Couple statistical question

[Rugger]

Pretty simples ones..

1) Is the fringe considered part of the green for GIR purposes?
2) Does a putt from the fringe count as a putt for statistical purposes or does it need to actually be on the green?

Thanks

[Shripe]

No, and no. It's not a GIR or a putt unless part of the ball is actually in contact with the green.

[Greg]

I thought the answer to the first question would be no but on the second one, a putt is a putt, whether on the green or not. I actually had a friend chip from the fringe once to make his stats look better by having less putts on that hole. I almost always putt if im on the fringe, sometimes even farther out than that. If i kept putting stats, i would count those as putts but to be a gir, you have to be completely on the green.

[Rugger]

No, and no. It's not a GIR or a putt unless part of the ball is actually in contact with the green.

Thanks, that's what I figured. This means I'm a decent putter, but also means my score is that much more embarrassing if I only had 36 puts in a round

[k14]

Yeah I always count putts as every time I use the putter, but I think on tour they only count when the player is on the green.

[Jtjohns]

Yup, it's only a putt if its on the green.

[max power]

Yup, it's only a putt if its on the green.

Has helped my putting stats more than once.

[martytilma]

I thought the answer to the first question would be no but on the second one, a putt is a putt, whether on the green or not

So if I use my putter off the tee box, I have to count it as a putt? Just because you use your putter doesn't mean that it was a putt.

[IcemanYVR]

I thought the answer to the first question would be no but on the second one, a putt is a putt, whether on the green or not. I actually had a friend chip from the fringe once to make his stats look better by having less putts on that hole. I almost always putt if im on the fringe, sometimes even farther out than that. If i kept putting stats, i would count those as putts but to be a gir, you have to be completely on the green.

No sir... a putt is only a putt when the ball is on the green or touching part of the putting surface. If you hit the ball from the fringe with your putter, it's a chip... conversley, if you tap in your chip with your SW, it's a putt.

[martytilma]

conversley, if you tap in your chip with your SW, it's a putt.

Another good point!

[k14]

So if I use my putter off the tee box, I have to count it as a putt? Just because you use your putter doesn't mean that it was a putt.

As I said above, if I am around the green and using putter I count it as a putt. You are only cheating yourself if you don't count it (imo), it gives you a good indication of how your approach game is coming along. If you are constantly leaving the ball in the first cut and putting from there you may think you are awesome with only 25 putts a around. Leaving out the other 10 that were from the fringe. Those stats would tell you that you are a great putter and very good on approach shots. In reality you could do with a lot of improvement.

[martytilma]

As I said above, if I am around the green and using putter I count it as a putt. You are only cheating yourself if you don't count it (imo), it gives you a good indication of how your approach game is coming along. If you are constantly leaving the ball in the first cut and putting from there you may think you are awesome with only 25 putts a around. Leaving out the other 10 that were from the fringe. Those stats would tell you that you are a great putter and very good on approach shots. In reality you could do with a lot of improvement.

Actually if you were keeping GIR stats, and you were putting a lot from the fringe, wouldn't that tell you that your not very good in your approach shots?? Your just assuming that we track putts and that's it. Just becuase you have 25 putts in a round doesn't mean that you are a great putter and the score would probably indicate that. You have to factor in other stats also.

[Shorty]

Has helped my putting stats more than once.

Exactly. I had 26 putts yesterday and played like crap. Didn't even putt well. It says more about your iron game than your putting, quite often.

[Jtjohns]

As I said above, if I am around the green and using putter I count it as a putt. You are only cheating yourself if you don't count it (imo), it gives you a good indication of how your approach game is coming along. If you are constantly leaving the ball in the first cut and putting from there you may think you are awesome with only 25 putts a around. Leaving out the other 10 that were from the fringe. Those stats would tell you that you are a great putter and very good on approach shots. In reality you could do with a lot of improvement.

If this is your logic, what exactly is your definition of "around the green"? If I use my putter like a texas wedge from 20-30 yds off the green, but still on a decent putting surface such as a smooth fairway, do you consider this a putt? I think you may have been playing the wrong game.

[max power]

Pros and cons aside, that's how the stats are calculated. On the green=putt, off the green=not a putt.

[k14]

If this is your logic, what exactly is your definition of "around the green"? If I use my putter like a texas wedge from 20-30 yds off the green, but still on a decent putting surface such as a smooth fairway, do you consider this a putt? I think you may have been playing the wrong game.

No I am certainly playing the right game, if I am going for the hole I count it as a putt, quite often I will even have the flag pulled. I never use my putter from anywhere further than the first cut (because our fairways aren't good enough to putt on) so haven't encountered your situation but in saying so I wouldn't count it as a putt. We are all entitled to take our own slant on things and this is mine, not forcing you to do the same.

What I really want to try and encompass is when I play a par 4 miss the green (and hit the fringe) on my 3rd shot (being a bogey golfer this does happen) and putt it I want to see 2 putts for the bogey. This to me seems right for my purposes. It doesn't seem right having my 4th shot being 6 inches from the cup and then getting a 1 putt. I still putted the ball two times but to have only 1 putt added to my tally for the day doesn't see right. The same goes if I sank the putt for par, technically it was a 0 putt but in reality I putted once and made a good (say 20 foot) putt for par.

[IcemanYVR]

We are all entitled to take our own slant on things and this is mine, not forcing you to do the same.

you are most certainly entitled to taking your own slant, it just means when quoting your stats they are irrelevant, becuase they are derived incorrectly.

if you have 26 putts, and shot 93, I don't think you're a great putter, I think you're long game needs work. If you're 4th shot and first putt is is 6 inches from the cup, deserve it or not... it's a 1 putt. If you chip in with your putter from the fringe it is not a really good putt, it's a great chip. It's that simple... skewing the stats only hurts you in the end.

[Jtjohns]

No I am certainly playing the right game, if I am going for the hole I count it as a putt, quite often I will even have the flag pulled. I never use my putter from anywhere further than the first cut (because our fairways aren't good enough to putt on) so haven't encountered your situation but in saying so I wouldn't count it as a putt. We are all entitled to take our own slant on things and this is mine, not forcing you to do the same.

You most certainly are entitled to your opinion and by all means, play the game like you want to play it. I was just trying to help you see the logic behind the statistic. Think about it like this.... When you use you putter from the fringe, it doesn't count as a putt because you can only putt on the green. Using the putter from the fringe is simply one of the many variations of approach shots you take attempting to reach the green. For examply, from the fringe many use several different wedges and several types of shots with those wedges. I think you are using the idea that because it's called a putter, it must be a putt when its used. Correct me if I'm wrong.