Luis Rivero
2 minutes
Have you ever wondered what your GIR% target should be? Is 30% good or bad? Well... it really depends. We can answer that question!
Check the graph below. And compare it with your data in TheGrint. If your average is below the one for your Handicap then this is a Weakness. If it is above it is a Strength.
The key to improve your Handicap is to identify the areas that, if improved, would take you the next Handicap Level. TheGrint's App Stats module helps you easily identify targets for all major stats, and therefore find your Strengths and Weaknesses.
Knowing your GIR target is step one. Knowing what to do about it is step two. Here are four changes that move the needle for most amateur golfers.
1. Stop aiming at the flag on tight pins. This one sounds counterintuitive but it's the most impactful adjustment most players can make. A tucked pin behind a bunker is a hero shot. The middle of the green is 10–15 feet away from almost any flag position. Tour pros aim at the center of the green more than you think. Give yourself the whole green to work with and your GIR% will climb immediately.
2. Know your real carry distances, not your ego distances. The biggest difference between a 10-handicap and a 20-handicap isn't swing mechanics — it's club selection. Most recreational golfers consistently underclub by 1–2 clubs because they're comparing their best-ever shot with a club to their average. TheGrint's shot tracking builds your real average carry distance for each club over many rounds, so you stop making club selections based on a shot you hit three months ago.
3. Play the right tees. If you're hitting 4-irons into par-4s, you're fighting a losing battle with GIR. Moving up a set of tees doesn't make you a worse golfer — it puts the game at a distance where you can actually execute approach shots with irons you can control. The USGA recommends playing tees where your average drive leaves you with mid-iron approaches into par-4s.
4. Practice from 125–175 yards — the GIR killing zone. Most amateur golfers spend practice time chipping and putting, or pounding drivers on the range. The shots that are actually destroying GIR numbers are mid-irons from 125–175 yards. This is the distance where course conditions, lie angles, and consistent ball-striking converge. Spend 30% of your range time here and watch your GIR trend upward in TheGrint's stats within five to ten rounds.
See your GIR% trend over your last 20 rounds — it's all tracked automatically in the TheGrint app.
Enjoy your golf!
