How do you score your GIR, Scrambling, and Putts near the green?

[OldandStiff]

I'm just looking for some feedback to kind of double/triple check my process and numbers.

So I was taught that the fringe is not the green. That a GIR is being on the actual green. That number of putts is based solely on putts on the putting surface. That a putt from the fringe/fairway doesn't track towards total putts. So holing one from there is a 0-putt green, same as if you'd holed it using any other club.

I'm asking this because my numbers this year have gone in some kind of scary good direction when it comes to scrambling and putting. I've had a lot of what I score as a non-GIR (on the fringe/greenside short cut), that are within easy 2 stroke distance. So I chip or more importantly putt from there, tap in, and it's scored as a missed green, up and down (scramble), 1 putt. And that's right, right? I'm not asking to talk up my numbers or anything, I just want to make sure I absolutely have this right. Because as weird as those scrambling and putts numbers get, the only way to change that would seem to be to count them as GIR, and 2 putts (if I used the putter), and that can't be right. A green is a green. You have to be on for a GIR. Or just count it still as a scramble, and add 1 to total putts when I use a putter to do it? Which screws with the apps, because it doesn't seem right to them either, apparently. They autocorrect it. I'm just double checking the whole thing because it's kind of twisting my brain a little.

So how do you score those fringe-y holes?

 

[Sean]

For stat purposes, the fringe is not the green and does not count as a GIR or as a putt. So if you putt from the fringe, miss and make the next putt it is counted as a one putt. If you hit an approach that lands on the fringe, it is not a GIR.

 

[BigMac]

If it's on the fringe, I don't score it as a GIR and don't count putts until the ball is actually on the green, regardless of what club I used to hit the ball. According to my GHIN stats for the last 20 rounds, my GIR percentage is 23% and I average 32 putts per round. If I counted fringe as GIR, both of those numbers would be higher.

 

[Daddio]

Technically I think you have it correct. I've always done it differently for the stats I keep for myself and sometimes count the fringe as a GIR especially if I got there with a fairway wood or long iron. If I use putter I count it GIR, if I chip I don't. My way isn't the right way though, yours is.

 

[BriMac]

I go the other way. If I am putting from the fringe, I count that as a putt. I am more concerned about improving my putting so want to track the actual # of putts per round. I would be short changing myself if I didn’t count a putt even if it was less than a foot off the green.

nobody cares about your stats, except for you. So do whatever you like that helps you best measure the performance you want to track.

 

[Duffer Waldorf]

I think you're doing it right (or at least I hope so, because that's how I've been doing it for years).

A "putt" is just a stroke made on the green; could be with a putter, could be with a 3-iron. It's not, statistically, a "putt" if you're not on the green, even if you use the putter from the fringe.

 

[Mark_UK]

I never used to count putts until on the green. Now shotscope records my stats, a shot with the putter is classed as a putt. Hasn’t made much difference to my stats though to be honest.

 

[OldandStiff]

I never used to count putts until on the green. Now shotscope records my stats, a shot with the putter is classed as a putt. Hasn’t made much difference to my stats though to be honest.

Well it would to mine to a degree. That's interesting about shotscope though. It has me thinking about all the arccos users. The sensors have to record any putter shot as a putt I would think.

 

[Duffer Waldorf]

Game Golf only records shots with the putter from on the green as a "putt".

 

[WLG1952]

I don't hit a lot of greens in regulation. (GIRs). As such what should be my first putt, is normally a chip, or short pitch shot. I tend to get a few "one putt" greens, and even fewer "no putt" greens when I hole out my chip/pitch. These give me an unrealistic putts per hole average. Looks good on paper, but that's about it.

What I look at is my short game average. This is my average starting with approach shots inside 70 yards. This includes pitches, chips, and putts. It's a number I like to score 3 or less.

Last I checked, a few months ago, my short game average was 2.79 per hole. Add the 2 strokes that got me with in 70 yards of the hole, and I have an average of 4.79 per hole. This equates closely to my average per 18 holes of 86. If I could get my short game average down to 2.5, that would have me scoring in the 81 range for 18 holes.

I have also heard what I call my short game average, referred to as one's "short game handicap".

Regardless of what my short game average is, it just shows how really important my first two shots from the tee box are.

 

[Snickerdog]

Putts are only counted if from the putting surface, (fringe is not putting surface) so I think you are keeping it accurate.

 

[Bernoulli]

For stat purposes, the fringe is not the green and does not count as a GIR or as a putt. So if you putt from the fringe, miss and make the next putt it is counted as a one putt. If you hit an approach that lands on the fringe, it is not a GIR.

This is how I see it.

 

[Phil75070]

If I am on the fringe then I am chipping, not putting, just using the putter as my choice of club to chip with. It has also always been my understanding that once you start putting from on the green every stroke thereafter is considered a putt. If you use a different club on the green, say your wedge to tap the ball in, that is still a "putt". If you putt the ball off the green, even if you use a club other than your putter on the next stroke, that stroke and all others regardless of the club used count as putts until the ball is holed. Is that everyone else's understanding or am I wrong?

 

[OldandStiff]

If I am on the fringe then I am chipping, not putting, just using the putter as my choice of club to chip with. It has also always been my understanding that once you start putting from on the green every stroke thereafter is considered a putt. If you use a different club on the green, say your wedge to tap the ball in, that is still a "putt". If you putt the ball off the green, even if you use a club other than your putter on the next stroke, that stroke and all others regardless of the club used count as putts until the ball is holed. Is that everyone else's understanding or am I wrong?

