What do You Think Is More Important? And Why?

[ClairefromClare]

Keep your own scorecard, and on those rows for the other three players, keep track of fairways hit, greens in regulation, and putts. That was a HUGE eye opener. After a round, count up the number of putts per hole in excess of two. That's how many strokes you'll shave off if you focus hard on your putting. A whole lot easier and faster than mastering that 300 yard burner off the tee.

[yeis20]

Alot of people have different beliefs about what should be concentrated on by new golfers. What is everyones take on what should you concentrate more on Getting your Driving down first or Iron shoots? Or Chipping and Pitching?

The answer is usually different depending on the newbie golfer. When I started playing lefty, the worst part of my game was pitching / chipping from 50 yds and in. I played baseball / softball for 30 yrs though so I had a previous swing based sport advantage.

I have a friend of mine just starting and he has a surprising pitch / chip game and putts decent. He hits his hybrid OK. He needs work on his driver and full irons. Only you can identify the weakest part of your game and that is what you need to focus on. Once you get decent, short game is the biggest focus as that is where anyone can usually take strokes off but that is pointless if it takes you 6 shots to get into chipping / putting range.

[ks8829]

70% pitching within 50 yards
10% putting
10% Chipping
5% short & mid irons
5% fairway and driver

your fundamental golf swing will be developed from your pitching and you will be able to hit your short, mid, long irons, fairway and driver.

If you score the following per round you will know where you need to practice:

1) fairway hit
2) green hit on regulation
3) putts per hole
4) up and down from around green
5) sand saves

Your practice time will be efficiently spend.

[golf_junkie27]

I wished when I started playing that I had read more books, especially on putting. One of the things that has helped me tremendously are the keys to putting:

1) Alignment.
2) Trusting what you see.
3) Having a consistent pre-shot routine.
4) Relaxing and going through the ball.
5) Finish your stroke.

These are the same things that you should apply to every shot. Had I realized this I believe I would have gotten better, sooner.

[GaijinGolfer]

Once you get decent, short game is the biggest focus as that is where anyone can usually take strokes off but that is pointless if it takes you 6 shots to get into chipping / putting range.

Exactly. Thats why the first thing a newbie should learn is how to hit a decent full iron shot.

Like you said, the best short game in the world isnt going to do you much good if it takes you 6 shots to get there. Take me for example, my short game is pretty good and my putting is excellent (I almost never 3-putt), but I sometimes struggle with pushing my iron shots and I slice the heck out of my driver and 3-wood and voila, Im a 34 handicap.

[lookimtigerwoods]

Full shots (driver and irons). You use the same swing to make it simple.

im calling bullsh*t, what do u really shoot

[rudygu]

For someone just beginning to play, I believe they should first focus on developing some sort of full swing they can reasonably repeat. I don't mean developing a perfect, powerful swing - just something they can keep the ball inbounds with from the tee box and use to work their way down the fairway. Start with a half swing and gradually lengthen it as their comfort level increases. Nothing in golf is more frustrating than losing ball after ball.

From there, they should work on the short game and putting until the full swing is really holding up their progress. I have found that working extensively on chipping and pitching will generally improve the full swing since the takeaway, impact, and tempo are all being rehearsed.

On one of the episodes of "Playing Lessons from the Pros" on the Golf Channel, the pro said something along the lines of "If you work on your driver and your chipping, the irons just kinda work themselves out." For the most part I think that is pretty solid advice (taking into account differences in ball position, etc.).

[tjy355]

Alot of people have different beliefs about what should be concentrated on by new golfers. What is everyones take on what should you concentrate more on Getting your Driving down first or Iron shoots? Or Chipping and Pitching?

In my opinion, a beginner should start with a moderately lofted club like a 7 or 8 iron and learn to swing with it. They should not pick up ANY other club until they can consistently make solid contact with the ball EVERY TIME they swing at it.

[Garnet Haze]

PUTTING.

You can recover from a bad tee shot. You can recover from a bad approach shot. You can recover from a bad chip, pitch, or bunker shot. But there is no recovery from a missed 4 foot putt. That's just an extra stroke on the scorecard.

