Long game is more important than short game

[ARL67]

Re: Long game is more important than short game

Just checking the round 2 results of the Race to Dubai this morning and see that Stenson shot -8 today to sit at the top.

Was reminded of his last round at the Tour Championships.
As you know, Henrik was rocking his 3-wood of the tee like nobody's business that week.
I forget what hole it was on the back 9 ( maybe 15 ), but it was 480 yards and Henrik reaches for an iron the tee shot.
I distinctly remember gasping "WOW !" when I saw him with an iron in his hand on the tee.

Of course he stripes that tee shot, leaving him 220-230 to the flag, another iron onto the green, 2-putt par, and "thank you very much".
That was sooo gutsy & impressive to me to have that kind of confidence & skill in your iron play.

- Andy

[NickStarchuk]

Re: Long game is more important than short game

Believe that my short game will save me.

That belief will free me up to swing freely from 101-200 yards. if I hit a poor shot I will be confident I can save par. If I hit a good shot I will be confident I will sink my birdie putt.

Hey Brian, these are all attitudes where the stats show that the long game holds more weight than short game. I hope you have these beliefs on all your shots regardless of the situation. Don't neglect the short game but don't put it on a pedestal.

[Cape]

Re: Long game is more important than short game

Interesting thread. I would just like to add when most state that one is stuck in the old adage that short game is more important than long game, I always assumed that putting was part of this "short game".

I know that this debate does not include putting, but whenever someone says pratice x amount of time on short game, I always included putting in this allotted time.

[forensicfore]

Re: Long game is more important than short game

There is hope for us all.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGoA0FjQUZ0

[jskry]

Re: Long game is more important than short game

If you take the top ten ball strikers on tour and average their world ranking it is far better than if you take the top ten average of any short game facet. Long game is where it is at in the PGA. Drive for show, putt for dough no longer has validity. This stat is quoted from Sean Foley.

[forensicfore]

Re: Long game is more important than short game

I think the expression drive for dough and putt for more dough has described the tour for awhile.

[mit006]

Re: Long game is more important than short game

The opposite take on the stats to push the classic saying Short game/Putt for dough, Drive (straight) for show, in contrast to the general theme of the thread.

Any flaws in this author's analysis?

http://www.golfwrx.com/87333/do-fair...al-low-scores/

[NickStarchuk]

Re: Long game is more important than short game

Its an interesting take. He talks about putting being a separator and then in the conclusion he brings up pitching for the first time. The analysis of the tour guys is then introduced to the amateur at the same level, and not surprising, he says the same thing that most others have said - this it tour stats, not amateur stats.

Personally, I disagree on his recommendation on what the amateur should practice. Do you want to work on the game that is needed ONCE you hit a bad shot or do you just want to avoid having really bad shots?

[Gridiron]

Re: Long game is more important than short game

To me is very flawed in relation to this discussion. For 2 reasons,

1: for this discussion the putting and short game were seperated. No one denied putting was important. It was the "off the green to 100 yds out" that were deemed much less important.
2: In the article the examples are "off the tee Tiger and Phil are not good, but they still play well cause they get up and down.." kind of thing. Here is the problem. When Tiger hits driver or just about any shot off the tee, more often than not he is still more than 100 yards away for his recovery shot. It is that 2nd shot that is imporant. That is the one that hits the green or doesn't. It is only once he misses that 2nd shot that he needs his "short" game.

So being straight off the tee isn't the #1 thing to practice. No one is saying spend 80% of your time hitting driver after driver. The point is that you should spend more time on your long irons or shots from 100-200 or so, than shots from 1-100 yds. You hit them more often and if you do that well, you don't need the 1-100 yds shots.

[forensicfore]

Re: Long game is more important than short game

If we talk just the driver vs wedges,there is a lot more to learn and handle with wedges than the driver.The driver is essentially grip it and rip it,the wedges involve a multitude of distances and lies along with a need for feel and ball control.

[NickStarchuk]

Re: Long game is more important than short game

1. Great Driver + Average with wedges

2. Average Driver + Great with wedges


Who are you taking?

[forensicfore]

Re: Long game is more important than short game

1. Great Driver + Average with wedges

2. Average Driver + Great with wedges


Who are you taking?

Your thread does refer to the pro game, I was thinking what amateurs should focus on ,but in answer to this above question I could say that #2 describes Tiger and Phil which is tough to beat.

[NickStarchuk]

Re: Long game is more important than short game

Your thread does refer to the pro game, I was thinking what amateurs should focus on ,but in answer to this above question I could say that #2 describes Tiger and Phil which is tough to beat.

Phil was 164th last year in total driving. Tiger was 17th.

Phil was around 30th for all shots inside 100 yards (both from the fairway and rough) and Tiger was around 160th! In scrambling, they were both average.

[Ignatius Reilly]

Re: Long game is more important than short game

Phil was 164th last year in total driving. Tiger was 17th.

Phil was around 30th for all shots inside 100 yards (both from the fairway and rough) and Tiger was around 160th! In scrambling, they were both average.

You've confused me now

Is short game important (Phil) or not (Tiger).

They're both doing okay.

It certainly confuses things more by taking putting out of the short-game category.

I'll stikc with my earlier assessments:

i) the issues of pros may be quite different to those of regular players, and
ii) each of us has a "worst" part of our game, and to improve scoring that's what we should concentrate on improving.

I'll also toss in the thought that none of the long drive competitors canmake it on the Tour. So what does that tell us???