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Short game, how important is it?

I feel that for "weekend hackers" we would be better served working on the game from 100 yards in, as we will never see 300+ yard drives or 70+ % greens in regulation on a consistent basis, but we could all lower our handicaps by 2 - 4 strokes by being better short game players. It doesn't matter what tee box you play from or how far you can hit a particular club, if you cant hit it close with a wedge or get it up and down when you miss a green
 
mmaynard11 said:
Where have I been the last few days?!?! These last few have brought on some serious game analyzing. Short game by far is the difference from shooting a 90 over an 85. I feel if the short game is lacking (putting, chipping, saves) your score ultimately will skyrocket.
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But that is not "always" the case at all. I have been golfing over 20 years. Many those years only a little bit. But the last two seasons more than I ever did before. Only in these last two years do I poses and develop a decent short game (short pitches and chips) around the green. prior to that I barely had one at all. But my scores have not dropped because of it. Reason is that my blow ups come from anywhere.

My best rounds and when I even stand a chance at breaking a 90 in the first place is most usually due to much better play from the tees and with the approaches. That is how I've shot my PB (84) and anything close to it over the last two seasons. My old PB (86) from 7 years ago was shot when i didn't even have a short game. Now I have one but my scores are the same because of the inconsistent poor play from other parts of the game. Of course I can have bad holes and days with the short stuff too and it can be a reason for bad days. But the biggest differences for my better scoring most usually has come from playing better from the tees and with the irons. Much less of the spraying the ball all over. Much less of the chops, tops, and flops, much less oob, much less hazards etc, etc..I can go on and on. For higher cap players I will never argue the importance of a short game but just saying that other parts are just as important and may even be the most detrimental to their scoring as in my case now.

Once I remain much more consistent in those other areas, now that is when further improving the short game will allow for even better golf. This goes back to what I said earlier. The better one becomes at golf over all, then the more important the short game also becomes. It almost happens by default simply because its where the most improvement can come from. Being consistently good enough off the tees and with the irons means it now becomes more about the short game. But for one who isn't consistently good enough off the tees and with irons does not yet have the ability to take that for granted. May even have a short game but still cant score well because those other parts are just too costly. Improving in those other areas (for him) will lead to his best scoring and is just as or even more important for the time being.
 
Rollin in the spirit of getting better, what holds you back from becoming more consistent? Is it execution or poor decisions?
 
It's all I've got (on a good day) so I sure hope it's important!
 
For me, it's probably the most consistent cause of high scores in my rounds. My drives miss the fairway almost 50% of the time, but of the remaing %50 half are close to the fairway and I can manage the other half decently. My iron striking is not good, but I'm fairly consistent with them. The problem there is that many times I'm left or right of the green because my dispersion is not good. So typically I'm inside of 20 yards of the green within 2 shots on a par 4, 3 shots on a 5. I have the opportunity to recover by pitching or chipping close to the pin, but I don't have the skillset to do so yet. I typically get on the green with the following chip/pitch, but may still be as far away from the pin as possible (could be short or long). So I'm not giving myself the opportunity to save par with my putting. My putting is not great, but is average for my handicap/experience. I'm averaging 36.2 putts per round right now, with 34 in my last round. But I still shot a 99 last round. The extra 1 shot minimum per hole due to my accuracy/dispersion automatically puts my score at 90.

So while continued improvement in all areas, no matter how small, will help shave strokes off my handicap, improving my short game would shave a bunch off at once. My short game skills are entirely self taught with the help of the PGA Academy DVD's. I took lessons when I started and am taking lessons now, but have primarily focused on full swing skills because I need improvement there too. I intend on taking a short game lesson with my current instructor, some one else, or taking a short game class in the near future. If I could shave half of the extra strokes off by getting pitches/chips close to the pin I'd be able to shoot 90 or better without improving anywhere else.
 
The definition of "short game" is the aspect of golf considered in relation to the ability of a player to hit medium or short shots, as chip shots, pitch shots, and putts, with accuracy.

If you take putting out of it, then much of the short game is in relation to scrambling, meaning you probably missed on your approach (unless you were around the green on a par 5 or short par 4). So wouldn't the approach shot be almost as important?

