Whats the most important part of the game?

[golfchief]

I agree some days it just happens, but all of them have great short games, if they didn't they could't even win on the Hooters tour.

[GolfnGriff]

Last summer I had 8 birdies in one round... A first for me. I was making putts from everywhere. Short game gets my vote.

[royalwulff]

short game...putt for dough, drive for show.

[mybloodinvt]

the most important part of the game is scoring. scoring means making birdies or better. in order to make birdies you need to make putts. to make putts you need to hit greens. to hit greens you need to be driving the ball in the fairway. generally, the leaders of a tournament are leading the field in greens in regulation and/or putting. i think, week in and week out on tour, it comes down to putting. since putting is not an option in the poll, i would have to vote for short game, but i did not vote.

[pickapocket]

A perfect short game for any half decent golfer (12 h'cap and below) will save you from any situation.
A single digit man will still miss at least 6 greens on an average day. Up and downing each one of them and then not 3 putting on the greens he hits would still get you round in level par, without making anything for birdie!
This then allows for the odd penalty shot, chips out from the rough etc etc.
Knowing you will have a good chance at getting the ball up and down takes so much pressure off the iron game and lets face it with modern drivers anybody with half a game will be sending the ball out there pretty long and straight.
Short Game every time!

[BritBoy]

A perfect short game for any half decent golfer (12 h'cap and below) will save you from any situation.

I have to agree!!! Last Saturday I played and only hit 7 GIR, couldnt hit a green to save my life. But I did manage some great up and downs and somehow pulled a 72 out of my a$$. 27 putts will do it.

[Fourputt]

Short game is important, but having a great short game to save a lot of bogies and double bogies isn't good golf. You still need to get it in play off the tee (my biggest fault at the moment), and hit the ball near the green in regulation, and be in position to put your short game to work for you. For that you need at least an adequate full swing and good course management techniques. As important as the short game is, it's relatively meaningless if you are hacking the ball 3 or 4 or more times just to get into short game range.

I don't think that you can really isolate any one part of the game and say that is the most important factor for every player. All of golf's intracacies are inextricably tied together, and you need to identify your own shortcomings and to work on the area that will bring the biggest improvement to YOUR game. For me right now, the full swing is my biggest concern, and it is the part of my game where improvement will reap the biggest rewards. When I get comfortable with that part of my game, then I will look at what is statistically the next most correctable deficiency, and work on that.

[johntodd]

My choice is "Unwaivering Mental control and stability", but it does take the other aspects too.

To me, golf is all about the mind overcoming challenging courses and difficult shots. Once doubt and frustration sets in, it makes for a very long day at the links. Not easy dropping the little white ball into the cup.

[moreira85]

I have a question about the rules, i have not read much on this forum about rules. When I play with friends it seems as though they just drop a ball when they lose one then say they shot 78. If someone hits a ball and slices or hooks it into the woods with no red stakes or OB stakes and cannont find their ball what is the ruling???? isnt the correct ruling to go back to the tee and re tee another ball hitting 3?

[extremeld]

gotta to hit another ball from where you last played

only option


my favourite shot is hitting the driver

[Stuart]

Has to be a flawless short game......if your long game is not that accurate but you still get the ball near to the green, a flawless short game is going to save you more times than not.

[mikelz]

I have a question about the rules, i have not read much on this forum about rules. When I play with friends it seems as though they just drop a ball when they lose one then say they shot 78. If someone hits a ball and slices or hooks it into the woods with no red stakes or OB stakes and cannont find their ball what is the ruling???? isnt the correct ruling to go back to the tee and re tee another ball hitting 3?

You are right and your friends are (at best) lazy.

[Lost Ball]

Lost Ball finds putting the key to win matches/tournaments

[roadrunner]

Short game without a doubt. I play very sporadically, but I can hit a nice drive and am a pretty good iron player. When I am on or near the green I am basically useless. flubbed wedges, 3 putts, skulled shots over the green. Leads to bogey golf.

[Teedub7]

Course management, putting, chipping, tee shots, anything besides being able to cheat really easily. Golf is a game of honesty, i hate people who try to cheat.

[Plank]

I guess it depends on the player... you have to be good at everything to be a great golfer. You can not teach a good course management, you can teach everything else

[lamebums]

Mental game. It requires something special to slice your tee shot 220 yards into the thuck gunch on the right, hack it out about 50 yards, skull it to 75 yards short, and then have the calm to knock a wedge to kick-in range for your par. Confidence is probably 80% of hitting the shot, actual skill, swing plane, etc. is 20% at most.

[mikelz]

Short game without a doubt. I play very sporadically, but I can hit a nice drive and am a pretty good iron player. When I am on or near the green I am basically useless. flubbed wedges, 3 putts, skulled shots over the green. Leads to bogey golf.

I watched friend hit a nice shot to a par 3 with a very shallow green.

It was a good shot finishing about 20 feet away but in the taller cut. I complimented him on the shot. He replied, "Yep. A couple of chips, two or three putts and I'm done with this one." It's my new battle cry.