Approaching Your Game From New Angles

Drive for show, putt for dough - what about what’s in between the drive and putt? You might not actually be a “bad” putter, but just lack a little luster in the iron game. It doesn’t help when you’re landing your 2nd shots on par 4s or 3rd shots on par 5s miles from the hole. Have you found yourself cursing your putter after a mediocre approach shot left you with a putt longer than your grocery list? Or maybe your putting game is strong, averaging 25 putts per round making more putts than the average TOUR pro, but you can’t seem to break 80… well if all those putts were from a chip, after missing the green…then keep reading.

Before you start window shopping for a shiny new club or planning an intervention for your putter, let's dive into the often-neglected world of approach play. Understanding where your game needs a little TLC is crucial, and Arccos is here to shed light on it.

When it comes to approach play, three pieces demand your attention: Greens in Regulation (GIR), Proximity to the Hole, and Dialing in your distances.

Greens in Regulation (GIR) measures how many times you hit the green in the specified number of strokes for par. Aim for two shots on a par 4 and three on a par 5. Bonus points for getting there in fewer strokes! Check out how your GIR percentages stack up against your handicap and other golfers. (You can find all more data like this in the Arccos App). 

Obviously, the more greens in regulations you hit the better. But if you’re still having trouble lowering your scores, you might have to look at your proximity to the hole. 

Proximity to the hole can be crucial. Sure, you might have landed on the green, but if your ball is further away than a distant relative at a family reunion, those birdie and par dreams quickly fade. Before you start pointing fingers at your putter, take a good look at how close your approach shots are landing. After all, even the pros break a sweat over 70-foot putts. So, before you go splurging on a new club (unless you're just itching for an excuse), give your iron game a once-over to ensure you're getting close enough to the hole for a shot at lower scores.

According to the PGA TOUR’s website, the average 2-putt putting distance after hitting a GIR is 26.1’. 

And if your approach shots consistently miss the mark or overshoot like a rocket, it's time to really fine-tune those distances.

Arccos is a great way to keep track of your “actual” distances, see where you’re gaps are as well as get proper real time club recommendations when using the caddie feature. Did you know Arccos Members are 5x more likely to hit a hole-in-one.