[mbshaf]

Build a good swing first. Get it on plane and work on good ball striking. Go to the range with a 6 iron and work on nothing but building a solid and reproducible swing. Pick a target at a distance that is consistent with your SS and work on accuracy and trajectory. Once your fundamentals are solid work on your short game....putting, putting, putting and wedge play. Work on wedges at the chipping green from different lies. Above the feet, below, on the edge of first cut, in the rough, uphill and downhill. Practice using an 8 iron around the green, practice a SW. Then work 100 in. Each session always begin with the 6, be sure your new swing is still on plane, making good contact and reproducible. Once you have mastered this, try a tee shot at the range utilizing the same tempo as your six. Pick out a spot (be realistic) and work most on accuracy and trajectory. Put it in play and you're money.

[firefighter2711]

I am very new to golf and love the fact that its a different game for everyone. Some people are driver, pitchers, putters, better in the bunkers etc.... I noticed yesterday that I would have to agree with the Chipping and putting then the putting, Iron shots then woods/drivers.

You can take a pretty crapy drive off the tee follow it up with a decent iron shot...Now if you can get a great shot with the pw youll get right next to the hole. I had a shot with my pw on the just a foot or two outside the fringe of a 20 ft green hit the bottom base of the flag(if it wasnt there I would have birdied the hole.) Very next hole same thing down in two, my pw didnt bail me out, horrible horrible shot.(already made it down in three before that shot) Had to chip it onto the green then 3 putted for a total of 7. Just my two cents. I can see where chipping and putting will lead to better iron shots leading to more confidence and more enjoyment

[dave s]

IMO, the order of importance is:

1. Putting
2. Chipping/Pitching
3a/b. Shots inside 100 yards
3a/b. Driving
Irons - midrange game

dave

[steve8820]

I think it really depends on how new to the game the newbie is. If they have never stepped foot on a course, then they should begin with irons and lessons with an instructor. Once they can advance the ball on a fairly repeatable basis, the short game is where the focus should be shifted.

I see some recommendations on here pointing a newbie to the short game. A little confusing to me. What good does it do you if you can putt lights out, but it is usually for a 7 or 8? If your tee to green game is not fairly repeatable, it doesn't matter how good a putter you are.

[Big_M]

Neither. Putting. No one wants to believe it, but putting wins championships - or for a newbie, putting means beating your friends.

I agree. I think that the game should be learned from green to tee. Get your putting down because if you can't putt your never going to be able to score.

it is my

opinion that these people can't remember what it is like to learn the game... sure you should find a comfortable putting stroke and understand how to "read" a green... but putting will come later. What fun is it being a great putter if you take 10 shots to get to each green. The reason putting and chipping wins championships is because everyone is at a certain level with other areas of the game. Needless to say a beginer is NOT at this level and should learn to actually strike a ball properly off the tee, fairway, etc. before working on the finer points such as half wedges and lag putting.

Irons.Irons.Irons.

Full shots (driver and irons). You use the same swing to make it simple.

I pretty much agree here... maybe visit the putting green when you start getting consistent at regular shots.

[Big_M]

I think it really depends on how new to the game the newbie is. If they have never stepped foot on a course, then they should begin with irons and lessons with an instructor. Once they can advance the ball on a fairly repeatable basis, the short game is where the focus should be shifted.

BINGO... this was my point exactly... I just don't understand what in the hell some of these people are thinking saying you should learn to putt first... what good is it if you can't hit a shot in the air with a wood or hit 75% of iron shots poorly.

[tm22721]

Good ball contact is paramount because this is recreational golf and it's no fun if you are hitting fat and thin all of the time.

[Hoovedawg]

I think hitting the driver is the most important. Score-wise it's not but most people start playing because they want to hit a golf ball a long way. When I was starting I would take a 115 with 10 straight 265 yard drives over 105 with better putting and chipping. On those days where I sliced, hooked, topped, swung and missed, and shanked my driver shots I felt like quitting, and came close to it. Finally I got my driving down and I got really into golf. What finally got me way into golf was last fall I was playing with a slight tail wind and downhill, I jacked one 350 yards (honestly). I outdrove everyone in my group by 100+ yards (They stopped right at the top of the hill). Even though I went on to bogey that hole, it was one of the coolest feelings ever. Once you get interested in golf then worry about lowering your score with putting and chipping. But, overall as a beginner you need to have fun and I think hitting the ball a long way is the most fun.

[dr_faustus]

OTM. New player should learn how to hit the ball with their irons first, then worry about scoring. The pleasure of the game is to be able to propel the ball from one spot to another. A duffed shot is no fun at all. I'd rather hit a decently struck shot into trouble or OB than duff it.

Chipping and putting is about scoring anyway, and new players shouldn't worry about score, only about impact.