65/20/15 Practice Ratios: Where to Devote Your Practice Time

[MiniBlueDragon]

If I badly fluff a putt the worst I've done is add a single stroke to my round.

If I badly fluff a tee shot I'm 3 off the tee straight away.

If I fluff it again I may as well pick up and spend the hole enjoying the scenery. ;)

I used to spend hours and hours putting, chipping and pitching to get sharp around the greens ("putt for dough") and my score lowered but not by any significant amount. All of my blow-up holes were due to hitting the ball OOB or not being able to play out of a bunker in a single stroke. It was only after I started practicing my full swing more and having faith in my short game that I started to see a marked difference in my handicap.

Another example for me was the fact that a while back I got so frustrated with the game I quit. I didn't touch a club for absolutely ages and the sole reason I "came out of retirement" was because I was asked to play with a family member. I had not a single expectation of my ability and I had the touch of a demon around the greens; putting to within inches of the cup, chipping and greenside recovery far better than I remember being able to play and the only area of my game lacking was tee shots (which is my main focus at the moment).

I completely agree with the log game being the primary practice focus.

[Kelzzy]

If you want to make birdies, you need to be able to putt. If you can't putt, you won't go low in score.

[David in FL]

If you want to make birdies, you need to be able to putt. If you can't putt, you won't go low in score.

But you don't get to putt until you're on the green..... I'd rather 3 putt for bogey than one putt for double, all day long.

[mvmac]

If you want to make birdies, you need to be able to putt. If you can't putt, you won't go low in score.

Kelzzy, it's clear you haven't read earlier posts in this thread or what I suggested from the other thread, please do so, it will help you understand where most of us are coming from.

But you don't get to putt until you're on the green

Correct, you don't make many birdies pitching and chipping.  Brad Faxon is obviously a great putter and he couldn't make a cut his last couple years on tour because he hit it like crap.  He's won on the Champions Tour thanks to improving his long game, putting didn't change.

Compared to other aspects of golf, putting is a relatively easy motion that does not take a lot of time to practice and get good at.  It is much more simple than the full swing and the consequences of a bad putt over a bad full swing are much less severe.

[jamo]

If I had to say, a good routine for a 10+ hour workout: 3 hours solid putting 1 hour solid chipping  2-3 hours range work Play 9 holes  Hit the range again and putt some more Just for a short day, like getting out there for 3-4 hours only.. I would just focus on your short game, as it's the short game that lowers your score.. but irons are very important too.

Out of curiosity, is this the way your normally practice or just advice?

[Kelzzy]

Out of curiosity, is this the way your normally practice or just advice?

It's how I practice. Everyday son :)

[Harmonious]

It's how I practice. Everyday son :)

Thank goodness you gave up that school thing.  It was interfering with your golf.

[bplewis24]

Thank goodness you gave up that school thing.  It was interfering with your golf.

And possibly his education.  What else could be the reason?

[Kelzzy]

And possibly his education.  What else could be the reason?

Thank goodness you gave up that school thing.  It was interfering with your golf.

LOL what? I still do my school work. 4 hours a day after school, 3-7.. get home at 7:30-ish, do school work until 9:30+, go to bed. Simple.

Oh wait, I just realized he asked if I practice 10+ hours a day. I only practice 10 hours+ on weekends, on school days I can only practice around 4 hours after school :)

[Kelzzy]

But you don't get to putt until you're on the green..... I'd rather 3 putt for bogey than one putt for double, all day long.

Agreed, but when you get on the green finally, you have to be able to putt. Fine, I say there both equally as important.. well, the overall short game is a little more important as it gets you out of jams..

[jamo]

Agreed, but when you get on the green finally, you have to be able to putt. Fine, I say there both equally as important.. well, the overall short game is a little more important as it gets you out of jams..

An easier way to get out of jams is to get in them less frequently.

[Kelzzy]

An easier way to get out of jams is to get in them less frequently.

Yeah, but you won't hit the greens 100 percent of the time, not even 80, or 60.. even the best players in the entire world are hitting GiR under 40 percent. Tiger woods misses 63% of them, but still is able to go -10 in a day. Why? Because he scrambles with his short game and saves par or manages a birdie.

[jamo]

Yeah, but you won't hit the greens 100 percent of the time, not even 80, or 60.. even the best players in the entire world are hitting GiR under 40 percent. Tiger woods misses 63% of them, but still is able to go -10 in a day. Why? Because he scrambles with his short game and saves par or manages a birdie.

Where are you getting your stats? http://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.103.html#2013 Tiger hit over 67% of his greens last year.

[Kelzzy]

Where are you getting your stats?

http://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.103.html#2013

Tiger hit over 67% of his greens last year.

Shit, I was using it wrong. On his website, it says 63 percent I was looking at that as the times he missed.. sorry

http://www.tigerwoods.com/onTour/seasonStatistics

Anyway, 40 percent or 60 percent, doesn't matter. What about the other 40 percent? Anyway, I agree, ball striking is EXTREMELY important, but you have to practice from the green to the tee, not the other way around. Tigers dad said it himself.

[flopster]

This is for Eric, what should someone work on more when practicing putting? Lag putting or the shorter putts of 8' feet or less, because I read and feel it's true that more work on shorter putts will be more beneficial. The way I see it is if you can become more automatic from a short distance it will take more pressure off your lag putting that should help you make better lag putts.

[mvmac]

Agreed, but when you get on the green finally, you have to be able to putt. Fine, I say there both equally as important.. well, the overall short game is a little more important as it gets you out of jams..

The numbers don't agree with you.  Missing a six-foot putt is not nearly as damaging to your score as a missed green, and a missed green is not nearly as damaging to your score as a missed tee shot.

This is for Eric, what should someone work on more when practicing putting? Lag putting or the shorter putts of 8' feet or less, because I read and feel it's true that more work on shorter putts will be more beneficial. The way I see it is if you can become more automatic from a short distance it will take more pressure off your lag putting that should help you make better lag putts.

I'll give it a shot even though I'm not Erik, make sure you spell it with a K

With putting spend time on putts inside of about 6ft, lag putts from long distances  and reading greens (AimPoint).  Spending time on 20ft putts won't do much for your game.  Tour pros make about 14% of their putts from 20ft and it's a length you probably won't three putt from.

[David in FL]

An easier way to get out of jams is to get in them less frequently.

Exactly right....

When a buddy was first learning to play golf, he asked me to help him learn to play out of bunkers.  I told him that I would, but first I'd teach him how to avoid a lot more bunkers in the first place!

[iacas]

Fine, I say there both equally as important.. well, the overall short game is a little more important as it gets you out of jams..

You're wrong… and not just about saying "there" instead of "they're".

With putting spend time on putts inside of about 6ft, lag putts from long distances  and reading greens (AimPoint).  Spending time on 20ft putts won't do much for your game.  Tour pros make about 14% of their putts from 20ft and it's a length you probably won't three putt from.

Yeah, and additionally, putting is three things: reading greens, hitting your lines, and controlling distances. Yet people rarely practice those discrete skills.