What's the most important golf stat for going low?

[Albatros]

...in general and for you

I just started keeping stats on my game. I only have three rounds so far, but I think they match up to my overall game. Here's a look:

Fairways Per Round (Percent) 40%
Green/Reg 32%
Putts Per Hole 1.76
Putts Per Green in Reg 1.82
Sand Saves Per Round 0.33
Penalties Per Round 3.33
Average Drive 229.18
Longest Drive 313
1-Putts Per Round 6
2-Putts Per Round 10.33
3-Putts Per Round 1.67
4-Putts+ Per Round 0.00
Eagles Per Round 0
Birdies Per Round 1
Pars Per Round 7.33
Bogies Per Round 5
Double Bogies Per Round 3.67
Others 0.33

My putts per hole of 1.7 is still good because I work on my chipping and putting a lot. Average drive number is low at 229 because the system I use takes all driveable holes into account and I take 3 wood and long irons on many holes. Usual drive is around 265+.

So, its pretty obvious for me that I need to hit more fairways and greens. 40% and 32% is rediculous. But I actually think the GIR is more important for me because I would say that 2-4 of my errant drives per round still end up in a nice spot just off the fairway. If I can figure out how to hit 50+% GIR, I think I can get in the high 70's more consistently. Right now, I'm usually in the 82-86 range.

In general, what's most important? Its a tough call. For the average golfer, I think the fairways is key. Because most of the high handicappers I play with will hit a bad shot and then compound the problem by trying to hit a miraculous recovery, which rarely works out.

[RSchaffer29]

what jumps out at me is you are averaging around 2 3-putts per round and 4 double bogies per round

 

I think the most important stat is eliminating big blow up holes like doubles. Get it down to 0 per round and turn them into bogies instead.

[noodle3872]

I think the best way to lower your handicap (and ultimately your score) is by hitting more GIR per round then you miss and having 36 or less putts per round.

[peter3]

Yup, GIR and putting is 90% of golf...

[nlacross]

GIR without a doubt. Look at Tiger, he can't hit a fairway if he saved his life but he hits greens and he is supposedly the best player on the PGA tour right now...

[theothertwo]

Unless you are a Tour player who can get it on the green from mostly anywhere, you got to hit the fairways first (long and straight or just straight), then all the other stats will improve IMO, first the GIR, then the putts, up and downs. etc. But you have to put it in play first.

 

Those 3 doubles per round will likely go down to 1 or 0 if you find more fairways, but you know that already.

[RSchaffer29]

I don't think GIR is that great unless you can putt. Look at Sergio.

 

If you're a good putter you can still save par and miss every green.

 

So putting > GIR in my book even though I realize they are more important.

[nlacross]

I don't think GIR is that great unless you can putt. Look at Sergio.

 

If you're a good putter you can still save par and miss every green.

 

So putting > GIR in my book even though I realize they are more important.

 

 

What good is missing every green and getting up and down to save par. Not only will that stress out a normal player by having to get up and down each and every time, but your chances of ever making a birdie is no good. Yes Sergio isn't a great putter but he still hits close to a lot of pins where even he will make 40% of his birdie putts... Putting is important and is key to excel at, but if that player would also hit tons of greens then they would make a boat load of birdies. GIR is the most important still without a doubt..

[hambo]

I don't know what your rough is like on your local course at the moment but over here it's a nightmare. Get it in play and on the short stuff. Take a 3 wood or a iron of the tee if need be, but golf course management is the key. Lay up when you need to and take the stress out of the double bogey's. Looks like you can putt so look at taking a bogey on the stroke indexes of 1-6 and you should save a reasonable card on your hands.

[KingOAces]

I would have to say that more important than anything is avoiding big numbers. I can get 5 or 6 birdies a round, but if i make a double or triple on a couple holes, they're worth nothing.

 

KinG

[wedgetoafoot]

GIR has got to be it. I used to shoot about the same score as you, but as soon as I started to average about 11 GIR per round, I never worried about not breaking 80 again, although sometimes I stumble to 82/83 on particularly unpleasant days. The funny thing was that for a while I didn't realize how bad I was at putting since I was averaging about 31/32 per round, but as soon as the GIR went up, so did the putting average. If you can work on these two areas of your game, you are going to get results for certain. To combine everyone's advice, I am almost twice as likely to hit the green from the fairway as I am from the rough (I keep an insane amount of statistics on my game). You have to start there. Hit the FW. From that point, work on your 125-90 yd shots, because I seem to have a ton of those shots during a round (we drive it similar distances) and they are easy. If you don't stick 8 out of ten of these within 15-20 ft, that would be something to improve upon. Also, as you hit more greens, you will miss the others by less, so you should work the greenside chipping pretty hard for some additionaly opportunity. Good luck to you!

