| Continuing our series of articles on making your | | | | very little time but pays big dividends fast and is |
| practice harder than the game we now take a | | | | called "Par 18". |
| look at getting up and down from around the | | | | Par 18 involves playing 9 par 2 holes around the |
| green to save par, or maybe better. In the world | | | | practice green, depending on your skill level |
| of tour golf this is known as scrambling and is a | | | | choose 9 spots around the green from which you |
| vital part of every golfers game, in any given | | | | will attempt to get up and down in 2, vary the |
| season the best figures for hitting greens in | | | | degree of difficulty, maybe 3 easy, 3 medium and |
| regulation on both the PGA and European tours | | | | 3 tough starting positions. As with the driving drill |
| will be between 75% and 80% with the average | | | | you only play this game once, unless you |
| in the high 60's, this means that for most players | | | | complete the drill in 20 shots or less then you go |
| on over a quarter of the holes they play they will | | | | again but this time using 2 balls, if you manage to |
| need to chip, pitch and putt well to keep a score | | | | get both balls round in 20 or less you go again |
| going. | | | | with 3 balls and so on, the best I've heard of |
| The short game is the least physically demanding | | | | anybody getting to is 5 balls, but that was a |
| part of golf and yet how many players do you | | | | young Pro who has a fantastic short game. By |
| hear bemoaning the fact that they can't chip, or | | | | the way, the Pro who achieved this said that |
| putt or just as often both, this is a ridiculous mind | | | | when he was putting his 4th ball for a 2 at the |
| set to get into that leads to all sorts of duffs, | | | | 9th hole to get to go again with 5 balls every part |
| jabs and thins as the players total lack of | | | | of him was shaking, how good a drill is this if it |
| confidence in this area prevents him from ever | | | | can produce that sort of pressure when he really |
| making any decent sort of strike at the ball. But, | | | | is only practicing after all and how useful will it |
| how often do you see players' duffing chip shots | | | | have been when he faces a pressure putt in |
| around the putting green, the answer, apart from | | | | competition. |
| complete novices, is almost never. Standing at the | | | | I recommend that you play this game no more |
| putting greens edge with a pile of balls repeating | | | | than 3 or 4 times a week but it is most |
| the same shot over and over again is really no | | | | important that you keep a record of your scores |
| way to practice if you wish to improve this | | | | and work out your weekly average, you should |
| aspect of your game, practice needs to have a | | | | see a steady improvement but if you don't the |
| consequence and be as close to or harder than | | | | exercise is still valuable as it obviously means that |
| the real thing. Karl Morris has given me a great | | | | your technique is flawed and needs to be worked |
| training drill to help you in this area, it takes up | | | | on with your Pro. |