| There has never been a really good golfer with a | | | | If 50% of your strokes are short game shots, |
| bad short game. But there are some mediocre | | | | you need to practice that aspect of your game |
| players that are above average golfers because | | | | at least 50% of the time. But that's not the case |
| they have a strong short game. It's all about | | | | for the average golfer, who gets to the range |
| getting the ball in the hole. You can hit a 300 yard | | | | and starts smashing the driver. There's something |
| drive, knock your second shot on the green, and | | | | challenging and rewarding about hitting a long, |
| leave with a bogey 5. And you can hit a poor | | | | straight drive down the center of the practice |
| drive to the right, a weak second shot 30 yards | | | | range. There's something boring about hitting putts |
| short, and pitch and putt for a par 4. It's all about | | | | until your back gets sore. But, that 300 yard drive |
| how many strokes it takes you to hole out, not | | | | counts the same as a 3 foot putt. And, in 18 |
| about how far you hit your drive or how much | | | | holes, you might hit 36 putts but only 14 drivers. |
| spin you put on your iron shot. | | | | So where should you put your practice focus? |
| The shots you play from 100 yards and less | | | | You can't hit drivers in your backyard or living |
| make up the short game. It's chipping, pitching, | | | | room. But you can chip and putt. You can chip a |
| and sand bunker play. It's the putts you take to | | | | few balls while you're out grilling, and you can |
| hole out. The short game is the scoring zone. In | | | | stroke a few putts while you're watching TV. If |
| an 18 hole round of golf, over 50% of your | | | | you'll spend half of your practice time hitting shots |
| strokes are short game shots. That's why you | | | | from 100 yards and less, your scores will come |
| can really lower your scores if you diligently | | | | tumbling down. |
| practice your short game. | | | | |