Are you frustrated with losing the greens and watching your score increase? Inconsistent shots on approach and a lack of understanding of GIR can keep someone in a rut.
Without hitting more greens, you’re constantly scrambling to save par or bogey. It’s hard to see progress when your shots keep falling short, and your handicap refuses to budge.
Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about GIR- what is GIR in golf, what it is, why it’s important, and proven ways to hit more greens—is covered in this guide in great detail. Easy tips, stats, and practical advice will prepare you to improve your accuracy, hit more greens, and lower your scores.
GIR means reaching the green in two strokes less than par.
It reflects ball-striking and course management skills.
Higher GIR leads to improved scoring opportunities.
Track GIR using scorecards or golf stat-tracking apps.
Improve GIR through better driving, approach shots, and strategy.
Greens in Regulation Meaning
What is GIR in Golf?
GIR in golf means when the golf ball reaches the green in required number of strokes minus two. This helps the golfer to score a birdie and helps uplift their performance. Fore example: If the par of the hole is 4 and ball reaches the green in second shot or if the par or required number of shot is 3 and the ball reaches the green in first shot.
GIR is a common golf statistics used in golf to measure the performance of amateur golfers and professionals.
Par Breakdown:
- Par 3: Hit the green in 1 stroke.
- Par 4: Hit the green in 2 strokes.
- Par 5: Hit the green in 3 strokes.
When is a Golf Ball Considered on the Green?
Golf ball is considered on the green when it lands on the putting surface. It doesn’t includes area around the green called fringe. When a player hits a tee shot or a normal shot on the green it will be considered a green in regulation.
USGA mentions that if a ball is touching the green it will be considered on the green. It means if a ball is touching the fringe and green at the same time it will be counted as GIR.
Does Fringe Count as a Green in Regulation?
No, fringe doesn’t counts as green in regulation (gir). If a ball lands on fringe or fairways it will be considered a normal shot.
Fringe is an area around greens with longer grass and if the ball lands on this surface even if it is close to the hole it will not be counted as gir number.
If a ball is on the fringe it means that you still cannot use a putter and will have to use an iron or wedge.
What is an Under GIR in Golf?
Under GIR in golf means hitting the greens in required number of shots minus 3. As gir is this if on a par 3 you hit the green in one shot but in under gir there is a minimum of par 4. For example on a par 4 ball reaches the green in first shot and in par 5 ball reaches the green in 2 shots.
How under-GIR opportunities impact scoring potential.
Under-GIR opportunities can greatly impact how well a golfer scores, often leading to lower scores and more opportunities to make birdies. Here’s how:
Higher Birdie Probability: The chances of getting a birdie are higher if they hit the green in fewer shots (under-GIR). Example: A player gets to the green in one shot on a par 4 (under-GIR). The putt for the birdie is shorter compared to getting to the green in two shots (in regulation). This will raise the probabilities of scoring lower than the par on that hole.
Lower Scrambling Probability: Under-GIR is such a characteristic wherein the player doesn’t depend on scrambling to get up and down from off the green. Scrambling generally means chipping and putting, which are always very hard and will elevate your scores. Whenever hitting into fewer shots into the green, golfers bypass this scrambling part and have a greater chance of scoring par or better.
Easier Two-Puts: If a golfer gets to the green early, then they are likely to have shorter putts. This reduces the chances of having a 3-putt, which will then help them maintain a steady and low score throughout the game.
More Effective Management of the Game: Coming into the green in less shots than anticipated typically will help a golfer have better control over the game. It generates momentum, reduces anxiety, and builds confidence; it all results in reduced overall scores.
More Greens in Regulation: The more times a player can hit it to the green in regulation, the fewer times he or she will have to depend on making tough shots from around the green. This can be very important to keep a consistent scoring pace and avoid having to play over par.
Lower Handicap Potential: The more a player hits greens regularly under-GIR, the more efficient he is at playing the game and hence lower handicap. Mastering hitting greens in fewer shots may make him steadier and more competitive thus lower handicap over time.
What is an Advanced GIR in Golf?
Advance GIR in golf means advance analysis of the golfers performance on the golf course in terms of hitting green in regulation. This technique goes one step further then basics of gir in golf and actually focuses on the quality and context of those shots in green.
Advanced GIR metrics
Proximity to the Hole: Measures how close the ball lands to the hole on greens hit in regulation. Closer proximity improves birdie chances.
Approach Shot Distance: Tracks the distance from the golfer to the hole when hitting the green, with shorter distances being more favorable.
