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The Importance Of Short Game - #OWN125 By Cleveland Golf

I work a TON on my short game and its the only reason my cap is where it is. It's not that I rack up a ton of birdies but I make pars when I have no business doing so.
 
Saw this video yesterday. It holds true, as I notice a big difference in my scores if I can get my wedges on target, wherever they come from. Putting, too.

I have to admit, I knew they were talking about putting and short shots as part of the 65% when the video played, and that is also correct, even if this ad did not mention it.

Looking forward to whatever contests are upcoming!!
 
Short game is huge in my mind. The last several rounds when short game has been working I shot low 80s. When I struggle the scores get up in the 90s.
 
I've always maintained the thought that the short game becomes more important as one gets better. At first, one needs to be able to hit the ball within reason a decent distance and keep it reasonably in play. Many high cappers will leave a ton of strokes on the course just making there way near the green to begin with. The biggest reason my game (relatively speaking) improved was that I became much less errant and a bit more consistent with keeping my tee shots and approach shots reasonably successful. Lets face it, one cannot be on or near the green already hitting 5,or6. a lost ball off the tee or a 75 yard scribbler and then a chunked approach then another skulled across the fairway and finally the next one 15 yards to the left of the green. One must first be able to keep the ball reasonably in play and moving forward on most holes before he even begins to see any rewards of a good short game.

Now with that said and once one is able to hit reasonably well its the short game that can cause or prevent a not so good hole to become a decent one or a total blow-up. I just posted a thread about how sometimes you don't feel you played well but yet your final score wasn't bad at all. Well,.....that imo is because even though we didn't hit many great shots, we stayed reasonably in play and reasonably moved forward just well enough to then take advantage of a short game that was at least performed "ok". If that short game was bad or anything less than "ok" we could then forget about those rounds ever ending with a decent score. If the short game was great that day we may even post one of our better scores. But its all based off the fact that being less than good with the long and mid game wasn't an errant wild one. There is a big difference and a high percentage of strokes can at times be lost in those other parts for many high cappers and even for a lower capper who happens to have a bad day.

So imo there is no doubt about short game importance, but just that the other parts need to also be done reasonably well enough to begin with.
 
For me the state of my short game determines whether I'm going to hit or go under my handicap, or blow up and shoot above it. This is a great campaign, gotta love Cleveland!
 
There is also something else that has come up in the past. Just what/when does one consider the short game? I am in the minority but others did agree with me on this last time it was discussed. I don't feel like 125 is short game. When I think of short game I think of greenside stuff. 125 imo is not greenside, but is a full approach golf shot. Even 100 or 80 I don't feel is short game. I think that's all part of the mid game. Basically anything like that for the most part (within reason and unless extenuating circumstances) is a second shot for a GIR attempt and is an approach and part of the mid game, not the short game. I view short game when the green is missed and then you must make an attempt to get up and down from much closer in. Of course the importance of it is still huge but that's what I consider short game.
 
rollin said:
There is also something else that has come up in the past. Just what/when does one consider the short game? I am in the minority but others did agree with me on this last time it was discussed. I don't feel like 125 is short game.
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For the sake of this discussion, it is 125 and in, based on the message of the video.
 
The Importance Of Short Game - #OWN125 By Cleveland Golf

This is one of the things I really love about Cleveland and Srixon's messaging. It's all about improvement - both through work and education. Between the Journey to Better ads, the Pelz Corner videos, and now this campaign, there's a lot of great stuff out there. This one especially resonates, as I think this is where my drop in handicap from last year has largely come from.

And the equipment is shown as something to get you in the best position to play your best - you don't see wild claims.

Unfortunately, this reminds me that I need to get back to the short game area this week. I think I almost killed my partners 3 or 4 times with half wedge shanks this weekend.
 
ArmyGolf said:
I work a TON on my short game and its the only reason my cap is where it is. It's not that I rack up a ton of birdies but I make pars when I have no business doing so.
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This is me to a T
 
JB said:
For the sake of this discussion, it is 125 and in, based on the message of the video.
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Anything other than a full 9i is what I consider short game. Gotta control all shots, full or not, played with "wedges", then putt. That is my short game.
 
Love this campaign. I have never played Cleveland, this makes me want too. Also love their Pelz videos. Very excited for the new putters as well.

Bravo Cleveland, u have intrigued a customer u never had before.
 