[housey]

Whenever I go through my round it always comes down to one or two missed short putts or did not get up and down from off the green. Greens in reg, definitely

[GolferGal2009]

I totally agree with what everyone else is saying, hit more GIR and get good at putting. Also, don't hit out of bounds, don't lose your ball, and don't hit it in the water.

[oldgoalie]

I don't think GIR is that great unless you can putt. Look at Sergio.

 

If you're a good putter you can still save par and miss every green.

 

So putting > GIR in my book even though I realize they are more important.

 

Sergio is not a bad player.....I think most of us would be happy to suffer his putting problems

 

I think that the 1.7 putts is pretty good, but the GIR is low.

 

Think about where on the green you are aiming. Don't always aim at the pin. Take trouble out of play.

[jmc]

GIR is the key, I think. Short game is especially important for me. I tend to miss greens from 100-125 yds and it angers me. Your putting stats are pretty good. Make more GIRs and your score will go down if your putting is consistent.

 

Also, find a way to get those penalty strokes down. Whether that be hitting a 3 wood off the tee on some holes instead of a driver. Just giveyourself a chance to make a birdie putt.

 

Tiger will birdie most of the par 5s, so getting on in two on these holes would also be a big benefit. Typically that will mean hitting a decent tee shot and committing to a long iron or wood to get it close to the green and relying on your chipping.

 

Another personal bad stat for me is GIRs on par 3s. If I could hit more greens on these holes, I would most likely see about 2 less strokes per round.

[dachtor]

I agree - GIR is the key. Of course GIR is impacted by the number of fairways you hit (usually) but when I play my best, I am hitting a lot of greens. In order to go low, you need to give yourself chances to make birdie and no worse than par.

[i_luv_golf_]

Fairway Means More Chance Of GIR Which Means More PUTTS for birdie and not CHIPS for birdie!

 

Take My Advice And On The Par 3's Take 1 Club More And Swing It Smoother!

[phillypete]

definitely GIR all those 2 putts turn into pars and all those 1 putts turn into birdies.

 

Now you have to identify what is causing you to miss greens.

 

I'm going to look into my crystal ball here and take a stab at this without knowing your swing...

 

40% really isn't that bad for fairways, provided you are keeping the ball in play that other 60% of the time. If more than three around you find yourself in jail after a bad tee shot then work on your tee ball.

 

Some of the other numbers lead me to believe you might have issues with consistant contact ie fat or thin. Some easy things to try... take more club always. Most golfers don't take enough club and then try to swing too hard thus decreasing the probably that they will hit it pure and on the rare occasion that they do hit it pure they often end up off target because their balance has been thrown off by the tremendous the shot called for.

 

maybe I'm right, maybe not but find the root cause of your GIR issues and you will be going low in no time.

[Albatros]

I've been thinking about what's causing me to miss greens as well. I think its a combination of learning the distances on my new irons and simply reducing the bad shots. Let's face it, an 11-12 index, I'm still goign to hit a few poor shots now and then. I don't have a fat/thin problem as much as the fade that I play can get away from me and leave me in a bad spot near the green.

 

So, I'm going to do two things:

 

1) Work on my course management so that I take the optimal club off the tee that will leave me with 165 or less to the green, and not take more club if I don't have to.

 

2) Work on the range on tightening up my fade.

 

I'll re-post with updates in two months after I've got another 5 or 6 rounds in.

[chingali]

The most important stat for me is fairways hit. If I hit a lot of fairways then I hit a lot of greens, if I hit a lot of greens then I score well. I also find that if I am hitting a lot of fairways then on the ones I am missing the ball is usually still in play.

 

I have been keeping stats for more than 20 years (1500+ rounds!) and they are all entered in my current stats application and there is a very definite correlation for me between FIR & GIR.

[steph1964]

Hit those fairways. My scores are always lower when I have my best second shot possible. Also, the people playing behind you will be happier if they don't have to wait for you to find your ball...added bonus. :cheesy: