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Relative Importance of Driving/Approach Shots, Short Game, Putting, etc. (LSW, Mark Broadie, Strokes Gained, etc.)


pjsnyc

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Nearly half your score is putting.

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I disagree. I agree that there should be a certain level of ball striking, but nothing is more important than 100 yds and in for scoring. The pros can get up and down from anywhere. Amateurs such as myself certainly cannot.......

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The pros can get up and down from anywhere. Amateurs such as myself certainly cannot.......

and thats what seperates the pros from the amateurs.

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Woods: :mizuno: JPX 850 9.5*, :mizuno: JPX 850 15*, :mizuno: JPX-850 19*, :mizuno: JPX Fli-Hi #4, :mizuno: JPX 800 Pro 5-PW, :mizuno: MP T-4 50-06, 54-09 58-10, :cleveland: Smart Square Blade and :bridgestone: B330-S

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I found when I started breaking 80 it was due to better wedge play and putting. Take advantage of technology and do what it takes to get the ball in or near the fairway. But, practice your short game and putting because that's what it will take to help you improve from a mid handicapper to a low handicapper.
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the most important aspect is CONFIDENCE. How you find that is key.
If driving well gives you that great, if chipping/short game gives you that great.

I find it in making the short putts because that takes all the pressure off of the hole at the start, even if you're putting for bogey, if you knock in that 5' you keep your confidence. As you stand on the tee you know you can finish the hole well.

But, hit a great drive, good approach shot, try to make birdie and slide it by 5' then miss coming back . . . their goes your confidence to be replaced with concern on the next tee box.

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Very interesting article. I've always been a big Dave Pelz guy, but now that I've been really working on my game for a couple years, I see what others have said... that the difference between and 86 and a 96 for me is my consistency.

Of course, I still focus my practice sessions on short game and putting, because nothing is as irritating as leaving an easy chip 15 feet from the hole and then 3-putting!

But I may have to rethink some of that until I get my GIR percentage up some more.

--------------------------
"There are only 3 kinds of people in this world -- Those who can count, and those who can't."

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I think it depends on the type of amateur player. Imagine a weekend golfer who might only hit 200 yard drives or a duffer who can't even hit a driver. In this case, the long is more important than the short game--or so it appears. But, their short game could also be equally terrible.

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Not even close. The drive is the single most important shot of every hole. It sets up everything else and invariably you relax and gain confidence for the remainder of the hole if the tee shot is pure.

Pelz is selling snake oil, at least applied to the mediocre masses. It's no different than horse racing where speed kills. You can pretend from the back of the pack all you want but I'll chew up your cash if I have foundational advantage with the lead.

As a Las Vegan and sports bettor for 20+ years I'm dumbfounded this is even debated. I don't care where you apply it the beginning dictates the tone. In Average Joe tennis players the serve is by far the most important stroke.
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More often than not when outside 125 yards I am still pitching on the next shot.

I saw this quote and your handicap index of 1 and I thought, WTF?! Upon closer examination ...

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Tee it high, let it fly!

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(I have not yey read the article)

I think those folks who said that it all depends on the level of the amateur have pretty much got it right.

What's more important is focussing most of the time on the weaker parts of your game. If you are weak or wayward off the tee or with your long irons, but can get up and down very well -- you spend more time on your long game -- and vice versa.

For me, every teaching pro says I have the long game of a 5 handicap. I am generally consistant off the tee -- in dry, summer conditions, I can consistantly drive 260+, and sometimes bomb it further. I can hit my hybrids exceedingly well from the fairway and rough. However, I struggle with pitching and chipping. For example on Monday I was pin-high and just off the green on 3 520+ yard Par 5s. I failed to make par each time.

So I keep practicing chipping, pitching, putting, much more than beating rocks into oblivion. I am 5 shots better today than in January.

I'm sure it's different for those with the magic touch inside 100, but spray it around off the tee.

Work out the weaker parts of your game and spend more time practicing those areas!!! You cannot but improve!!

//Anand

--
Tee it high, let it fly!

MP-600, Fujikura E360 Stiff
Hi-Bore 1i, 2i, Stiff MP-57, DG S300 52.08, 56.08., 60.07 FISHER GOLF - CTS-1 Burgandy Insert ProV1

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I believe this can be true depending on your handicap. high handicap golfers this might be more true, but if you are a lower handicap golfer the short game is more important.

Drive for show and pitch, chip and putt for dough.

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I believe this can be true depending on your handicap. high handicap golfers this might be more true, but if you are a lower handicap golfer the short game is more important.

absolutely 100% agree with this. 125 in you should be knocking it close to the pin. and god forbid you 3 putt!

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Hooray for Google!

http://www.columbia.edu/~mnb2/broadi...arch_golf.html

There is a link to a pdf that appears to be the original text of his research...gonna read it tonight.

:P
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Agree 100% with this man's theory. We ALL have the ability to hit 100 yard (and in) shots, but not many of us possess the ability to hit a green, (with much consistency anyway!) with an iron from 180, or crush the driver down the middle 290+.

Get me to 100 yards and I can make par or better at least FIFTY percent of the time!

dave

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Short game is nothing to me. My long game has taught me the touch I need for the short game because a full swing is nothing but an extension of a short swing!! Honestly, I can count the amount of times I have practiced putting and chipping on my hands.

I am with you on the amount of putting/chipping practice I do. The funny thing is, despite never practicing putting outright, putting is probably the strongest part of my game at the moment. That's because putting is

easy . Although putting at the pro level requires a lot of practice, you can putt good enough to break 80 with little or no specific putting practice. The putting I do during the rounds (and occasionally on my carpet) is enough for me.
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i think he makes some sense. The bulk of my scoring is due to errant tee shots. However, its a lot easier for me to reduce strokes by spending a few hours learning to avoid three putts and chipping from all of those missed greens. My last round I had 2 birdies and a par - and shot a 100! That's one awful set of 15 holes. Dumped 4 balls in water, 2 more OB - All from the tees.

btw - i did what any self respecting hack would do...bought a new driver. Obviously that was the problem...

/J6

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G10 w/Prolaunch Red 17
Raylor 19* 909h 21 MB 4-PW Vokey Spin Milled 54* and 60* Circa 62 No 7

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I found when I started breaking 80 it was due to better wedge play and putting.

When I break 80 it's because I'm doing

all things relatively consistently. That means solid wedge and putter play, but it also means solid driving and approach shots. I guess we all need to figure out our weaknesses.
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