GIR by Distance Bucket: The Benchmark Table That Replaces 'Total GIR'
TL;DROne number lies. Five numbers tell the truth.
Total GIR is the most-quoted, least-useful number on the scorecard. GIR by distance bucket — the format every modern tracker now reports — is the only approach stat that tells you where the leak actually is.
GIR % by distance, by handicap
| Distance | Tour | Scratch | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50-100 yds | 82% | 75% | 65% | 55% | 42% | 30% |
| 100-125 yds | 78% | 68% | 58% | 48% | 36% | 24% |
| 125-150 yds | 72% | 60% | 48% | 38% | 26% | 16% |
| 150-175 yds | 65% | 52% | 38% | 28% | 18% | 10% |
| 175-200 yds | 55% | 42% | 28% | 18% | 10% | 5% |
| 200+ yds | 42% | 28% | 16% | 9% | 4% | 2% |
Source:Shot Scope public handicap benchmark data and Arccos amateur tracking. Bucketed GIR rates are aggregate ranges; exact percentages vary by season and dataset.
Reading your own bucket data
Find your handicap row. Find your worst bucket relative to benchmark. That is the only distance worth practicing. A 10 hitting 28% from 125-150 (vs. 38% benchmark) is leaking exactly 1.0 stroke per round in one yardage — and that is the entire month's practice priority.
What the trackers got right
Shot Scope and Arccos both default to bucketed GIR reporting in their dashboards. That single design choice has done more for amateur self-diagnosis than a decade of golf magazine coverage. Use the buckets. Ignore the total.
FAQ
What's a good GIR for a 10 handicap?+
Around 38% total — but the meaningful number is by bucket. A 10 should hit 70%+ from inside 100, 50% from 100-150, and under 25% from 175+. The buckets reveal everything total GIR hides.
Which distance bucket should amateurs prioritize?+
The 125-160 range. It accounts for 30-40% of approach shots and is the bucket where a 10-stroke improvement to GIR translates to nearly 2 full strokes per round.
Where do amateurs lie about their distances?+
Almost everywhere — most overstate carry by 8-15 yards. Bucketed GIR data exposes this because the bucket counts shift one slot left when you log honest distances.
Stop guessing what to work on.
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