GSPro Skill Challenges: Use Your Simulator Time Wisely (Plus What “Strokes Gained” Means)
June 2026 • FlexTee
If you've ever finished a simulator session thinking, “I hit loads of balls… but did I actually improve?”, this is for you.
GSPro includes skill challenges and tests that turn practice into something measurable — so you can stop guessing and start tracking progress.
Even better: many of these challenges include strokes gained, which helps you understand where you're losing shots (and what to work on first).
This guide shows you how to use GSPro skill games at FlexTee to make your time count — with a simple 60-minute structure you can repeat.
Why skill challenges beat “random range mode”
A normal range session can feel productive, but it's easy to:
- Chase one perfect shot
- Bounce between clubs with no plan
- Leave without a clear takeaway
Skill challenges fix that by giving you:
- A target and scoring system
- Consistent conditions
- A benchmark you can try to beat next time
The result is practice that's focused, repeatable, and motivating.
A simple 60-minute GSPro skill session (repeat this weekly)
Warm up for contact (5–10 minutes)
Keep it easy:
- Wedges and short irons
- Smooth swings, no speed chasing
Goal: get loose and find the middle of the face.
Pick ONE skills test (and commit to it) (20 minutes)
Choose a challenge that matches what you want to improve. For most golfers, the best “use your time wisely” starting point is:
- Approach play / irons (because it shows up everywhere in scoring)
- Wedge proximity / distance control (because it’s the quickest way to lower scores)
Run the test properly (don't restart after one bad shot). Treat it like a mini-competition.
What to record (quick notes):
- Your final score
- The distance band(s) that felt hardest
- One pattern you noticed (start line, strike, distance control)
Fix ONE thing the test exposed (15 minutes)
Now you've earned the right to “work on something”. Examples:
- If you kept missing short: pick one club and focus on solid strike
- If you missed left/right: focus on starting line (pick a target and commit)
- If distance control was wild: hit three-quarter swings and keep tempo consistent
Keep it simple. The goal is not a rebuild — it's a small improvement you can retest.
Re-run a shorter version (prove it) (10 minutes)
Re-test quickly:
- Either repeat the same challenge if time allows, or
- Repeat a single distance band / segment
You're looking for progress, not perfection.
Save your “next session” plan (5 minutes)
Write one sentence:
- “Next time I’m doing the same test and trying to beat my score by X.”
- “Next time I’m focusing on wedges from ___ yards.”
That's how you build momentum.
What “strokes gained” means (plain English)
Strokes gained is a way of measuring performance that answers one question:
Did that shot help me score better than a benchmark golfer from the same situation?
Instead of just saying “good shot” or “bad shot”, strokes gained compares:
- Where you started (distance/lie)
- Where you finished (distance/lie)
- How many shots it typically takes a benchmark player to hole out from those positions
A simple example
Imagine you're 150 yards from the hole.
- A benchmark golfer typically takes (say) 3.2 strokes to finish from there.
- You hit to 20 feet, and from 20 feet a benchmark golfer typically takes 2.0 strokes to finish.
- So your shot “cost” you: 3.2 − 2.0 = 1.2 strokes
If a benchmark player would “spend” 1.2 strokes on average to get from 150 yards to 20 feet, and you did the same, you're roughly neutral.
Gained strokes
If you hit it to 8 feet (where it might take 1.6 strokes to finish), you “gained” strokes.
Lost strokes
If you chunk it to 60 yards (where it might take 2.7 strokes to finish), you “lost” strokes.
How to use strokes gained in practice (without overthinking it)
Use it to prioritise:
Losing strokes in approach play?
Spend more time on irons and start line.
Losing strokes in short game / wedges?
Focus on distance control and contact.
Losing strokes in driving?
Tighten dispersion and improve strike.
The big win
Strokes gained stops you wasting time on what feels important and points you to what actually moves your scores.
Common mistakes with skill challenges (and how to avoid them)
Restarting after one bad shot
Fix: Keep the score; it’s more realistic.
Changing clubs every 2 minutes
Fix: Stick to the test structure.
Chasing speed
Fix: Chase repeatability first.
Not writing anything down
Fix: Record the score so you can beat it next time.
Want a practice plan built around your game?
Book a bay and run the GSPro skill challenges above to benchmark your game properly — then use those results to guide your next session.
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By FlexTee