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Full swing vs. Short game vs. Putting: where do we lose more strokes?

Cap is at 9.

My birdies come from short par 5s, good wedges, and lucky putts.

For me the bogeys tell more of the story than the birdies though. More of my bogeys are a result of a poor drive/tee shot than they are a result of a bad iron or a lame putt.
 
Short game for me. I work on the 60 yards and in constantly ( no where close to where I want to be). Up and downs cure lots of typical ametuer problems whether it be driving or iron play.
 
I need to get more consistent with my driver. I hit a much better second shot from the short grass. I only drive the ball 200-210, so I am hitting a hybrid into long par 4s. Short game needs some work also. But I know that I can 2 chip and 3 putt from most anything inside 50 yds. I just need to get there.
 
Full swing, and not just tee shots - all full swing play. When I keep the ball in play, I don't make big numbers. Short game is mostly redundant if you're chipping or putting for bogey or worse.
 
All three depending on the day for me.
 
In general people lose way more strokes from short game/putting. I can't tell you how many random people I get matched up with, who don't take more than 2-3 shots to get around the green, but then have 3-4 more strokes from there.

If you don't improve your short game/putting, then any work someone puts in to straighten their tee game won't do anything. A drive in the fairway does nothing if you 3-4 putt on the green.
 
Stats for my last 50 rounds (mid September till now)
Driver, 264 average 273 typical. Should go up a little since almost all the rounds were played in fairly soft conditions.

averages
Scoring: 76.5
30.9 putts per round
52.3% GIR (41.8% when missing fairway, 68.9% from fairway)
50.2% FIR
50.65 Scrambling

estimated strokes gained (minus is bad)
putting: +0.05
short game: -.95
Tee: -2.4
approach: -3.9
 
I would say full swing for me. My short game generally saves my rounds. If I could hit more fairways (and greens), I feel like I'd have a decent chance at this game.
 
I definately lose more with full swing shots, errant tee shots lead to penalty strokes, errant approach shots lead to bunkers or bad lies in the rough

Short game and putting is the only thing that keeps my scores from being astronomical
 
Off the tee is not as good as it should be but getting better.
 
Relatively long for amateur. avg 260. short game above average, putting is average. My lost strokes are on par 3's which makes no sense because I'm solid from fairway at same distance 100-160. Probably between the ears. Also it's my inconsistency going for the green in 2, it's either a laser or I'll duff it or blow it right. This causes me to have to lean heavily on short game to get me out of some horrific spots. I really need to focus on that yardage (180-240) or start laying up (gasp)
 
Right now, my short game costs me more shots. That used to be pretty equal with my tee game. If you're suspect at both, look out.

Improving my tee game gave me many more rounds threatening 80. To really break thru that barrier, I have to improve similarly in my short game.

Index is 10.
 
Rambler said:
Right now, my short game costs me more shots. That used to be pretty equal with my tee game. If you're suspect at both, look out.

Improving my tee game gave me many more rounds threatening 80. To really break thru that barrier, I have to improve similarly in my short game.

Index is 10.
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well said. poor play from anywhere adds a lot of strokes. Getting to the greens needs to also be done within some reasonable efficiency too. One cant be at bogey or also par and yet then just getting on or near the green. But once the game from the tee on can be respectably counted on, we must play a good green and greenside game in order to go lower. We actually need it all to go well don't we?
 
smschulz said:
If you can't putt ~ you can't win.
If you can't drive ~ you can't play.
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This is incredibly true.

Most of my strokes come from penalties and terrible tee shots. My putting is streaky but I average 2.0 puts per hole. I didn't sniff 90 last year, because I couldn't get off the tee. Way too many penalties.
 
16 Handicap for me and most of my birdies are due to good short game or a nice long (over 8') putt. I've had plenty of bad (not terrible) tee shots that lead to birdies with a good wedge shot or nice putt.
 
