<1% is something you'll need to get used to. I'm a level 17 mage right now, and anything I can kill reliably is less that 1%. Now, it's all about speed and endurance.

Personally, I hunted Stone Soldiers (equivalent to your golems likely) from level 7-15(?). I'm doing Moonstone Beasts right now, since they give ~500XP and I can use my better attacks against them well.