took 9 strokes off

**cirem22** · January 11, 2010

So i played a course that i frequent this weekend and I beat my best score there by 9 strokes. I wasn't hitting fairways and greens as much as usual but my short game was on fire. That round made me realize how important the short game is, the ability to get up and down is HUGE. I know that having a good short game is always stressed but 9 strokes off a personal best when my irons/and drivers were less than average was a huge eye opener. I will be spending more time dedicated to short game now that i have had that experience.

**kleraudio** · January 12, 2010

Congrats! That happened to me a few months ago. I wasnt hitting well at all, but I was getting up and down almost everytime and my scores were low because of it. It was an eye opener for me too, so much so that I usually only work on full swing 25% of the time Im at the range. The other time is spent 125 and in, as well as greenside chipping and putting.

Glad you had the same epiphany as I did, great feeling isnt it?

Jim

**msd3075** · January 12, 2010

About a month ago I shot a 75 (72.4/140, Par 70) while only hitting 3 fairways. Granted my misses weren't all stuck behind a tree, but I had 3-4 holes where I had to punch out of the trees short of the green. The only reason I was able to pull off that score was because my short game was absolutely on that day. I could get up and down like no tomorrow; I was lagging long putts to within tap-in range; I was getting out of trouble (tight sand shots, thick rough, etc) without wasting extra strokes. All of it had to do with my short game and nothing else.

It usually takes most golfers years to realize this, but once they see they light there's no looking back. Not only does it make your scores drop but it gives you so much more confidence when faced with a tough pin placement or a tricky hole simply because you know that as long as you get somewhere near the green you'll be fine.

**shortgamewiz** · January 13, 2010

ditto for me. It happened to me long ago when I was playing on a rainy day. I didn't even really want to play. My club handles were so wet I couldn't even take a full out swing with the driver. But I couldn't miss from anywhere close to the green. every putt I looked at I made. Pitches and chips were perfect. Saved it from anywhere. I shot 2 under for 9 holes. My normal score would have probably been around 12 over for a round.

**ks8829** · January 13, 2010

I have been playing golf for 24 years and just recently started practicing the short game exclusively and my scores or lower and more consistent. It took me a long time to discover this simple fact about the importance of the short game.

Golf tournaments are decided on putts made and the ability to get up and down.

Anybody up to the short game experiement?

http://thesandtrap.com/forum/threads...ame-Experiment

**cirem22** · January 16, 2010

If i played full rounds of golf more often i would try that experiement but my range time has to supplement my lack of course time right now. I know some of the guys i golf with would benefit. I play with some guys that have had the exact same long game since i have played with them and continue to practice it but not the short game, I would mention something to them but hey, then they would probably beat me lol.

pandp · January 16, 2010

So i played a course that i frequent this weekend and I beat my best score there by 9 strokes. I wasn't hitting fairways and greens as much as usual but my short game was on fire. That round made me realize how important the short game is, the ability to get up and down is HUGE. I know that having a good short game is always stressed but 9 strokes off a personal best when my irons/and drivers were less than average was a huge eye opener. I will be spending more time dedicated to short game now that i have had that experience.

That's awesome man. Congratulations. You're definitely heading in the right direction now. When I first started playing, like most new players, I was more concerned with how far I hit everything. Once I pulled my head out of my ass I became a decent golfer. I was always chipping in the yard and putting in the house when I had free time. One summer I spent all my time chipping into an old shoe I threw out into the yard. I got to where I could make it in the shoe pretty often. It was certainly reflected in my scores. Keep it up!

**grandaddy510** · January 18, 2010

What kind of practice drills or are some of you doing for short game? Are you just practicing getting up and down from different lies? practicing from different distances and getting distance control and feel down? chipping or pitching with different clubs or just wedges? I would like to start putting more time into practicing short game. Most of my time is spent on the range trying to groove a swing but I am improving and starting to realize the importance of the short game. I'm just not sure where to start. A few of the local munis have a pitching green, should I just spend a few hours a week trying to get up and down to start off? Thanks for any ideas

**ks8829** · January 18, 2010

chipping
1) focus on making solid contact where you will feel and hear the click sound when you chip the ball.
2) distance control, what back swing do I need to make the ball reach a 10 - 5 yards
3) direction of the chip and pitch shots

To score you need to practice from the hole backwards, meaning spend time on putting, chipping just off the green and pitch shot from under 50 yards
putting
1) distance control
2) hitting a solid putt
3) hitting a straight putt
4) goal is to have your putts under 30 per 18 hole round.

**WUTiger** · January 19, 2010

What kind of practice drills or are some of you doing for short game?... A few of the local munis have a pitching green, should I just spend a few hours a week trying to get up and down to start off? ...

One thing to remember - you can stop off at the golf course going to or from work, and practice putting for 15 minutes. Mix in these short, intense sessions with longer full-swing practice and playing wam-ups, and you can really get the feel of your putter.

I need to do this more. After switching out clubs this spring (and going from stiff to regular shafts), I have been working mostly on my full swing. Need to do more on putting, chips and partial wedges. Thanks for the reminder!

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