My story is just one guy’s story, and anecdotal evidence probably isn’t compelling for most readers of this site. ![]() I made more putts because I was leaving myself inside of 10 feet, which is the magic distance where you actually have a chance to make them.My short game was like a shield against errant swings. Instead of dreading my wedges, I knew that I could get up and down for par from anywhere on the course. I was no longer as worried or distressed when I missed a green. Rounds where I would have shot an 84 or 85 were now a 78 or 79. I was able to lower my scores on rounds where my full swing was off.Improving my wedge game did a few things: 7 handicap as of this spring (I’m currently a 2 right now). I credit this shift in my philosophy to improving from a 4-8 handicap down to a. To me, the short game is golf’s low-hanging fruit because it’s where you can improve your scores with the lowest time investment. The beauty about the short game is that once you understand the proper technique, it’s easy to make huge strides in that part of the game. ![]() I devoted my practice sessions to honing in my wedge distances, and improving my chipping technique. Not only did it convince me that the path to lower scores was going to be through my wedge game, but it gave me the tools to understand how to play those shots more effectively. I read Dave Pelz’s The Short Game Bible about 10 years ago. He watched me hit the ball for about 20 minutes as I went through my bag executing perfect shots – 300 yard drives, 7-irons thrown at the pin with laser accuracy. I remember taking a lesson with a pro down in Florida many years ago. Most people who saw me on a driving range would assume I was a scratch golfer because of the way I hit the ball. As a kid, I spent thousands of hours hitting golf balls, and mostly focusing on the longer game. If I had to summarize most of my golfing career, I would say it would be “wasted talent.” Since I took up the game at 10 years old, I have always been an above-average ball striker. How do I know that? Well, because it was the key for me. Your short game can be the great equalizer in golf, and it requires much less time and effort to master than the long game. I think Dave Pelz sums it up nicely in this clip… ![]() However, every golfer on this planet can develop a great short game. No matter how much time we spend with the driver, the overwhelming majority of us will never hit it like Jason Day. Reaching that level of proficiency takes a great deal of time and effort in addition to having the natural physical ability. Only a select group of golfers will have the physique, athleticism and technique to hit the ball with tremendous length and accuracy. ![]() While the stats say hitting the ball farther with more accuracy is the path to lower scores, for many of us, it’s just not feasible to put in the time necessary to turn statistical probability into reality. How many golfers have you known who have spent hours trying to re-tool their swings, only to finish worse off than when they started? For most, that’s an extremely time-consuming process that offers no guarantees of improvement. Improving your long game means fixing your swing. Between work, family obligations, and all the other things that get in the way of golf, we just don’t have as much time as the pros do to work on our games. …and most of us don’t have nearly enough of it.įor most of you reading this, the amount of time you devote to improving your golf game is limited. My argument against what Every Shot Counts teaches us…the notion that the long game is the key to lower scores, boils down to one undeniable constraint. Every golfer on this planet can develop a great short game.
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