It seems to be. Which is what I thought and was taught as a kid.

 

[Flipit]

Only things I’m keeping track of currently is GIR and FIR. Oh yes and putts.

 

[Flipit]

If I am on the fringe then I am chipping, not putting, just using the putter as my choice of club to chip with. It has also always been my understanding that once you start putting from on the green every stroke thereafter is considered a putt. If you use a different club on the green, say your wedge to tap the ball in, that is still a "putt". If you putt the ball off the green, even if you use a club other than your putter on the next stroke, that stroke and all others regardless of the club used count as putts until the ball is holed. Is that everyone else's understanding or am I wrong?

Pretty much how I count my putts.

 

[AUWU11]

“The fringe” isn’t the green.
“Barley in the rough” isn’t the fairway.
“Putting from off the green” isn’t a putt despite using a putter.

I’ve been tempted, just like everyone, to count a ball a couple inches in the rough that landed in the fairway then rolled as a FIR. Same with a ball an inch or two on the fringe as a GIR. But just can’t do it. If I count it, only person it’s negatively impacting is me, so no point in doing it.

 

[links_slayer]

You're doing it right.

I remember looking into it a looooong time ago when it mattered in our old league but if you putt your ball off the green, does every stroke thereafter count as a putt? Maybe I'm off my rocker...

I also track "missed" fairways and MISSED fairways. They both still count as a miss but I use the former when the miss doesn't hurt me and use the latter when it does [Yes it's subjective...couldn't care less.] It adds a bit of context to the stats which can be a bit misleading (like most stats), imo.

 

[OldandStiff]

but if you putt your ball off the green, does every stroke thereafter count as a putt? Maybe I'm off my rocker...

I don't actually know on that, but that's what I was taught. That once you're on the green you're putting and everything that happens after counts as putts. 'Putts' basically being how many strokes, of whatever kind, it takes to get in the hole once you're on the green.

 

[WMac19]

That's absolutely right.

But my stats have always been marginally skewed because I use them more as a measurement wrt my ballstriking vs actual, quantifiable stats.

So, for me, if my ball rests a few inches into the fringe but was a solid shot in relation to the pin, I will count it as a GIR for my own reference of it being a solid strike.

But if the pin is cut left, for example, and I push my approach right and it rests a few inches into the fringe right, I will not count that as a GIR as it was never a good shot to begin with.

Talking 12" max, a little enough fringe that it wouldn't affect what I'd deem to be a standard putting stroke and roll.

Similar with drives. Off left or right is a miss, that'snot a good shot. But if I tag a drive absolutely on my intended line and when I come upon it, the ball came to rest through the fairway into the first cut, I'll likely score it as a fairway hit as it's reflective of a solid strike, executed as planned, with 2nd shot unencumbered.

If that same shot goes through farther and into the actual rough, I won't count it because the leave has affected my 2nd so it's no longer a good shot in my mind.

Again, I know that it's wonky and not accurate as to what a GIR and fairway hit actually is but I'm not interested in the numbers as to any claimed ability. I just want them to reflect (to me) the quality of my game as to actual strike.

FWIW, I've also gone the other way against the literal definition. If I pop a drive up that goes nowhere yet finds fairway. Or if I terribly hook one or ricochet one off a tree into the fairway, I likely will not mark it as a fairway hit.

For greens, a green hit is a green hit because it gives me a better gauge as to my putting trends.

The score is all that really matters to me, the rest I use as tools of (personal) measurement and motivation.

 

[GoldenBuff]

I keep track of GIR and putts the "official" way, but that doesn't stop me from beating myself up. When I 3-putt from the fringe, its is still a 3-putt in my mind. Grrr. And then later when i look at the stats, I feel a little better.

 

[OldandStiff]

I keep track of GIR and putts the "official" way, but that doesn't stop me from beating myself up. When I 3-putt from the fringe, its is still a 3-putt in my mind. Grrr. And then later when i look at the stats, I feel a little better.

Oh I hear ya. That's part of how this started in my head. At like 2 a.m. last night @Chef23 posted about a couple 3putts he had, and I remembered I had one and ended a streak I was on. When I looked up the stats it said the streak was still going, and I remembered I was on the fringe. So the first one, from about 85 ft, wasn't technically a putt. Felt like it though.

I'd also noticed the last couple weeks how all those close '2 putts' (not actually 2 putts) from the fringe were affecting my stats, and here we are.

 

[JonMA1]

Game Golf only records shots with the putter from on the green as a "putt".

For me, the software will sometimes mistakenly count a putt from off the green as one from on the green. When that happens, I have to edit the shot as “off the green”.

I’m using the free app so that might be why.

 

[davis20]

I go the other way. If I am putting from the fringe, I count that as a putt. I am more concerned about improving my putting so want to track the actual # of putts per round. I would be short changing myself if I didn’t count a putt even if it was less than a foot off the green.

nobody cares about your stats, except for you. So do whatever you like that helps you best measure the performance you want to track.

Same as you. I know this isn't "technically" correct I find it hard not to count a putt as a putt when it's on the fringe. And like you my focus had always been on reducing my number of putts.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[DataDude]

IMO the stats aren't for anyone's consumption but your own so you should count them how you want. Personally if I am on the fringe 10 or 15 feet from the hole and I 2 putt from there I am counting that as 2 putts. I don't want to look at my stats and think my short game is great and I need to work on my iron game if I hit a shot onto the fringe and gave myself a really good shot at birdie. That is how I track stats when something is on the line.