GIR by Shot Type: Breaks down greens hit based on the club used, such as drivers, irons, or wedges.
GIR by Hole Type: Evaluates GIR by hole length, such as par 3, 4, or 5, since hitting greens in regulation differs by hole type.
GIR Success Rate vs. Swing Speed: Measures how swing speed correlates with hitting more greens, especially on longer holes.
Strokes Gained: Approach: Assesses a player’s approach shot performance, impacting the likelihood of hitting greens in regulation.
GIR on Different Course Types: Analyzes GIR on various courses (e.g., parkland, links) to see how course design affects performance.
GIR Recovery Rate: Tracks how often a player recovers from a missed green to make par or better
How advanced GIR helps refine performance analysis for better scoring.
Advance gir metrics helps the golfers to improve their game golf. Having such metrics tells you a complete breakdown of how you hit your shots, on which shots gir value is high or low and other golf stats about your performance.
It helps you refine you overall strategies, increase accuracy and boost your overall performance.
What is a Good GIR Percentage?
GIR percentage also depends on your handicap number. Compiling the golf data we found that a GIR percentage for amateurs is anything above 33%.
As I said earlier it depends on handicap number and also sometimes on your swing speed which you can measure here. For lower handicap players a GIR value of above 50% is very good. In normal circumstances, hitting any number of green in regulations is good.
Greens in Regulation percentage by handicap level
24+ Handicap: 0 to 2 greens – This is reasonable for high handicappers, who struggle to hit greens consistently.
18 to 24 Handicap: 1 to 3 greens – This is plausible for players who are still improving their game but might occasionally hit a green in regulation.
12 to 18 Handicap: 3 to 6 greens – This range is typical for players who can hit more greens but still have inconsistency.
9 to 12 Handicap: 4 to 7 greens – A solid range for a mid-handicapper, demonstrating a steady performance but not yet at an elite level.
6 to 9 Handicap: 5 to 8 greens – A good performance for a low handicapper, where hitting more greens in regulation is common.
3 to 6 Handicap: 6 to 9 greens – Solid range for low handicappers, as they are skilled at hitting greens regularly.
0 to 2 Handicap: 8 to 12 greens – Very competitive golfers, with a high GIR percentage, typically hitting 50% or more greens in regulation.
+3 to +1 Handicap: 10 to 13 greens – Elite amateurs or players with very low handicaps; they typically hit a high percentage of greens in regulation.
Tour Average: 12.07 greens – This is consistent with the PGA Tour average for GIR, which typically ranges from 11 to 13 greens in regulation per round.
Note: These numbers can fluctuate based on course difficulty, weather conditions, and individual performance on specific days. However, the provided values are generally accepted ranges for each handicap level.
Average GIR Percentage on the PGA Tour
The Average GIR percentage on PGA tour is around 67%. which means that every golfer hits 12 or 13 GIR in one round. This is a very good ratio foe low handicap players and players with positive handicap.
PGA Tour Approach Shot Statistics: GIR Percentage by Distance
This unique breakdown combines GIR percentages with average proximity to the hole, offering a clearer perspective on PGA Tour player performance and expectations based on approach shot distances.
Less than 100 yards
- GIR Percentage: 81%
- Proximity to the Hole: 17 feet
- Pros excel in this range, typically using a sand wedge or lob wedge. Hitting 4 out of 5 greens is elite performance.
100–125 yards
- GIR Percentage: 74%
- Proximity to the Hole: 20 feet
- Despite using gap or pitching wedges, the tough pin positions keep accuracy to 3 out of 4 greens.
125–150 yards
- GIR Percentage: 69%
- Proximity to the Hole: 23 feet
- Even in wedge to 9-iron range, pros don’t hit every green. Hitting within 25 feet is excellent.
150–175 yards
- GIR Percentage: 63%
- Proximity to the Hole: 27 feet
- Tour pros use 7–9 irons here and hit around 6 out of 10 greens, showing a decline in precision.
175–200 yards
- GIR Percentage: 53%
- Proximity to the Hole: 34 feet
- Using long irons or hybrids, PGA players hit just over half the greens. Accuracy drops as distance increases.
200–225 yards
- GIR Percentage: 40–45%
- Proximity to the Hole: 43–54 feet
- Pros hit fewer than half the greens and leave the ball further from the cup, highlighting the challenge from this range.
225–250 yards
- GIR Percentage: 20–35%
- Long irons, hybrids, and fairway woods lead to a steep drop-off in accuracy, with players relying on recovery skills.
