Equipment
The heart of the green
When you head out for a round of golf, how often do you reach the green in 2?
Making a green-in-regulation is a great target to have on any given par-4 as you then have a pristine birdie putt opportunity. However, it’s often easier said than done.
How many times have you made a decent drive and found the fairway, only for you to send your ball into a greenside bunker or overhit the green on your second shot?
To make a birdie on a par-4 fundamentally revolves around finding the very central heart of the green on your approach shot, setting you up to sink an achievable birdie putt.
Take a moment now to think about your approach game, how many times during a round of golf do you make a green-in-regulation? Today we want to help you consider how many greens-in-regulation you make per round and offer a prime suggestion in how you can make more.
Average GIR made by handicap
If you're playing off a handicap of 20 and you make 5 GIR, you're really playing to a handicap of 15
golf.com
The data above demonstrates that 20-handicap golfers only make the green in 2 on around 20% of the holes they play. In an average 18-hole round of golf, that’s around 3 or 4 holes.
That being said, the data also clearly shows that the better the golfer is, the more greens-in-regulation you make. The more greens-in-regulation you make, the more often you have a scoring opportunity.
Making decent approach shots all comes down to how well you hit your golf irons.
Landing it on the green
Following your tee shot, you may well have landed between 100-200 yards from the green, see where the flag is situated, and take it as the natural target to aim for.
But rather than hoping you stick your ball right by the hole, you should consider the contours of the green, how it’s sloping, and aim for the heart of the green.
For example, if you know a green slopes from back to front, you’ll ideally want to land your ball short of the flag to give yourself a nice uphill putt rather than a sharp downhill putt you’ll feel less control over.
Playing into the heart of the green is a failsafe strategy that more golfers should think about when measuring up their approach shots. Making GIR requires impeccable accuracy, and the latest irons from Mizuno are packed full of forgiveness to give you greater confidence when sizing up approach shots.
Mizuno's latest golf irons
High-handicap irons
If you’re new to the game and want to build your confidence, the JPX925 Hot Metal High Launch irons are a great choice to add to your bag. This clubhead has a low and deep center of gravity, resulting in it being very easy to pop the ball up in the air. A nickel tungsten weighting in the longer irons also improves launch and lowers the sweet spot for greater distance. Overall, this is an excellent club for players looking to improve their skills and cut their handicaps.
Mid-handicap irons
A superb golf iron that most players will find a treat to play with, the standard JPX925 Hot Metal iron offers excellent speed and forgiveness on every strike. This piece has been fitted with a Stability Frame that gives the player more control as they strike through turf, and Mizuno’s unique Harmonic Impact Tech ensures the irons sounds fantastic when you hit the ball just right.
Low-handicap irons
Perfect for skilled players that want to get the most out of their equipment, the Mizuno Pro 241 irons are constructed from a single piece of carbon steel, resulting in them having a phenomenally soft feel. The topline has been refined and looks fantastic from all angles, and the central mass positioning provides a more pleasing sensation at impact. With an increased bounce angle, this iron also improves turf interaction, making the Mizuno Pro 241 quite simply the full package.
Whether you’re curious about the latest irons or you’d like to book some lessons with us to improve your game, we’re available and ready to help you in the pro shop.