I like the message and look forward to hearing more. I agree with the stats and would consider any shot (full swing or not) with a wedge to be short game as I've always considered the wedges as the scoring clubs regardless of the distance you are using them for.

However, nothing spoils a round for me more than penalties off the tee. Even a bogey golfer that plays his/her best will be lucky to break 100 if they send a few tee shots OB.
 
What's cleveland know about short game :)

Video was well done and speaks the truth. I think of all the crazy rounds I've had where I'm slapping the ball all over the place with the driver and irons but the old wedge and 1 putt saves the day and can make up for off days in other aspects.

Like me shooting 85 saturday hitting only 3 greens in regulation but having only 26 putts (no 3 jacks). That's a lot of up and downs
 
Hitting wedges are my most enjoyable part of the game for me right now. I have worked so hard to be able to hit them well that even when I am at 200yds I will hit a wedge to 100yds and enjoy just watching a pretty ball flight down the fairway. Then hitting another onto the green from there is what has helped the most for scoring.
 
Hey, I can attest to #Own125. My Cleveland RTX 2.0 50° and 56° have really helped me drop shots from my score. Whether it's an 8 foot birdie putt or a tap in from a green side chip, that's where the scoring is. My ability to save par from all over is a HUGE difference maker.

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This seems like another way to argue what part of the golf game is the most important.
 
I definitely agree with their premise. To paraphrase Gary Player, I spend a lot of time turning 2 shots into 3 - mostly from that range or closer.
 
sleuth said:
This seems like another way to argue what part of the golf game is the most important.
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But in this case hard numbers and facts don't lie. You take more shots 125 & in. Not hard to argue with facts.

Now if the conversation is what you "think" is more important that's different. This video is telling you that a majority of your shots come from 125 & in, so why not pay more attention.
 
Short game gave me major issues when I first started playing. I was horrible from bunkers and terrible chipping around the greens. I'd say this is one of the stronger points of my game now. I've learned to use bounce some and it's made a big difference this year. I still struggle with distance control on wedge shots though. Some of the most fun I've had at the course is going to the practice green and having an up and down game with a buddy. Man, can you get better by doing this...need to do it more often.


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mikeg_74 said:
But in this case hard numbers and facts don't lie. You take more shots 125 & in. Not hard to argue with facts.

Now if the conversation is what you "think" is more important that's different. This video is telling you that a majority of your shots come from 125 & in, so why not pay more attention.
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Not to argue the importance of the shorter parts of ones game but those facts are only relative and subject to those who indeed do have a higher percentage of shorter game shots.

Many mid and especially higher cappers may have it the other way around. Lets look at very real hypothetical scenarios that many people do indeed face.

We usually have18 tee shots longer than 125. And in general I think its fair to say we probably have (even after good tee shots and minus the par3's) 11 of 14 approach shots from longer than 125. That's 29 shots so far. Now consider how many of those are topped, flopped, chopped, scribbled, sliced and diced not to mention outright errant. lets say even if 10 of the 29.
Those 10 now must be any combo of either re-hit from not much closer in, or must be recovered from very bad places, and not to mention any penalties associated with any of them. Then a small percentage of those shots too can also be poorly hit.
So those 10 poor ones can add up to another 20 strokes easily when all said and done.

Point is that it wouldn't be at all a stretch to say that when one shoots in the 90's to 100 and more that often enough 50% of his strokes may indeed certainly be coming from his longer game.

None of this suggests one should ignore the shorter game nor deny its importance. Regardless of any of this, everyone should work to minimize the short game strokes imo, eventually they will pay off no matter what. But to say most strokes are from 125 and in is just not correct for everyone and why I have said that the shorter game imo tends to become more important (more so)as one gets better at their golf over all.
 
rollin said:
Not to argue the importance of the shorter parts of ones game but those facts are only relative and subject to those who indeed do have a higher percentage of shorter game shots.

Many mid and especially higher cappers may have it the other way around. Lets look at very real hypothetical scenarios that many people do indeed face.

We usually have18 tee shots longer than 125. And in general I think its fair to say we probably have (even after good tee shots and minus the par3's) 11 of 14 approach shots from longer than 125. That's 29 shots so far. Now consider how many of those are topped, flopped, chopped, scribbled, sliced and diced not to mention outright errant. lets say even if 10 of the 29.
Those 10 now must be any combo of either re-hit from not much closer in, or must be recovered from very bad places, and not to mention any penalties associated with any of them. Then a small percentage of those shots too can also be poorly hit.
So those 10 poor ones can add up to another 20 strokes easily when all said and done.

