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The Long Game

Trout Bum

Trout Bum

Regional Rival
Albatross 2024 Club
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I know through many threads and conversations both here and in person that many of us struggle with distance on certain courses or longer par 3's and 4's. What do you do to compensate for lack of distance? Do you work on your long and mid irons for accuracy? Do you play for the miss and use your wedge game to compensate for it? Do you get creative with your woods from the fairway when in between long club distances?

How do you guy compensate for being a shorter player? do you work on the long game as much or more than the short iron game?
 
Practice putting.
 
Shorter players don't exist on the internet.
 
JB is spot on...putting is king. Probably why I struggle so much
 
I don't really compensate for my Mack of distance by trying to vet too creative. When I try to get "Cute" my intended result usually does not happen.

I lean on my wedge and putting game to count as an equalizer. If someone I'm playing against makes a green in regulation and I'm still off the green, I simply try to get it close and one putt.
Playing the correct tees for your personal distance is important also.
 
Ramp up the short game practice, because in the end if you can't putt you end up
Losing even more strokes.
 
I think a good flatstick can mask quite a bit of one's inefficiencies in golf including the long game
 
I try to maintain a good short game to help for when I can't/don't get to the green.

What also helps me (I believe) is that I'm usually pretty good with a hybrid in my hand so even at 200 out I'm still fairly confident I can get on or very near the green so I don't worry as much if I'm 25 yards or plus behind a competitor.
 
For one thing at least for non competitive golf where tees are not forced upon you, swallowing some pride and playing the correct set of tees would help some shorter hitters who refuse to do so.

Aside from that what should you do that would really be any different from anyone else anyway?
I'm not trying to be disrespectful or minimize the topic or any of the answers but everyone should try to be the best they can be at putting and the shorty game too regardless of their distances.

In fact it could be argued that there may be a greater need to be as consistent as possible with their long shots because the further and more often one is off target, the harder it becomes to recover. Being off target from the tee adds distance and usually with less favorable lies making the second shots not only longer but also more difficult.

And I also think one should manage his/her game accordingly. Things like when you know your not going to reach (regardless of the hole's par) play the smarter shot with the smarter club choice. I'm not a long hitter. I think I'm about average maybe a touch on the longer side vs the average weekend hacker and when I end up in a situation where I cant reach or even if I could but the shot is very risky I just try to hit the shot I think I have the best chance at making even if it means being short. That could mean hitting a more favorable club to a good place vs trying to make a shot that's only very rarely going to be successful.

We all have to have and should obtain a good shorty game and putting. The only other things a shorter hitter can do to help compensate is imo to be as consistent on target as possible with his longer stuff and make smarter choices. The less you do of either of those, the harder things become. Regardless of distance, one must simply manage the game and be as consistently on target as possible. One can only play the game within their means so the idea is simply then to play it as consistent and as smart as possible.
 
I just try to hit something I am comfortable with that keeps me out of trouble. Sometimes the lie dictates hitting a wood off the fairway but mostly I try to hit to a good number. Sometimes you have to just take your medicine and lean on your short game.
 
Putting. But there really Isn't an excuse for playing a par 4 that's too long.
 
blugold said:
Putting. But there really Isn't an excuse for playing a par 4 that's too long.
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There are plenty, some courses have one hole that is ridiculously long, or maybe you are playing in a tournament that demands a certain tee, even though it isn't a comfortable distance for you.
 
Wake said:
There are plenty, some courses have one hole that is ridiculously long, or maybe you are playing in a tournament that demands a certain tee, even though it isn't a comfortable distance for you.
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The tournament situation I agree with.
 
wedge game and putting
 
Short game...doesn't matter how long or short you are, if you're 3 jacking all the time you're not going to score well.
 
I definitely try and put more of an emphasis on short game, to compensate for not being as good of a long iron player.

In terms of actually improving on the long game, I try and concentrate on better contact, and keeping it in the fairway. If I am not on the green, I would rather be in a good position from the fairway, rather than in a bunker or stuck in deep rough.
 
one of the guys i played with today and on a regular basis were discussing something similar today. He doesn't hit it as far as a one or two of us in the group but still scores well. Why is that? because of short game and putting. he made several long putts for par or save a bogey in a couple instances where he was looking at double bogey for sure and maybe triple. Its all about short game regardless of whether you hit the ball long or if you are a short knocker.
 