There was great discussion on this in a previous thread too.

http://www.thehackersparadise.com/f...truly-think-about-it-is-the-short-game-really
 
majBC said:
Rollin in the spirit of getting better, what holds you back from becoming more consistent? Is it execution or poor decisions?
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Thanks for asking. Its execution for sure. I've learned to make better choices, take my medicine and play to what a given hole gives me some time ago. Truthfully I don't just bogey my way through a course for a 92. I sometimes wish I did. At least that would mean consistency. Any round can be different of course. Some days cant hit a tee shot, some days the irons and some the chipping or any combo. But "more often than not" my round is uaualy enough my share of pars and even an occasional bird but then its just a matter of all a sudden I'll flop, chop, dice & slice & mop up 3 shots in a row right in the middle of a hole and decent golf in any part of my game at any time with no pattern to it at all. Then do it again on the next hole and perhaps 4 holes later etc. In between pars and bogeys there are always just enough triples or even quads (blow-ups, self implosions) caused by bad execution of shots that stop me from shooting and staying with sub 90 rounds at my home course. I have to eliminate the failed executions of shots. Of course its not easy to do for me. Lessons last year and different ones this year I'm working at it best I can with my resources.
 
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moosejaa said:
The definition of "short game" is the aspect of golf considered in relation to the ability of a player to hit medium or short shots, as chip shots, pitch shots, and putts, with accuracy.

If you take putting out of it, then much of the short game is in relation to scrambling, meaning you probably missed on your approach (unless you were around the green on a par 5 or short par 4). So wouldn't the approach shot be almost as important
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Some would advocate for that as in the article I copied a few pages back. It implies that improving GIR's is the best way to lower score. Right, wrong or indifferent I'm just the messenger but I couldn't really argue with it.
 
pretty sure everyone would agree short game is the most important thing. who could score well without it? I know I cant
 
For me, the short game is huge. I'm not a long enough hitter that I can afford many fluffed shots around the green, and I'm not straight enough with the longer clubs to avoid needing a short game.
 
My short game is my game! Putting is my issue.
 
Good short game is the only for way for me to play 70's. If I have a mediocre short game day 80-85 is possible. Bad short game...I don't wan talk about it.

Of course every part of the game is important. You can't get to the green if don't get out of the tee box, you need to putt as well, but my short game is where I can save stuff, where I can make up for the mistakes I do.
 
rollin said:
Thanks for asking. Its execution for sure. I've learned to make better choices, take my medicine and play to what a given hole gives me some time ago. Truthfully I don't just bogey my way through a course for a 92. I sometimes wish I did. At least that would mean consistency. Any round can be different of course. Some days cant hit a tee shot, some days the irons and some the chipping or any combo. But "more often than not" my round is uaualy enough my share of pars and even an occasional bird but then its just a matter of all a sudden I'll flop, chop, dice & slice & mop up 3 shots in a row right in the middle of a hole and decent golf in any part of my game at any time with no pattern to it at all. Then do it again on the next hole and perhaps 4 holes later etc. In between pars and bogeys there are always just enough triples or even quads (blow-ups, self implosions) caused by bad execution of shots that stop me from shooting and staying with sub 90 rounds at my home course. I have to eliminate the failed executions of shots. Of course its not easy to do for me. Lessons last year and different ones this year I'm working at it best I can with my resources.
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rollin if you have the ability to have pretty good ball striking for 13 or 14 holes, you have the ability to have good ball striking for 17 or 18 holes. I think it must be a mental block or how you react to your one bad shot which leads to more bad shots. Do you try to change things with your swing when you hit a bad shot? Does the bad shot get you out of your rhythm and your brain is going a hundred miles an hour? Do you get down on yourself after a bad shot? Something is causing you to leave your comfort zone and until you find out what it is you are probably always going to have blow up holes. I think you could quickly drop 6 to 10 strokes per round, with no swing change if you could just figure it out. It really would be that easy. Good luck, and just let it happen.
 
It is nice having enough confidence in your short game to be able to use the Bunkers as an option instead of putting the fear in your head while standing over a shot.
 
Lots of great debate in this thread. Let me say first I'm in no way advocating that everyone rely on their short game to be the best you can be. It's the entire game from the green back to the tee. That being said, there are no world betters on this forum. The best of best on this forum is as good as his swing allows on a given day.

I'm going to use a few of my close friends as examples. Trout bum is a FIR and GIR machine. He is at or around a few over par on any given day. JB has a home made golf swing and when given time is very consistent with his ball flight and is n the mid 70s when he is on. You have two guys that are with in a few shots of each other. But one peppers the greens and fairways and the other can get up and down form I-95 in a snow storm. Both carry about the same cap. But have entirely different approaches to the game.

I say this with nothing but love, but without his short game and putter, JB would be a high 70s low 80s guy on the regular. And so would I, we both have excellent short games that allow us to keep it going when we are a little off. But it is nothing to burn 8 edges and you shoot 80. When are tee to green game is on, it's touch to beat us and we both know it. I know plenty of guys like this on the forum that on a so so short game day hold it together.

Now if trout starts missing greens and FW he is decent but he relies on his consistency to get it done. If that is off and he isn't making Putts he ain't going to play well. Now playing bad for trout is high 70s so don't feel bad.

