Most Valuable Part of Your Game

[Brakkus]

Irons second or third shot. It links your entire game together. Whatever you hit off the tee or whether its in the short grass or rough the second shot is the key. I'm in for a bad round if I don't hit those well. Especially if you are in range for a GIR. Think about it if you have line of sight from your tee shot as long as you are not in the woods or OB then the next shot is crucial. Short then you have to rely on short game. Duff it or slice it etc then you have added a shot probably unless you are highly skilled from most situations. I'm convinced improving irons off the deck will mean more to my improvement than any other area only then can other areas of the game compliment it.

[TMAdidas]

Putting because that's what I'm worst at. If I was a good putter but a bad driver, then I'd say driving.

[David in FL]

Looks like most are choosing the part of their game that is their biggest strength.  I basically read the question in the same vein as the other recent thread "What's the shot you hate the most." My answer in that thread was the tee shot that goes OB causing me to be hitting 3 off the tee.  That hurts my game the most, and therefore that is the shot I hate the most, AND it means, keeping the ball in play off the tee is the most valuable to me. That is why I chose driver in the poll, even though it is far from my biggest strength.

I read the question exactly the opposite. As what in your game contributes the most to the sores you're currently shooting. Not where I have the most opportunity. That would easily be in my approach irons.

[GaijinGolfer]

Putting.  It doesnt matter if you can drive the ball 300 yards if you cant putt.  Lets say you are playing a 500 yard par 5.  You hit a 300 yard drive, then a 195 yard approach shot to within 15 feet.  Then, lets just say you 3 putt.  Youre still only playing par golf, even with amazing ballstriking.

I do agree that ballstriking is important but I also believe that when building your game you should start with the green and work your way back because putting and wedges are the only part of your game where being very precise is critical.  With your driver, FW/hybrids and irons as long as you are in the ballpark youre OK but with the putter/wedges you goal is to be as precise as possible.

[mvmac]

I voted for driver, answering the question as it relates to what I feel the strength of my game is.  I tend to hit a decent amount of fairways (except for the 16th hole at Tukwet Canyon lol), so I typically avoid big numbers and give myself opportunities for GIR's.

[Brakkus]

Ok I said irons before and they should be to go to the next level,but as of right now put a hybrid in my hand and I never lose a ball. I have a 20" with a stiff shaft and it's money especially off the tee. I played all par 4's and 5's with it one round can only remember being in light rough at worst. Just can't hit it far enough to go for GIR on every hole. Which is why I added a 3 wood which may become my favourite club.

[anthony]

Originally Posted by mchichioco

To everyone that voted driver

Drive for show, putt for dough :)

Not sure I agree with that. Maybe "drive for show, GIR for dough".

Although I never thought I would say it, my 100 yard and in game (excluding putting) is probably the best part of my game right now. Last three rounds have been 5-6 shots under my handicap because of my wedge play.

[anthony]

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

You hit a 300 yard drive, then a 195 yard approach shot to within 15 feet.  Then, lets just say you 3 putt.  Youre still only playing par golf, even with amazing ballstriking.

If you 3 putt from 15 feet routinely, you may be using the wrong club to putt.

[That is Good]

Putting. It is half the game and easier to improve upon.

On a par 72, the course is allowing you 36 putts for the round.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by That is Good

Putting. It is half the game and easier to improve upon.

On a par 72, the course is allowing you 36 putts for the round.

How many of those putts are tap in's?  Putting is not half the game.

[WalkTheCourse]

Quote:

Short game doesnt matter

Anyone who utters those words in that order, even in the context of a larger sentence, should not be allowed to have an opinion.

Many people seem to be answering the question "What shot in the game is most important?" which is not what the OP asked... There is no correct answer to that question... all shots count the same on the scorecard, last I checked. Fact remains that you can save the most strokes where your game is the weakest...

...

Anyway, i'm one of the rare few that said "chipping," and I think I'm actually answering the question correctly, at least in reference to my own game.

Explanation: My drives are often pathetic... a 150 yard pop-up, a worm burner with a slice on it, a hit tree... Furthermore, some of my approach shots are subpar too. They roll over the green, never hit the green in the first place, come up short, etc.

But when I turn those resultant short chips into an effective "first putt," and put it within 1-putt distance on a fairly regular basis, that is INVALUABLE to my game...

[Tifosinumerouno]

For me, the best and most consistent part of my game is my pitching. I have about a 100 foot deep yard where I practice hitting shots of different trajectories and distances, hitting towards targets such as the telephone pole or the unused gas meter. However, I chose irons as the most important part of my game because it's my least consistent part. The times I shoot the best scores are the times when I have the most GIR's, which is not very common. I can hit 10 fairways in a round, but I'm lucky to hit 6 greens because my iron play is so inconsistent.

In retrospect, I could say that putting is also the most important, because even if I hit a crazy short sided flop shot over a bunker and get it to stop within 5 feet of a hole, I still can two putt for a bogey. However, if I had hit the green in the first place, I could 2 putt from 30 feet for par. So I guess those two are equally the most important, and equally bad parts of my game.

[Meddle]

In the evolution of my golf game, nothing has saved me more strokes than learning to chip. And its such a fun part of the game too, so much room to be creative!

[meenman]

Originally Posted by WalkTheCourse

Quote:

Anyone who utters those words in that order, even in the context of a larger sentence, should not be allowed to have an opinion.

Where I come from, closed minded people that think only their opinion matters should not be allowed to have an opinion.

For me, it is the tee shot - it makes or breaks my round (and it is the least prolific part of my game)

[WalkTheCourse]

Originally Posted by meenman

Where I come from, closed minded people that think only their opinion matters should not be allowed to have an opinion.

For me, it is the tee shot - it makes or breaks my round (and it is the least prolific part of my game)

Where I come from, the facetious use of hyperbole is pretty common, and understood by those who read it.

But your second sentence makes a lot of sense, because now we know why YOUR drives are valuable to you... In your first post, it sure seemed like you were just generally valuing tee shots over short game.

If you GIR+2 and 1-putt, that's a bogey. If you GIR and 3-putt, that's also a bogey.

[SloverUT]

The most important part of my game currently is chipping and it is very inconsistent.

If I am chipping well I gain confidence and generally play a decent round.

If I am chipping poorly I generally lose focus and struggle in other places as well.

[Golfizit]

I chose chipping but by that really mean everything within 140 yds (my wedges). The weakness there is my 60 is going up to 90 yds so have to learn to do shorter swings 1/2, 1/4. Accuracy and saves are my bread and butter on the course. Putting seldom more than 2 putts. Need to get closer to hole then 1 putts.

[mdlee3]

I'm new on the board and came across this topic. Of the choices listed, I'd have to say my driver. My drives don't go far (avg. drive only being 235-240 yards), but I hit most of my fairways and that obviously gives me an easier second shot. If I get in trouble with my drive, I'm not a good enough shot-maker to get out of it a lot of times.

This option wasn't listed, but I think the real most valuable part of my game is the mental game. I don't let a bad shot, hole, or round get me down. When playing with friends/coworkers, I think my positive attitude keeps me competitive with them since I don't get overly emotional about a bad shot.