Have to rely and practice my short game. If I can get up and down then missing the green on that 470yd par 4 isn't going to hurt me.
 
emart2173 said:
one of the guys i played with today and on a regular basis were discussing something similar today. He doesn't hit it as far as a one or two of us in the group but still scores well. Why is that? because of short game and putting. he made several long putts for par or save a bogey in a couple instances where he was looking at double bogey for sure and maybe triple. Its all about short game regardless of whether you hit the ball long or if you are a short knocker.
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I agree. A great short game and putting trumps distance. The OEM's have everyone chasing distance so they can sell drivers.

The way I look at long par 5's is, lets say the hole is 550 yards. Once I hit my 240 yard drive, it is now simply a 310 yard par 4. Forget distance. Just hit the fairway's and work on the short game and putting.
 
I'm a little different thinking on this. I truly believe in the importance of having a strong short game and I see the benefits for many people, especially when playing with THP'rs but with saying that I try and focus on my long irons, I try to be as accurate with my 3 iron as I am with my 54, I want to control my 4 iron as well as I do my pw, and my 5 iron may be my strongest club in the bag. I practice my long game because I am a short hitter and I know the only way I'll shoot lower scores is to work on my long irons.

The beauty is that s long as we get there how we arrive is irrelevant, it's such a great game with so many options and so many different journeys.
 
I actually work on my long irons when I am practicing. I also keep the short game sharp.
 
zeroputt said:
Moved up to the yellow tees. I started a thread about it....
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I need to play the forward tips more often. It's a really fun round of golf. Plus, it forces shots and decisions that a person may not have otherwise. Good way to make a familiar course feel new.
 
It sure changes the look (angles) of the hole. And, as you say, it's fun and new....

blugold said:
I need to play the forward tips more often. It's a really fun round of golf. Plus, it forces shots and decisions that a person may not have otherwise. Good way to make a familiar course feel new.
Click to expand...
 
braddman19 said:
In terms of actually improving on the long game, I try and concentrate on better contact, and keeping it in the fairway. If I am not on the green, I would rather be in a good position from the fairway, rather than in a bunker or stuck in deep rough.
Click to expand...

HoosierGolfer said:
The way I look at long par 5's is, lets say the hole is 550 yards. Once I hit my 240 yard drive, it is now simply a 310 yard par 4. Forget distance. Just hit the fairway's and work on the short game and putting.
Click to expand...

Trout Bum said:
I'm a little different thinking on this. I truly believe in the importance of having a strong short game and I see the benefits for many people, especially when playing with THP'rs but with saying that I try and focus on my long irons, I try to be as accurate with my 3 iron as I am with my 54, I want to control my 4 iron as well as I do my pw, and my 5 iron may be my strongest club in the bag. I practice my long game because I am a short hitter and I know the only way I'll shoot lower scores is to work on my long irons.
The beauty is that s long as we get there how we arrive is irrelevant, it's such a great game with so many options and so many different journeys.
Click to expand...

I agree with all the above and is similar to what I posted earlier. I think its a given that everyone should try to obtain the best short game they are capable of. So the only other thing left for the best way imo to compensate for lack of distance is to be as accurate as possible with everything else. The shorter one is, the less room for error because the recovery will be that much more difficult. Being further off target and doing that more often only adds more distance to the hole and from more difficult scenarios.

I'm not a short player but just this past Friday I was having a poor day off the tees and with the longer irons so it was very similar to one being short. But I still shot 2 strokes off my personal best. There were 2 big reasons for shooting a real good score.

#1- Along with good putts my shorty stuff from close in were working real well. But #2 - the other hugely important reason was that although my tee and long games took a dive my misses were straight. I just couldn't make good contact. A lot of thins , some fats, toes, heels whatever and even though everything was short, they were not errant. Somehow everything stayed in front of me and in play. This helped a ton for the lack of distance due to the poor ball striking. This is what allowed me to get near the holes and the greens while still with a good stroke count. Even though my shorty game was very good that day and also gets a lot of credit, if all those other poor shots had been errant and less than straight too often there is no way I would have shot a good score. I simply would have not been in position before too many strokes were lost. So imo (with short game being given) being accurate is the best way to compensate for lack of distance.
 
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