What does GIR on the Green in Golf Mean?

The Importance of the GIR Stat

Well GIR means Greens in Regulation. GIR then simple means getting your golf ball onto the green to give you 2 shots to get the ball in the hole. Sounds easy right? Well yes and no. So for example 

• 3 par hole – ball on the green after the first shot
• 4 par hole – ball on the green after second shot
• 5 par hole – ball on the green after the third shot

The ball has to be ON the golf green, not on the fringes.

Why is GIR Important?

Well it can help you analyze your golf game. In reality you should be noting your GIR either on your scorecard or using a digital tool. The reason being is it can help you identify the weak area of your game. But to get a full picture we need to look firstly at your tee shot. How many of you tee shots hit the fairway? This should also be recorded. Let’s say you get 50% on the fairway, that’s really good! But in relation to GIR, is it enough? For example if you get 100% GIR but fail to make PAR then there’s obviously an issue with your putting that needs to be addressed.

If you are getting 0% GIR then the fault lies somewhere else either in your tee shots, or follow up shots (second and third).

If you are hitting the fairway 100% of the times and are still not getting GIR then the fault is in your follow up golf shots and this then needs to be addressed.

Focus on the weak point in your game

Remember it's impossible to improve all of your golf game and golf swing simultaneously. Instead you need to focus on the weakest part, the part that is costing you most in terms of scoring – whether it be stroke or stableford for example.

To track your stats as well as offering GPS positioning so you know the precise yardage to the green I would recommend the Garmin Approach G6 Handheld Touchscreen. Not only does this excellent golfing tool record your essential stats like Fairways Hit and GIR, it has full color touch-screen technology and is waterproof!

Remember golf is about stats, and lowering your GIR is the key to lowering your golfing score. Working out the weakest element of your game allows you to focus all of your energy into becoming a stronger better golfer.

US Masters 2013 - The Augusta Challenge of Who Will Win?

With the start of The US Masters of 2013 just about to go underway, its an interesting time in US Golf of trying to figure who actually will win the Green Jacket o Augusta and join the merry golfers who have lined the history books.

Often trying to understand who can win in golf relies on different methods of calculating the chance of winning. This often includes scoring pars, birdies, eagles GIR and Scrambling, as well s putting on Augusta’s famously wicked fast Greens!

My method of calculating who can win the US Masters 2013 relies on three stats:

GIR - Greens in regulation

Scrambling – the ability when GIR is missed of scoring a PAR

Putting – the percentage of putting to score

It does seem certain that with the formidable power of Tiger Woods that he will of course win his 3^rd US Masters. The ability for most punters and betting on golf is to focus on who can get in the top 6 to win some money betting on golf.

Recent PGA Games have shown some interesting results – D. A. Points with 1 250/1 to win the Houston Shell Open was a great win. How will he do in Augusta remains to be seen?

One word of advice I would say is that it’s always preferable to bet on someone who has played Augusta before. The greens are the fastest in the world and the course is long, a golfer with no experience of this would have a very tough time scoring well enough to win the US Masters Green Jacket in 2013.