curious about my talent level.

[Robster 7]

Exactly my point David!

[David in FL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by David in FL

Nope, the world was never flat.  Some people just mistakenly thought that it was.....

Exactly my point David!

And some people still mistakenly believe that the long game isn't the most important part of golf.  Sounds like we agree!

[MS256]

Quote:

Originally Posted by saevel25

If you have been reading the forum, you would understand that the long game is more important than the short game.

Well not really. Its just the opinion of the majority and the majority opinion doesn't make something fact. The world was flat years ago apparently.

No. It's a fact. All of the short game in the world isn't going to save you without a long game. My scores maxed out long ago because of an inconsistent long game and I'll put my short game up against any of the guys that beat me regularly...It is only going to save me so many times, and will almost never win against the really good ball strikers.

[Lihu]

And some people still mistakenly believe that the long game isn't the most important part of golf.  Sounds like we agree!

Well, that's one way to win an argument...

[Robster 7]

No. It's a fact. All of the short game in the world isn't going to save you without a long game. My scores maxed out long ago because of an inconsistent long game and I'll put my short game up against any of the guys that beat me regularly...It is only going to save me so many times, and will almost never win against the really good ball strikers.

It may be a fact for your game but it might not be for someone else. For the record I think it's more important too but it's not a fact. Lee Westwood is one of the best ball strikers in the game but his short game is shocking so his reality will be different.

[saevel25]

It may be a fact for your game but it might not be for someone else. For the record I think it's more important too but it's not a fact. Lee Westwood is one of the best ball strikers in the game but his short game is shocking so his reality will be different.

Yes, but as pointed out in the two threads that have gone into great detail about the long game versus the short game and how to prioritize practice. If you have a glaring weakness then you need to work on it. Glaring weakness for a pro is such a small detail, its big for them because they are playing at a level were there is such marginal gains on strokes.

To say, "OH Lee Westwood has a good ball striking but poor short game". Well his short game is way better than most amateurs, and his ball striking is beyond an amateurs ability. Which one do you think Amateurs need to work on.

Its an easy answer, would you rather be putting, or would you rather be chipping or pitching? The old saying that you need to improve your short game basically guarantees you are going to be using your short game a lot. The other helps you make sure you don't need to use your short game. Which one is the best fix?

If your car was leaking oil, do you just keep putting in a quart of oil each time you fill up gas, or do you go get your leak fixed. Cause I rather have those leaks in my long game fixed so I don't need to be struggling on the golf course.

[mvmac]

Post a swing under the My Swing thread on the forum and we can see how good you are. It is impossible to say your claims are right because we have never seen you swing.

Gonna video my swing today too. Gonna be a great day for golf

Yes recommend posting a few swings up.  If you can hit it over 300 and straight then there is something going on when it comes to your irons and wedges.

[Maddog10]

Hitting the ball a long way is great and all but truthfully it's way overrated. Now don't get me wrong, if you can hit the ball 300 yards and hit 2 out of 3 fairways, it will be a great tool for you. However, that is only good for 12-13 shots per round. That leaves another 78 shots that you have to execute without the advantage of being a long driver. Good iron play is "the great equalizer" as I like to call it. I drive the ball about 260ish, maybe a little farther on a good day, and play with several guys that can out drive me by 20-30 yards. The best golfer I know personally though hits the ball about the same distance I do, if not a little shorter. He is so good with his irons though that it not only equalizes, but exceeds the advantage that the other golfers gain on their drive. Me and him almost always beat the guys who outdrive us because they hit their wedges to 30 feet and we hit our 8 irons inside 15-20 feet (my buddy inside 10 feet a lot of the time.)

The drive is a place where you don't typically gain a stroke assuming no one gets themself into trouble. The only situation where you may is if it puts you in a position to go for a shot that the other person couldn't due to being 30 yards farther back (carrying water, bunker, dogleg, etc.). All it boils down to is that you may hit an 8 iron into the green whereas I hit a 6. Sure, there is a scoring advantage there, but not if you aren't a good iron player. Golfers who are great iron players can typically hit their 6 iron closer than golfers who are known for being great drivers can hit their 8.

I guess what I'm getting at is if I were you, I wouldn't base my "potential" or "talent level" on my driver distance. If you can hit the ball 250 yards and can hit fairways, your drive is good enough to be a great golfer. An extra 50 yards on your drive isn't going to elevate your skill level near as much as a good short game will.

