

Data-Driven Decisions: It replaces guesswork with strategy. You learn to make choices based on the statistical likelihood of success, informed by massive data sets from the PGA Tour.
Optimal Target Selection: You stop aiming at pins tucked behind bunkers. Instead, you learn to aim for the center of the green or specific zones that give your shot pattern the best chance for a good result, even on a slight miss.
Shot Dispersion Management: You finally confront the reality of how much your shots actually spread out. By understanding this variance, you can plan for it and avoid turning a small mis-hit into a double bogey.
A Rock-Solid Mental Game: By giving you a clear, logical plan for every shot, DECADE helps remove the emotional rollercoaster from your round. You make fewer decisions based on frustration or overconfidence, leading to more discipline and consistency.

Understanding Shot Dispersion

Even top pros have wide shot patterns; DECADE leverages this fact by teaching you to plan for your natural variance instead of aiming for perfect shots. This is perhaps the single most important concept in the entire system. Amateurs often believe tour pros hit the ball dead straight, but the data shows otherwise.

For example, well-established research from 2014 showed that even a top player like Jason Day had a 74-yard driver dispersion from left to right. That’s a massive window! The key is that he plans for it. He knows his ball will end up somewhere in that cone, so he aims in a way that keeps the entire cone out of major trouble. DECADE teaches you to do the same with your own, unique shot patterns for every club in the bag.

Leveraging Stat Tracking with DECADELink

The DECADELink app feature allows users to track detailed stats, analyze performance with strokes gained data, and compare their game against relevant peer groups, not just PGA Tour pros. This is the technology that powers the analysis and feedback loop of the DECADE system. It’s more than just a scorecard; it’s a powerful diagnostic tool.

With the DECADELink feature, you can:

Log Rounds: Input your shots with advanced GPS-style tracking right on your phone.
Analyze Performance: The app crunches the numbers for you, showing you strokes gained data in every facet of your game—driving, approach, short game, and putting.
Identify Improvement Areas: It pinpoints the specific parts of your game that are costing you the most shots, so you know exactly what to work on in your practice sessions.
Peer Group Comparison: Instead of feeling defeated by comparing your stats to PGA Tour averages, DECADE allows you to see how you stack up against college players, top amateurs, or other golfers in your skill bracket.

DECADE Golf Membership Tiers & Cost for 2025

DECADE offers two main tiers: Foundations, which costs around $125 for six months, and Elite which costs around $250 for six months, with different levels of content depth and stat tracking. Choosing the right tier depends entirely on your current skill level, your goals, and how deeply you want to dive into the data.

Based on your handicap and goals, which tier seems like the right fit for your game? Here is a breakdown to help you decide.

Feature	DECADE Foundations	DECADE Elite
Price	~$125 / 6 months ($99.99 via app)	~$250 / 6 months
Target Golfer	Handicaps 10+, juniors, casual players	Serious competitors, single-digit hcp
Content Delivery	Released slowly over 6 months	Immediate access to all content
Stat Tracking	Simplified stat entry (DECADE5)	Advanced GPS tracking (DECADELink)
Yardage Books	1 custom book per month	4 custom books per month
Analysis	Foundational concepts	In-depth strokes gained analysis, peer data

To take your game analysis to the next level, consider investing in dedicated hardware. Having one of the best golf stat trackers can automate the data collection process, allowing you to focus on playing while gathering incredibly precise information for your DECADE analysis.

The Verdict: Is DECADE Golf Worth It? An Honest Review

Yes, for serious golfers committed to improving through a data-driven strategy, DECADE Golf is worth it. It provides a proven framework to eliminate costly mental errors and make smarter on-course decisions. While it’s not a magic pill, it is a powerful tool for anyone who is tired of making the same mistakes and is willing to put in the mental work to improve.

The system is backed by an incredible amount of data and has been validated by some of the best players in the world, including Will Zalatoris, Bryson DeChambeau, Keith Mitchell, and Webb Simpson. Its value lies in providing a clear, logical framework that quiets the emotional noise that so often leads to poor decisions on the course.

Here’s a balanced look at the pros and cons based on the available data:

Pros
* Backed by Data: The entire system is built on statistical analysis of PGA Tour data, removing guesswork from your strategy.
* Proven Results: It has a clear track record of success with top amateurs and professionals who credit it with improving their game.
* Strengthens Mental Game: By providing a logical framework, it helps you manage emotions, set realistic expectations, and play with more discipline.
* Clear Framework: It gives you a repeatable process for every shot, which builds confidence and consistency under pressure.

Cons
* Requires Discipline: This is not a passive system. You must be willing to commit to the principles and track your stats diligently to see results.
* Subscription Cost: There is an ongoing cost to access the content and app features, which may be a consideration for some golfers.

FAQs About what is decade golf

What does DECADE Golf actually do?

DECADE provides a course management system that uses statistical data to give you optimal targets and strategies for every shot, helping you avoid mistakes and lower scores. It’s a strategic blueprint for playing golf, focusing on decision-making rather than swing mechanics. It solves the “how” and “where” to hit the ball for the best statistical outcome.

How much does the DECADE Golf app cost?

DECADE offers two main subscription options: DECADE Foundations costs around $125 for six months, while the more comprehensive DECADE Elite costs $250 for six months. Some pricing variations exist, such as a $99.99 option for the Foundations tier when purchased through certain app stores.

Is the DECADE Golf app free?

No, the DECADE Golf app is not free. Access to the system’s content and stat tracking features requires a paid subscription to either the Foundations or Elite tier. The app itself may be free to download, but its core functionality is locked behind the paid membership wall.

Who is DECADE Golf for?

DECADE is for any golfer serious about lowering their scores, from 18-handicaps looking to break 90 to elite amateurs and professionals seeking a competitive edge. The tiered system (Foundations and Elite) allows it to be tailored to different skill levels, but the common denominator is a golfer who is committed to improving through smarter play.

What is the difference between DECADE Foundations and Elite?

The main difference is depth and pacing: Foundations is for higher handicaps with content released over six months, while Elite offers immediate access to all advanced content and more detailed stat tracking for competitive players. Foundations uses a simpler stat entry system, while Elite provides in-depth strokes gained analysis against high-level peer groups.

Final Summary: Is DECADE the Cheat Code to Better Golf?

While “cheat code” might be a strong term, DECADE is undeniably one of the most effective strategic systems available for golfers who are serious about improvement. It’s not about finding a shortcut; it’s about taking the smartest route around the golf course on every single shot. It strips away the emotion, ego, and guesswork that plagues the amateur game and replaces it with logic, probability, and a proven plan.

By understanding your own abilities and leveraging tour-level data, you stop playing against impossible standards and start playing your best possible golf.

It’s a data-driven system, not guesswork or generic swing tips.
It focuses on the single biggest opportunity for amateurs: mistake reduction.
It builds mental toughness by giving you a clear, confident plan.
It requires discipline but has a proven track record of significant results.

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start using a proven, data-driven strategy to manage your game, it’s time to seriously consider what DECADE can do for you.

Last update on 2025-07-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API