250+ yards
- GIR Percentage: <20%
- Hitting greens from this range is rare, with proximity to the hole often exceeding 50 feet.
How Many Greens in Regulation to Break 80?
Breaking 80 is the dream of many golfers. You need an average of around 8-10 GIR to easily decrease your score to below 80.
Now this includes other skills like trying to hit approach shots on every shot off the tee. Good putting skills, right place to focus on the ball and good wrist position and stance with the golf club.
How Can I Hit More Greens in Regulation?
Target Par 3s
As par 3 being the shortest hole in golf course. It is very clear that you have to hit the gir in your first shot. The lesser the par will remove the complexity from the shots leaving you with limited golf clubs and shots.
So it is easy for almost every golfer in the golf world like recreational golfers to hit a GIR in par 3. Another reason for this is that par 3 hole distances are generally short so you can even hit a birdie successfully.
So we recommend you that you should practice more on par 3 and even a newbie can hit a GIR on par 3.
Get in Play on Par 4s
Hitting accurately off the tee on Par 4s is important for getting a good approach shot to the green. A drive that stays on the fairway or avoids trouble helps you control how far and where your next shot goes. Knowing the golf course architecture—bunkers, rough areas, and slopes are placed to make it harder to be accurate. To get better:
Instead, drive calmly and steadily instead of driving with full power.
Practice with an online golf club fitting tool to determine the right driver for your accuracy and distance.
Use target-focused range drills to develop accuracy in challenging situations.
Learn to Hit It Long (Strokes Gained Driving)
Distance off the tee has a direct correlation with your shot GIR rate in modern golf. Long drives leave you short for the approach, giving you more opportunities to get the ball on the green. The statistics are astounding as golfers who take strokes off the tee with both distance and accuracy increase their GIR percentage dramatically.
Work on increasing clubhead speed with specific training drills.
Understand ball flight by analyzing your driving stats through online golf tools.
Use the design of the golf course to help you. Find holes where taking risks can let you hit the ball far without big penalties.
Improve Your Iron Play
Stike precise irons is very vital for boosting the percentage of your greens in regulation. The closer to the pin, you would be the higher chances for a good score. Stick to practice activities that can hone your skills both at distance control and precision
Target Practice Drill: Use alignment sticks to hone your target on specific areas of the shooting range.
Trajectory Control Drill: Adjust your ball flight to fit the ball positions found in different styles of golf course design.
Get a personalized lesson or analysis through online golf club fitting to ensure that your irons fit your swing style.
Tracking and Analyzing Your GIR
How to Track Greens in Regulation on Your Scorecard
Tracking GIR (Greens in Regulation) on your scorecard is simple and essential to improving your game. After each hole, mark if you reached the green in the required strokes (e.g., two shots on a par 4). This helps identify trends in your golf GIR performance and areas needing improvement.
Golf Stat-Tracking Apps and Systems
Modern tools like Shot Scope, Arccos, or Garmin provide advanced analytics on your oqn golf statistics. These apps automatically log your GIR, fairways hit, and approach distances, giving you a clear picture of your strengths and weaknesses.
By tracking data, you can better understand why you miss greens—whether due to poor accuracy or inconsistent ball-striking.
Using GIR Benchmarks to Track Progress and Set Goals
Setting benchmarks for your GIR can help you track progress. For example, breaking 80 typically requires hitting 8-10 greens per round. Compare your stats to established targets and use these insights to work on areas like hitting ground before the ball (improving clean contact) or refining your iron play for better accuracy
What is PP GIR in Golf?
PP GIR stands for “Proximity to Pin Greens in Regulation,” an advanced metric analyzing how close your ball finishes to the hole after hitting the green. Unlike standard GIR, which only measures if you hit the green, PP GIR evaluates the quality of your GIR.
Importance of proximity in analyzing the quality of GIR:
Closer shots afford much better scoring chances. Thus, for example, when a green is hit from 10 feet has much better opportunity to realize the birdie than that taken from 40 feet out.
Understanding the GIRs in golf, plus the PP GIRs helps tailor your approach strategy with emphasizing accuracy over distance as situation dictates. The weaving of such a metric into the overall game analysis will give much better insights into how much scoring is possible.
Conclusion
Tracking GIR and advanced metrics like PP GIR is key to improving your game and setting realistic goals. By leveraging own golf statistics through apps like Shot Scope, analyzing your golf GIR performance, and working on consistent ball-striking, you can hit more greens and lower your scores.
For players who frequently rely on recovery shots or play a scramble in golf?, focusing on quality approaches and proximity to the pin can make a significant difference.