Point is that it wouldn't be at all a stretch to say that when one shoots in the 90's to 100 and more that often enough 50% of his strokes may indeed certainly be coming from his longer game.

None of this suggests one should ignore the shorter game nor deny its importance. Regardless of any of this, everyone should work to minimize the short game strokes imo, eventually they will pay off no matter what. But to say most strokes are from 125 and in is just not correct for everyone and why I have said that the shorter game imo tends to become more important as one gets better at their golf over all.
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Even in your scenario, which the numbers are a bit off based on what we have viewed at over a hundred events and gatherings, you are still looking at 50%. Which is exactly half. I can look at scorecards across the board at every event and show that the higher handicapped players lose more actual strokes from inside of 125 than any other part of the game and its not really close.

Even if the higher handicap golfer is two putting every green and averaging 36 putts per round and shoots 100, that is already 36% without ever having missed a green, found a bunker or hit a wedge. To think that all of those strokes combined are not adding up to more than 14 to bring it to higher than 50 is just not fathomable based on what we watch at the events.

FWIW, it was even proven as a test at a THP Event where a scratch golfer played alongside a higher handicapper and played everything from a PW and in. The difference was 19 strokes. Showed exactly wear the golfer was actually losing strokes around the course comparing his 26 index to that of a scratch golfer.

But none of it changes the fact that if you do #Own125 you will score better.
 
A scratch player hits driver 20% of the time, the guy that shoots 90 hits driver 15% of the time...and we collectively get geeked out over every new color, weight placement and shaft option there without debating how needed it is. I say who cares if the short game number is 30%, 50% or 65%. Is there anyone that wouldn't like to be better at it? Bonus points if the equipment helps us get there.
 
Man, Cleveland/Srixon's campaign production crew is top notch! From the #JourneyToBetter to now #Own125 their video productions make me want to run through a brick wall to get myself better. Well done guys.

Put me on the agree with the 60+% of shots made within 125 yards. My last outing I shot 77 and had 35 putts and 13 other shots inside 125 yards before the putts. That's 48 of the 77 shots inside 125 yards which is 62%. If I made a few more putts and got that down to 30 putts and a 72 still is 59%. My game is pretty much defined inside this yardage. And they are right, I don't practice it near as much as I should.
 
rollin said:
Not to argue the importance of the shorter parts of ones game but those facts are only relative and subject to those who indeed do have a higher percentage of shorter game shots.

Many mid and especially higher cappers may have it the other way around. Lets look at very real hypothetical scenarios that many people do indeed face.

We usually have18 tee shots longer than 125. And in general I think its fair to say we probably have (even after good tee shots and minus the par3's) 11 of 14 approach shots from longer than 125. That's 29 shots so far. Now consider how many of those are topped, flopped, chopped, scribbled, sliced and diced not to mention outright errant. lets say even if 10 of the 29.
Those 10 now must be any combo of either re-hit from not much closer in, or must be recovered from very bad places, and not to mention any penalties associated with any of them. Then a small percentage of those shots too can also be poorly hit.
So those 10 poor ones can add up to another 20 strokes easily when all said and done.

Point is that it wouldn't be at all a stretch to say that when one shoots in the 90's to 100 and more that often enough 50% of his strokes may indeed certainly be coming from his longer game.

None of this suggests one should ignore the shorter game nor deny its importance. Regardless of any of this, everyone should work to minimize the short game strokes imo, eventually they will pay off no matter what. But to say most strokes are from 125 and in is just not correct for everyone and why I have said that the shorter game imo tends to become more important (more so)as one gets better at their golf over all.
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You are completely missing the fact of what this campaign is about. Sure a crappy player can take two off every box bc they can't hit a fairway, hit the second shot ob, top a all, eye....that's not the point.

Even in your scenario you won't reach the amount of shots you take from 125 and in & that's what this is about.
 
Nate said:
And they are right, I don't practice it near as much as I should.
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This.

I created a little tracking spreadsheet a few months back to track my preparation for certain things that I know are key to my game, just in case I should get selected into a certain other event. I mark each topic red, green or yellow for the week. It isn't a measure of skill, but rather a way to answer the question: "am I doing the work?" I forgot about it for a while and went back to update my progress yesterday. Short game: red, red, red, red...it is silly that we don't practice this stuff enough. My index has gone from low 10s to almost 12 over the same period. Coincidence?
 
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