new revelation

[Jaywun]

Watching the celebrity tourney I noticed something. Alot less deliberate on chipping and putting than the pros. Then I realized over the last couple yrs I've gotten into a habit of rushing with chips and putts. I've always been a fairly fast relaxed player and that has helped me on full shots. But watching the best amatuers I notice, (probably because they are so nervous) that they actually never look set and confident on the short shots that they screw up. And most of these guys are + handicap. About 5 yrs ago when I was playing my best. 4 consecutive rounds under 80. I just now realized, I took alot more rehearsal chips than I do now. Mostly just to lock myself in to the exact shot I want to play. Very high concentration level. It just donned on me that I dont do that anymore. I watched B. J. Toliver rush on a 20 yd. pitch, never looked commited and ended up yelling, oh god, hit it- hit it!. Very familiar feeling! I'm gonna try to get myself more zeroed in on short game shots to see if I can get my old game back.

[wrx_junki]

Definitely need to take your time on every shot. Even when I feel uncomfortable over the ball I don't always step away. One major downside to playing with my friends who take a bit of time to get green side is that I usually have to rush my chips and putts to keep up the pace of play.

[TourSpoon]

Yes, and in a game of up and down, the short game counts the most. Good observation and another reminder that any lapse in concentration usually adds to a bigger number.

[wrx_junki]

Oh when you have an embarassing duff, don't hurry to the ball and swing away. I see my friends get quite annoyed after a duffed shot and then quickly hurry their next shot.

[TaylorMadeTaylor]

Oh when you have an embarassing duff, don't hurry to the ball and swing away. I see my friends get quite annoyed after a duffed shot and then quickly hurry their next shot.

I do this alot. On flubbed chips and when I'm hitting 3 off the tee. I have to stop, the worst thing to do after a bad shot is quickly follow it up with another one.

[Shanks A Million]

Really? I just went to a pro am, and the biggest difference I noticed was that the amateurs had crappy swings. The crappy swings led to bad results, both in the long and short game. The pros, on the other hand, were constantly putting for birdie, while the amateurs were trying to make 20 foot putts for bogey.

[TourSpoon]

Really? I just went to a pro am, and the biggest difference I noticed was that the amateurs had crappy swings. The crappy swings led to bad results, both in the long and short game. The pros, on the other hand, were constantly putting for birdie, while the amateurs were trying to make 20 foot putts for bogey.

Oh, and that too...Shanks just cracks me up!

[Shanks A Million]

Oh, and that too...Shanks just cracks me up!

Well, at some point sanity must take over. I sat on the 18th hole at Disney on Friday and watched the pros and amateurs hit their approaches. The pro's balls came in high, landed and stuck on the green. Nearly every amatuer shot was short, some by 30 yards or more, they flew low, and they chased. Watching them off the tee, same deal. Pros hit their drives high and straight, amateurs low and crooked. Pros look as if they're barely swinging, amateurs look as if they are trying to kill the ball. Pros rely on mechanics, not timing to hit the ball well.

The #1 difference between a tour pro and a 15 handicap... Swing. The idea of the 15 handicap who merely has a poor putter and short game is a myth, or very near it. If you flip the club on the full swing, you're going to flip it on the short ones. Go to a PGA tour event sometime in which pros are playing with amateurs, and you'll see for yourself. The pros are nearly always on or very near the green in regulation. They put it on, or very near the fairway. The pros who did hook or slice it into the woods were chipping out and scrambling for par. Again, it's swing, swing, swing.

[Jaywun]

I'm sorry, but I wasn't talking about 15 handicap celebrities. I'm talking about the celebrity tourney at Tahoe. Where everyone on the leaderboard has been a +index for years and have all played in mini tour events. Their ball striking is incredible and all held up to the pressure great. The difference IS the short game. Especially putting. There are tons of + index amatuers with incredible full swing mechanics that hold up under pressure. Their weak short game keeps them from playing for a living. I'd say at least 90%. Disagree if you want, I'm too old to care, But I do like the attention.

[Shanks A Million]

I'm sorry, but I wasn't talking about 15 handicap celebrities. I'm talking about the celebrity tourney at Tahoe. Where everyone on the leaderboard has been a +index for years and have all played in mini tour events. Their ball striking is incredible and all held up to the pressure great. The difference IS the short game. Especially putting. There are tons of + index amatuers with incredible full swing mechanics that hold up under pressure. Their weak short game keeps them from playing for a living. I'd say at least 90%. Disagree if you want, I'm too old to care, But I do like the attention.

Short game and mental game is the difference between + handicaps and tour pros, yes. There's no denying that. The problem is, no one pointed that out. The average handicapper will do better to work on his full swing, to get his club on plane and hands ahead of the ball at impact.

[zeg]

Short game and mental game is the difference between + handicaps and tour pros, yes. There's no denying that. The problem is, no one pointed that out. The average handicapper will do better to work on his full swing, to get his club on plane and hands ahead of the ball at impact.

I think it's fair to say "of course." However, the point the OP raised---taking every shot seriously, as I read it---is something one can begin applying immediately. Fixing a swing, while the ultimate solution, is going to take years (and perhaps never converge).

However, it's also not entirely simple to concentrate on the short shots. While you don't want to run up and unthinkingly whack at the ball, there's also the risk of over-thinking the shot and getting yourself tight. You need to balance things so you're very delibrately making a relaxed swing. For me, when I veer too far to the loose side, I hit a nice clean crisp shot 10 yards too far (on a 5-10 yard chip), and when I veer too far to the tight side, I chunk one 3 yards.

[sean_miller]

I'm sorry, but I wasn't talking about 15 handicap celebrities. I'm talking about the celebrity tourney at Tahoe. Where everyone on the leaderboard has been a +index for years and have all played in mini tour events. Their ball striking is incredible and all held up to the pressure great. The difference IS the short game. Especially putting. There are tons of + index amatuers with incredible full swing mechanics that hold up under pressure. Their weak short game keeps them from playing for a living. I'd say at least 90%. Disagree if you want, I'm too old to care, But I do like the attention.

Anyone who didn't know you were speaking about "the" celebrity event was either doesn't read well or was cluelessly posting with an agenda - imvho.

[JetFan1983]

A vast majority of the celebrities who play in that Tahoe event technically aren't amateurs anyway. I know Smoltz for example plays in mini-tours. We all know Jerry Rice's attempt at the Nationwide, but clearly he wasn't even close to being the best celeb out there in Tahoe this year. He only finished 25th overall in the event.

http://www.tahoecelebritygolf.com/results.html

[JetFan1983]

Actually, I could be wrong that these celebrities who accepted the money should be considered "professional" players if they've given up their amateur status. Hopefully someone fills me in the details as I've had difficulty finding information on this event and the current player status of these particular celebrities.