Approach/chips/putts for me. Some days I just can't hit a damn green, chip or make a putt to save my life despite hitting or being slightly off 80% of the fairways.

from golfshot app last 20 rounds:

FWY (54%)......only counting actual fairways not 1 foot off. It's creeping back up though the last few months and this number was well over 60% a few years ago. The misses were 70/30 slanted to left misses until the last year when I switched to a stiffer shaft now it's down to 50/50.
GIR (40%)........bad miss is usually long and left, rest are short right
Scrambling (16%) not sure how that is calculated though
Putting (per GIR) 2.1 meh..................I'd guess I average around 34 putts a round overall.

Birdies at 7% of holes......haven't had an eagle in 10+ years. oh wait I had one last year on a par 4 from 165!
 
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As a lower handicap, I find that I loose more shots in my short game. It varies from time to time, but usually it's a bad chip that doesn't get close enough for a tap in and I two putt for a bogey or worse.
 
My short game is where I give strokes on a bad shot. I can recover from a bad tee shot but a bad short chip screws me over a bit more. As that usually leads to another chip or an extremely long putt.
 
I'd say my approach game is my weak link. Being on the green in reg doesn't do me any good if my first putt is an attempt to lag it close at hoping to only 2 putt


@bigtazzGOLF
Sent from Big Orange country
using Tapatalk #GoVols
 
As I have been analyzing my on course results it is clear to me the biggest is approach shots. While all parts of the game are important this year my #1 focus will be on improving play with my irons.
 
If I assume a two-putt as a baseline for every hole, I generally give more penalty strokes (2-3 per round) than I do three putts (1-2 per round). In other words, generally, I score lower with better tee shots (0 penalties) but with my usual putting, than I would with no three-putts but my usual tee shots. Part of the issue is some of the courses around here in Corona area - all in the hills, and your ball can be slightly OB and just gone. If I can get my drive in a good spot/nice lie, my chances to bird/par go up significantly for me. I'm at a 12.5 hcp.

Interesting question / thread!
 
bigtazz53 said:
I'd say my approach game is my weak link. Being on the green in reg doesn't do me any good if my first putt is an attempt to lag it close at hoping to only 2 putt


@bigtazzGOLF
Sent from Big Orange country
using Tapatalk #GoVols
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From where are you hitting your approach shots?

Remember that a touring professional will make less than 1 in 5 of their 10 foot putts. So the chances of you making that putt are pretty slim.
 
Drew Z said:
16 Handicap for me and most of my birdies are due to good short game or a nice long (over 8') putt. I've had plenty of bad (not terrible) tee shots that lead to birdies with a good wedge shot or nice putt.
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But then those tee shots are not too "bad" after all are they? I mean you still needed to be decent enough with the tee shot to give yourself the opportunity play to a birdie.

musicmaster6921 said:
My short game is where I give strokes on a bad shot. I can recover from a bad tee shot but a bad short chip screws me over a bit more. As that usually leads to another chip or an extremely long putt.
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But a bad tee shot is no more recoverable than a bad chip or a bad iron shot or a bad putt. In fact hit your tee shot oob, or into the water, woods, weeds, or flop one 30 yrds, and its also going to cost you that birdie too and often the par as well.

Pars and birdies are in general going to require good play from the tee to green and of course into the cup. I would never say one shouldn't be the best player they can be from close around the greens. Its very important. But I think too often most people forget that you have to get on or close to the green in 2 shots (on the average par4) in order to par, not even to mention bird. In general when one recovers from a bad tee shot and makes par and especially bird, the tee shot most probably wasn't too bad after all. Its no different imo to recover from a less than good tee shot by then playing a great iron as it is to make a great putt or second great chip after a less than good first one. Just because we are closer to the hole doesn't imo somehow out way the other stuff that was detrimental to our score. You guys are talking birdies and we need it all to go good for that. Birdies are often lost right from the tees and also from the iron shots too. Its can all be detrimental to a birdie. Its merely by default that when we are bad or less than good with the prior shot that the next shot becomes more important. But that doesn't mean the first shot was not as meaningful. I mean we wouldn't be forced to recover with a great shot if the last one was good regardless which part of the game it came from. Its all holds great value.
 
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