I feel that guys with solid short games hit enough solid approach shots that put them in scoring positions, they wear down the guy that is middle of the fairway and middle of the green. Guys with solid short games know how to score and get the ball in the hole. The other guys knows how to make par, which is excellent. But I like making birdies, and going for par fives in two and short par four off the tee. Because I know I can wedge it closer from around the green than my partner that is hitting and 8 iron into the green.

I used these two because I admire their games, not to call them out. I learn something every time I play with trout and that has made more cognizant of my tee ball and approaches. When I get to play with JB I watch his imagination and mastery with the wedge. As well as the pace he hits his putts. There are merits in every aspect of the game. I guess if I hit more greens I'd say approach shots mean more. But when I'm off I need my short game.
 
majBC said:
rollin if you have the ability to have pretty good ball striking for 13 or 14 holes, you have the ability to have good ball striking for 17 or 18 holes. I think it must be a mental block or how you react to your one bad shot which leads to more bad shots. Do you try to change things with your swing when you hit a bad shot? Does the bad shot get you out of your rhythm and your brain is going a hundred miles an hour? Do you get down on yourself after a bad shot? Something is causing you to leave your comfort zone and until you find out what it is you are probably always going to have blow up holes. I think you could quickly drop 6 to 10 strokes per round, with no swing change if you could just figure it out. It really would be that easy. Good luck, and just let it happen.
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Thank you, According to my latest instructor he feels my weak wrist is the main reason for the breakdown in consistency. of course he is changing more than just this but I don't wish to jack this thread about myself. I actually have another thread going for that. Thanks for your sincere concern. Always welcome advice and opinions.
 
HUGE!!!
My long game is slightly above average with decent accuracy and I was a 13 HCP before someone I play with (and respect) tried encouraging me to keep my wrists more stable while pitching/chipping around the green. Long story short, I gained almost 8 strokes b/c I couldn't get the hang of being more stable and "locking my wrists." It felt robotic to me. I was duffing and sculling shots all over the place. In the past half-year, I went back to "swinging my swing," which is dead hands and some wrist hinge on all shots around the green. Now my scores are dropping again.
Short game is all feel IMO and you should do what feels right for you. This is one area where focusing on "technique" (whatever that means) really hurt my game.

Now I can work on putting and avoiding that occasional errant tee shot :D
 
Tadashi70 said:
Lots of great debate in this thread. Let me say first I'm in no way advocating that everyone rely on their short game to be the best you can be. It's the entire game from the green back to the tee. That being said, there are no world betters on this forum. The best of best on this forum is as good as his swing allows on a given day.

I'm going to use a few of my close friends as examples. Trout bum is a FIR and GIR machine. He is at or around a few over par on any given day. JB has a home made golf swing and when given time is very consistent with his ball flight and is n the mid 70s when he is on. You have two guys that are with in a few shots of each other. But one peppers the greens and fairways and the other can get up and down form I-95 in a snow storm. Both carry about the same cap. But have entirely different approaches to the game.

I say this with nothing but love, but without his short game and putter, JB would be a high 70s low 80s guy on the regular. And so would I, we both have excellent short games that allow us to keep it going when we are a little off. But it is nothing to burn 8 edges and you shoot 80. When are tee to green game is on, it's touch to beat us and we both know it. I know plenty of guys like this on the forum that on a so so short game day hold it together.

Now if trout starts missing greens and FW he is decent but he relies on his consistency to get it done. If that is off and he isn't making Putts he ain't going to play well. Now playing bad for trout is high 70s so don't feel bad.

I feel that guys with solid short games hit enough solid approach shots that put them in scoring positions, they wear down the guy that is middle of the fairway and middle of the green. Guys with solid short games know how to score and get the ball in the hole. The other guys knows how to make par, which is excellent. But I like making birdies, and going for par fives in two and short par four off the tee. Because I know I can wedge it closer from around the green than my partner that is hitting and 8 iron into the green.

I used these two because I admire their games, not to call them out. I learn something every time I play with trout and that has made more cognizant of my tee ball and approaches. When I get to play with JB I watch his imagination and mastery with the wedge. As well as the pace he hits his putts. There are merits in every aspect of the game. I guess if I hit more greens I'd say approach shots mean more. But when I'm off I need my short game.
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Oomann .. that was soo well put together! :thankyou:
 
It is the difference between saving a round and blowing it up. Getting up and down is more important in some ways than the long game. I mean covering 400 - 450 yards in two strokes can be done by anybody with todays clubs. Miss the green by 10 yards though and you can easily take 3 or more strokes with a chip that runs long or short or a ball that does not come out of a bunker or a missed putt or any one of a hundred things that can go wrong or a hundred different bad lies you you could get around a green and you are going to drop a lot of shots in a round.

