Short Game, Getting Better or Worse?

shuttle1 · July 1, 2009

I remember blowing my drive 50 yards past the "older" guys... and end up getting beat when the day was done. It was their short game that was just amazing.

Well, I don't blow it by to many people any more but my short game is so much better that I really don't care about driver distance anymore.

It's all about hitting it in the fairway. If I miss the green I know I'll get up and down way more times than not.

If I had the short game years back that I have now... dang, anyone else play a better short game as you have become older??

Practice is part of it but I think patience has made the biggest difference.

Anyone else notice the older guys seem to have a better short game than the younger guys??

teespoon · July 1, 2009

+1

You nailed it, as far as my game goes. 210 Drive on the fairway starts it off bout best I do. All practice is on irons and putter from 100 in. Works for me. I just enjoy being able to play when I want. Mornings mostly in this Georgia heatwave.

teespoon

bassman1308 · July 2, 2009

I've noticed since I'm retired and playing daily, my short game ( 70 yds in) has improved. Except putting. For me, that's the hardest thing to improve on, no matter how much I practice. : - (

Bones01gt · July 2, 2009

I spent two hours around the putting green tonight and had a BLAST!!! I hit all kinds of shots.

I spend way-y more time on my short game and putting than any other phase of the game. My putting has improved dramatically in just a matter of weeks. I only started this practice regimen 2 weeks ago.

When I started I'd be lucky to chip 2 out of 5 balls inside "kick in" range. Now I'm 4-5 consistently with a variety of clubs. I just have fun with it. I was betting my son tonight I could chip in atleast 1 out of 5 balls, he picked the spot and the hole. If I made it he did 20 push ups, if I didn't I did 20 push ups. Lets just say we both got a workout.

I'm hell bent for single digits and I figured the shortest way is via the short game, no pun intended.

redhawkgolf · July 4, 2009

I practice chipping before I play while the other guys practice putting. It really helps. If you can chip you do not have to be a great putter.

Sobonator · August 11, 2009

Getting better... I hope.

pickerjohn · September 2, 2009

Redhawk is right, all good putters are great chippers.

mikpga · September 2, 2009

Experience and out of necessity!

fillphil · September 4, 2009

Getting older almost dictates the need for short game improvement. Practice-Practice-Practice is a great help but the one thing that really improved my short game is a book by Dave Pelz titled Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible. My wife was looking for a golf book for me as a gift and I gave her a kiss and hug and stashed the book away because I'm not too much of a reader. Now I am. I came across the book and finally opened it. You don't learn this stuff in bits and pieces like the tips in Golf Digest. Check it out!

MadGolfer76 · September 4, 2009

[quote name='fillphil' post='1934359' date='Sep 4 2009, 08:42 PM']Getting older almost dictates the need for short game improvement. Practice-Practice-Practice is a great help but the one thing that really improved my short game is a book by Dave Pelz titled Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible. My wife was looking for a golf book for me as a gift and I gave her a kiss and hug and stashed the book away because I'm not too much of a reader. Now I am. I came across the book and finally opened it. You don't learn this stuff in bits and pieces like the tips in Golf Digest. Check it out![/quote]

+1

DP is the man! My scores went WAY down after I started practicing the techniques from his book. I dropped from mid-80's to high 70's in about a month. I may only hit a small handful of drives on the range now when about 80 percent of my practice is hitting half and three quarter shots. Too bad most range balls don't spin. (Too bad most wedges don't survive a lot of practice).

I think putting and short game are aspects of golf where most good amateur players can actually approximate a pro level performance, if that makes any sense. Not everyone has the makeup to hit a 320 yard drive but it doesn't take serious athleticism to flag a wedge. Just practice.