GIR The
Club
Come with me

GIR Club Journal

Recaps,
where to next,
and what we
are up to.

Everything that happens between tournaments: who won what, where we're going next, and the small practical things nobody tells you before your first tournament.

A notebook and pen resting on a desk, ready for the day's notes.

The latest issue

Everything between tournaments: what to pack, how the formats work, where we are going next, and the recaps once we have played.

The tournaments What actually happens at a GIR Club tournament Five days, four nights, three rounds. The daily rhythm, how flighting works, what happens if you don't have a partner, what you're playing for, and exactly what's included. Read more Off-season What to do with your clubs over the winter Cold will not hurt your clubs. Damp will. How to store them properly, when to regrip, the club nobody ever replaces, and why winter is the time to get fitted. Read more On the course How to dress for cold-weather golf Thirty degrees in the morning, seventy by the afternoon. The layering that works, why wind beats cold, what to do about your hands, and the rule about hand warmers that can disqualify you. Read more By the numbers What GIR actually means, and how to hit more of them Greens in regulation, explained properly. How many you should hit at your handicap, why seventy per cent of your misses are short, and the two-greens-a-round gap between brackets. Read more On the course Faster golf, not rushed golf I lost six shots on a back nine because somebody drove a golf cart. Being quick and being rushed are two different things, and almost nothing that slows a round down happens while you are hitting the ball. Read more Getting better 7 habits to develop in the off-season Lessons, practice with intention, tracking your stats, visualization, grit, building your body for golf, and the same routine every time. Nobody wins a tournament in February, but plenty of people lose one. Read more By the numbers What is the average handicap for women? The average index is 28.7, the most common band is 27 to 27.9, and the top ten per cent starts at 14.9. Where you actually sit, without having to ask anyone. Read more Playing tips How to handle your nerves on the 1st tee Everyone is nervous and nobody is watching. Six things that help, why the format is on your side, and the time I whiffed it in front of everyone. Read more Getting started Do I need a handicap to enter? The maximum index is 54, which tells you most of what you need to know. What a handicap is, how to get one, and why we ask. Read more Format Best Ball and Scramble, explained What actually happens in each, how they feel to play, which is harder, and where alternate shot fits in. Read more Packing What to pack for a four-day golf trip Two pairs of shoes, rain gear you have actually worn, what to wear to the group dinners, and the one thing I never travel without. Read the list