The thing that separates elite players from the also rans is the short game. It's no coincidence that the guys on top of the scrambling stats are on top of the money list as well.
 
rollin said:
I wouldn't disagree that is not often the case but that is assuming the other players are pretty much doing decently similar in the rest of the game. Assuming most of the time most of the field is on or more likely at least mostly near the green in two shots. If one is out there spraying balls all over in his long and mid game it would stand to reason that the reason for him to burn his card would then because of that. He would not then be in that same position in two shots. It would instead be 3 shots or even four. Do that on enough holes and even if his short game is working he too will burn his card.
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Point well taken
 
Tedfroop said:
The thing that separates elite players from the also rans is the short game. It's no coincidence that the guys on top of the scrambling stats are on top of the money list as well.
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Although I advocate for it all being important I certainly will never say one shouldn't get as good as possible with the short game. You just simply have to and that's it. But "from what I have found" your stat would not be correct or at least not always. Here is a copy from my earlier golf digest copied posted article 10 years of stats saying its the GIR with the highest money list percentage average.. And another interesting one that also states otherwise and also implies about hitting greens being most important. I am just the messenger with these but they are interesting and eye opening.

From 2000 to 2010, the PGA Tour leader in driving distance averaged 100th on the money list. But the leader in greens in regulation (GIR) averaged 37th. By the way, the leader in putts per GIR averaged 66th and the leader in scrambling averaged 60th.
From 1995-'96, Tom Lehman (above) led the PGA Tour in GIR. It's no coincidence that he won the '96 British Open and Tour Championship and more money than any other player over those two years. In 2011 he was No. 1 in GIR on the Champions Tour, and sure enough, he won the money title.
Golf Digest Professional Advisor and statistician Lou Riccio points out that for average golfers GIR is overwhelmingly the strongest indicator of scoring. He says that if you really want to lower your scores, find a way to increase your GIR percentage.
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Here is another article I found that also says differently and is quite interesting to read.

GOLF TEACHING PRO[SUP]®[/SUP]
GOLF IS AN APPROACH SHOT GAME
By Mark Harman
USGTF Level IV Member and Course Examiner, Ridgeland, South Carolina​
page29.jpg
The title of this article goes against much of what conventional thinking says about success in golf. Most teachers and students are under the impression that the short game is the most important phase of the game, while others might say the ability to drive the ball long and straight is. Some will say it is putting, since research shows putts make up about 43 percent of all strokes taken. I want to make the case that the approach shot is actually the most important shot on any given hole for golfers who can break 100.

My first bit of evidence is incredibly strong – a study published twice over the years in Golf Digest magazine. The study shows that a person’s average score is very closely tied to the average number of greens hit in regulation. For a particular number of greens hit in regulation on average, a person’s score will be within a range of four shots – no more and no less.

For example, the study showed that a person who averages three GIR will average between 87 and 91. Almost no one who averages three GIR will average more or less than this scoring range. This means that the person who averages three GIR and has a lousy short game will average 91, while the golfer who has a great short game will average 87. Now, four shots is a significant difference and should not be ignored. The short game is indeed important. However, golfers who want to go from averaging 89 to 80 must improve their ballstriking.

Unfortunately, too many teachers are under the belief that bogey golfers can shoot 80 if they can just improve their short game. This is simply not the case. To average 80, a golfer must hit at least 6.5 GIR on average, and that is with a great short game. Most who average 80 will average around 7.5 GIR, according to the study.
I apologize if all of these numbers make your head spin, but they are important in illustrating my point. I also did a study of my own a number of years ago, using an amateur tour in Florida that confirmed these findings. Of the statistics the tour kept, my study back then showed that GIR was the most highly-correlated statistic in relation to scoring average, followed in order by driving accuracy, sand save percentage, putting, and driving distance.

The problem with all of this, of course, is that hitting accurate iron approaches is a very difficult prospect for many golfers. It is perhaps for this reason many teachers urge their students to focus on the short game, because these teachers believe their students can excel at the short game with some practice and correct technique. These teachers also say that, since their students will miss the majority of greens in regulation, it is important to have a good short game to save strokes. These reasons have some validity, but they still don’t overcome the fact that improving the short game can only produce a maximum improvement of four strokes – and that’s only if the student has a lousy short game in the first place. If their short game is average for their skill level, maximum improvement through the short game alone can now only be two strokes.

(To clarify – as I pointed out earlier, this is for golfers who can break 100. For those who can’t, they will probably lose more than four strokes around the greens. I don’t want anyone to get the impression I think working on the short game is unimportant. It certainly is, for all skill levels. My goal with this article is to just put it into proper context.)
 
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I think its the most important part of the game. Period. Can make or break any round imho.
 
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