THE FIRGIRBIR THEORY

Each weekend, we head out to the course with enthusiasm, hope and maybe a wee bit of anxiety.

The beauty of the game lies within the personal challenge to consistently improve, while besting your

playing partners for bragging rights, a few bucks or post-round refreshments.

In the quest to shoot lower scores, it is often best to start with the end in mind. This practice has served

me well in business, life and now on the course. Fewer strokes comes from execution of two main

components: Fairways In Regulation (FIR) and Greens In Regulation (GIR). Improving your statistics in

these two areas with result in more chances to make Birdies (BIR)!

Here are some eye-opening facts about how average golfers fare in the FIR and GIR categories:

🟩 Fairways Hit (%):

Handicap Range	Fairways Hit (%)
0–5	55–65%
6–10	50–60%
11–15	45–55%
16–20	40–50%
21+	30–45%

• Average across all amateurs: ~46%

• By comparison, PGA Tour players average ~60–70% fairways hit, depending on the course.

🟨 Greens in Regulation (GIR):

Handicap Range	GIR (%)
0–5	50–65%
6–10	35–50%
11–15	25–40%
16–20	20–30%
21+	10–20%

• Average across all amateurs: ~25–30%

• PGA Tour average GIR: ~65–70%

Years ago, one of my bosses told me that what gets measured, gets done. It was a lesson in

accountability. If you are truly focused on lowering your scores, you must measure your statistics

in these areas to legitimately have a chance to improve.

Logically, once you have hit a good tee shot and approach shot, your chances to use the flat stick to

hole the ball in one or two strokes improves significantly! Interestingly enough, that elusive Birdie (BIR)

becomes relatively more attainable, i.e., you increase your chances, you increase your odds.

Simple, right?!

Here are some interesting stats around average birdies per round base on handicap index:

🐦 Average Birdies per Round by Handicap Index

Handicap Index	Avg. Birdies per Round
0–5	2.5 – 4.0
6–10	1.5 – 2.5
11–15	1.0 – 2.0
16–20	0.5 – 1.2
21–25	0.2 – 0.8
26+	< 0.3

• According to data from Shot Scope and Arccos, the correlation coefficient between GIR and

• birdie rate is typically around 0.75 to 0.85 — a very strong positive correlation.

• Golfers who hit:

  • 0–3 GIR: ~0.1 birdies/round

  • 4–6 GIR: ~0.4 birdies/round

  • 7–9 GIR: ~1.2 birdies/round

  • 10–12 GIR: ~2.0 birdies/round

  • 13–14+ GIR: ~3.0–4.5 birdies/round

Okay, now we have all of the supporting information to uphold the FIRGIRBIR Theory! Plus, it is

just so fun to say!

Share your experiences in utilizing this approach to improve your game - we all like to hear

success stories with this beautiful game - cheers!

OG