Short game still the key to a solid golf game

I was doing some reading recently after getting several questions from readers about their short game and found some interesting numbers in a couple of recent articles that continue to reinforce that the short game remains the key to your golf scores. This area of our games falls into what I call the “knowing-doing gap”. We all know that chipping and putting is so important, but we seldom do anything to improve this part of our game. Maybe these numbers will finally get through to us golf nuts!

First let’s start with putting. A recent article in Golf Magazine talked about putts under 10 feet. It looked at some touring pro statistics for last year for percentage of putts made inside ten feet. The top two were at 89.43% and 89.36%. And it doesn’t matter to me who these golfers were; the key is that these guys are the on the tour and a big part of the reason is because they are making almost 90% of their putts inside of ten feet.
To add to this argument, in a recent conversation with a golfer who was a collegiate national champion, he talked about a drill that had to do: They had to make 100 putts in a row from five feet before they were finished for the day. And that was after a regular practice. So there is no doubt that golf’s best focus on putting and, in particular, short putts.
Now if you have followed my tips and recommendations, you know that I am not one for hours and hours of practice, but then again we are amateurs. So a little work on putting inside ten feet could probably make a big difference in your game. If you want to practice until you make 100 in a row, it won’t hurt your game, but at least work SOME on the putting part of your golf game.
Now let’s look at other aspects of the short game. An article in Golf Digest quoted some numbers from Golf Research Associates. They looked at the difference between 20 handicap golfers and 10 handicap golfers and the numbers were telling. For example: 20 handicappers made sand saves (one putt) 12% of the time compared to 23% of the time for 10 handicappers. The numbers on one putt chip/pitch saves were 18% of the time for 20 handicappers and 31% for 10 handicappers.
There were more numbers but you get the point. Just a timely reminder that a little bit of work on the short game compared to just pounding the driver and long irons can really save some strokes.
Good golfing all you golf nuts!