[Robster 7]

Yes, but as pointed out in the two threads that have gone into great detail about the long game versus the short game and how to prioritize practice. If you have a glaring weakness then you need to work on it. Glaring weakness for a pro is such a small detail, its big for them because they are playing at a level were there is such marginal gains on strokes.  To say, "OH Lee Westwood has a good ball striking but poor short game". Well his short game is way better than most amateurs, and his ball striking is beyond an amateurs ability. Which one do you think Amateurs need to work on.  Its an easy answer, would you rather be putting, or would you rather be chipping or pitching? The old saying that you need to improve your short game basically guarantees you are going to be using your short game a lot. The other helps you make sure you don't need to use your short game. Which one is the best fix?  If your car was leaking oil, do you just keep putting in a quart of oil each time you fill up gas, or do you go get your leak fixed. Cause I rather have those leaks in my long game fixed so I don't need to be struggling on the golf course.

Maybe get a solid short game first because it's easier to work on, then put the majority of practice into long game. How's that for a compromise?;-)

[Ernest Jones]

Maybe get a solid short game first because it's easier to work on, then put the majority of practice into long game. How's that for a compromise?;-)

Or how about spending 35% of your practice time on short game (because it's relative easy to learn) and the remaining 65% on the full swing due to it being much harder to learn. Then you could further break down your short game practice to 10% putting and 25% short game shots, sounds like a good breakdown considering again the relative difficulty in the execution of these two areas. So a well rounded breakdown of practice time would look like this: 65% full swing 25% short game 10% putting Of course, if you identify any glaring errors in your game you should adjust this ratio to address them. How's that for a compromise? Sounds like very good way to approach improvement in a way that will keep your skill sets well balanced. Maybe I'll start a thread about this.

[Robster 7]

Or how about spending 35% of your practice time on short game (because it's relative easy to learn) and the remaining 65% on the full swing due to it being much harder to learn. Then you could further break down your short game practice to 10% putting and 25% short game shots, sounds like a good breakdown considering again the relative difficulty in the execution of these two areas. So a well rounded breakdown of practice time would look like this: 65% full swing 25% short game 10% putting Of course, if you identify any glaring errors in your game you should adjust this ratio to address them. How's that for a compromise? Sounds like very good way to approach improvement in a way that will keep your skill sets well balanced. Maybe I'll start a thread about this.

Haha, I'm not sure we can take it anymore aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhh! :-D

[Ernest Jones]

Haha, I'm not sure we can take it anymore aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhh! :-D

Just trying to help. :-D Look, by your own admission (quoted below) the short game is easier to work on. [quote name="Robster 7" url="/t/71103/curious-about-my-talent-level/0_100#post_921224"] Maybe get a solid short game first because it's easier to work on, then put the majority of practice into long game. How's that for a compromise?;-)[/quote] I'm just suggestion that it doesn't have to be "first one then the other", you can work on both efficiently if you take into consideration the relative difficulties of each when structuring your practice time.

[Robster 7]

Just trying to help. :-D Look, by your own admission (quoted below) the short game is easier to work on. I'm just suggestion that it doesn't have to be "first one then the other", you can work on both efficiently if you take into consideration the relative difficulties of each when structuring your practice time.

Yeah I suppose that would work too. One of my old pros didn't let his beginners hit full shots until they had learned how to putt, chip and pitch first. Something to do with the progression of the swing. Far too sensible for my little brain to comprehend as I was a grip it and rip it merchant for years!

[14ledo81]

It may be a fact for your game but it might not be for someone else. For the record I think it's more important too but it's not a fact. Lee Westwood is one of the best ball strikers in the game but his short game is shocking so his reality will be different.

Its a fact for everybodys game..

FACT:  More strokes can be gained due to long game vs. short game.

FACT:  The long game is more important to your scoring.

FACT:  Just because you are good at the long game does not make it less important.

[Ernest Jones]

Yeah I suppose that would work too. One of my old pros didn't let his beginners hit full shots until they had learned how to putt, chip and pitch first. Something to do with the progression of the swing. Far too sensible for my little brain to comprehend as I was a grip it and rip it merchant for years!

It may make sense to take that approach with an absolute beginner to perhaps build a little confidence but I would think that the pro should move very quickly to the full swing.

---

Important to be clear that the long game isn't just bombing drives, it's every swing that uses full swing mechanics. When I'm 80 yards out I'll take a full swing with my 60*, in this definition that is long game***. I think some of the push back around this concept is the misunderstanding as to what qualifies as the long game, this becomes evident when people comment that hitting great drives only accounts for 14 strokes. The long game that Erik is referring to includes pretty much EVERY shot that isn't a chip, pitch, bunkershot or putt.

***Ironically if my long game didn't suck so much I wouldn't be hitting so many shots from 80 yards out.

[Robster 7]

Its a fact for everybodys game.. FACT:  More strokes can be gained due to long game vs. short game. FACT:  The long game is more important to your scoring. FACT:  Just because you are good at the long game does not make it less important.

You'd better let this major winner know ;-)

[Ernest Jones]

You'd better let this major winner know

Imagine how many more Majors he would have if he practiced properly!

[Robster 7]

I know! What a very very wealthy fool! :-D