Score = 95 - 2 x GIRs

[tdinneen]

OK, I'd like to start a thread based on the following article

http://golfdigest.com/instruction/br...k80greens.html

Here's the snippet I'd like to discuss

"Most golfers think putting is the biggest factor in scoring, but greens in regulation (GIRs) are much more important. So important, you almost don't need to look at anything else to predict your score. The most useful score-analysis tool I've developed, called "Riccio's Rule" and first published in Golf Digest in 1987, predicts score based on GIRs: Score = 95 – 2 x GIRs."

I usually hit 7-8 GIRs per round, based on the formula I should be going around in 79, yet I hit in the high 80's low 90's. This is all to do with my short game. Last night for example I hit 8 GIRs but had 8 triple putts and only 2 up and downs. 42 putts in total. So clearly for me putting is the biggest factor in my score (more than half my shots in this case).

If people can reply giving their score using that formula and their actual normal score that'd be great. And maybe discuss if you think the formula is accurate or not.

[CG031]

NOT TRUE - My dad hit 16/18 G.I.R. and still shot an 80 last week.

[iacas]

Well let's see. I average about 7.2 greens in regulation, judging by my yearly stats. So that's:

95 - (7.2 * 2) = 95 - 14.4 = 80.6.

My handicap index is 4.5, so no, it doesn't really work out for me. It's consistently off by about four shots. I must putt better than most people.

[CG031]

Well let's see. I average about 7.2 greens in regulation, judging by my yearly stats. So that's:

Wait you only hit about 7 G.I.R.? If I read that right, you must have one hell of a short game!

[green6767]

considering his handicap....yes....he must!

[iacas]

Wait you only hit about 7 G.I.R.? If I read that right, you must have one hell of a short game!

Not necessarily. 40% GIR is about 7.2 greens, yeah.

Current stats on the year so far: GIR: 40.5% Fairways: 45% Total Putts: 29.55 PPGIR: 1.87 (PP = putts per) PPMGIR: 1.45 (M = missed) Scrambling: 37.35% Up and Down: 47.51% Sand Save: 34.04% Nothing super spectacular. I am good at avoiding three-putts. I almost always give myself a chance when I miss the green, and remember, sometimes a missed GIR is just a putt from the fringe. Those are just as easy to make or "get up and down" as a two-putt from on the green.

[CG031]

That is AWESOME putting then. What's the secret? My dad hits about 60 percent of G.I.R. but still shoots high 70's low 80's...haha.

[iacas]

That is AWESOME putting then. What's the secret? My dad hits about 60 percent of G.I.R. but still shoots high 70's low 80's...haha.

30 putts isn't awesome putting. Let's get back on topic now.

[CG031]

30 putts isn't awesome putting. Let's get back on topic now.

How do you not think so? 29.50 putts per round is outstanding. That's even better then a lot of tour players, no?

[irfan]

hit 7 greens today, shot 88.

[lamebums]

Not true. I hit 10-12 greens a round but usually struggle to break 90.

[tdinneen]

So far we've got

tdinneen - GIR formula 79 in reality 90, so +11 shots off
CG031's Dad - GIR formula 61 in reality 80, so +19 shots off
iacas - GIR formula 80.6 in reality 76.5, so - 4.1 shots off
irfan - GIR formula 81 in reality 88, so +7 shots off
lamebums - GIR formula 73 in reality 90, so + 17 shots off

So other than iacas (who obviously has a solid short game with a 1.87 GIR putting average and almost 50% saved chips / pitches, Tiger's stats albeit for all greens GIR'd or not is 1.8 which is taken from 29.5 putts per round on average taken from http://sportsline.com/golf/stats ). Everyone else like me suffers from.. well I won't say bad short game, but if they were to sort out the short game they'd start shooting way lower.

[lamebums]

Oh, I'll be the first to admit that my short game sucks. I can't get a green to hold my wedge shots, or I completely skull/blade the ball off the other side of the green. Then when I get on, I three and four putt. I can stick it better with an iron than a pitch shot.

[tdinneen]

"I can stick it better with an iron than a pitch shot."

Same here!! Right now if I were on a 260 yard par 3, I'd take an 8 off the tee followed by a PW (basically two full swings) rather than a 3 wood followed by a 30 yard chip. At least then I'd have a chance at par

[laconic517]

How do you not think so? 29.50 putts per round is outstanding. That's even better then a lot of tour players, no?

not really because they hit way more greens, putting stats are a bit flawed

[smlxl]

I keep my scores in excel... so I did a little investigating. I isolated all of my scores from this year and last where I shot 90 or better and kept track of GIR. Over 22 rounds, the difference between the formula and my actual score was an average of just 0.13 strokes higher. [ average ( 95-GIR*2 - score) ]

There were quite a few times that the formula was 6 higher or 6 lower for individual scores. The biggest discrepancy was 8 strokes, I still can't remember how I shot an 83 hitting just 2 greens :)

Taken in aggregate [ (95-average GIR * 2) - average score ] the formula was 1.14 strokes higher than my actual average for the same rounds.

Pretty close either way, and since the author presents a similar argument in this other article , I'm sticking with 8 (44%) as my target for GIR.

[dkm978]

Isn't part of the flaw that if you hit 0 GIR you get a 95?

I do realize it is prediction, and I suppose it gives a ballpark.

[hurley9192]

there is no way a 90 shooter averages 10-12 greens/round. I would imaging that Erik's stats are similar to most...I average 8 GIR and I'm a 4. Most single digit guys tend to have a decent short game, but 12 GIR is 66% and that's tour level. and the guy that hit 16 greens and shot 80 isn't too far off if his other 2 were double's.

If you are above 0 in the formula, then you have a below average short game and below 0 is an above average short game. It's a telling stat. I've been tracking my scores on golfdigest.com/challenge and see that I have an 8 handicap long game and a lower handicap in the short game. I can save most holes from random places. My putting isn't great...probably 32/round.