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The Critical Importance of Short Game

9:38 am May 27, 2009

When people first start playing, all they want to focus is on how long
& how far they can hit the ball.

This is admirable. And, in fact, it’s such a popular topic that my main
course revolves around this topic.

But veteran players know that “short game” is critical to winning
more rounds. “Short game” refers to any shots that you are taking
that are close to the green: e.g. putts, chipping, pitching, close
bunker shots, etc. Short=close, not far away. Game=game. Short
game.

The reality is that hitting the ball onto the green from the tee is very
easy compared to honing in on the various short game shots you may
face.

Of course, having a decent power drive is nothing to sneeze at. But,
when you tee off, the ball is sitting perfectly on a level tee waiting
for you to take your best swing.

Short game presents the challenges of shots that come with different
lies, different shapes, and different lengths.

And more variations means more chances that you won’t prepared
for the shot.

You can improve your short game immediately by identifying &
staying away from common mistakes that we’ll cover below.

Short game may seem silly to all you “power players” out there. But
a bad score awaits those who ignore it’s importance.

A. Make Time

Before you confront specific shots on the course, be sure you have
practiced them. By practicing regularly, you can build up your
confidence as well as add to your options that you have available to
you on the course.

Sometimes, you will have practiced a shot repeatedly before being
confronted with it in a real game. Other times, you will have no
choice but to attempt a shot that you haven’t even imagined existed
before.

Regardless, put in the hours practicing as much as you can.

Life is no big mystery folks. Those who practice the most are the
best. That’s the big secret.

The key is to prepare as much as you can for what you might
reasonably expect to happen on the course. Make time in your
schedule to practice short game.

Certain shots require extra attention & practice sessions to master.
Most short game falls into this category.

When you have to perform under fire during a real game, you will be
much more confident with your knowledge from being prepared. Do
your best to prepare & practice.

B. Playing Too Fast
When watching golf on TV, you may notice that the players all seem
to run through the course rapidly. While you can try to emulate your
favorite Professional’s technique, never try to copy their pace.

These players play for hundreds of thousands of dollars of prizes.

They play on private courses & their performances are broadcast to
international audiences worldwide.

You should play at a brisk pace. But, your OWN pace. Slow down
enough to take time to read the green, check your lie, and visualize
success before attempting each shot.

Prepare for your upcoming shot while other players are swinging or
while you are walking down the course to the next hole.

Never hit a shot until you have settled your nerves & have a clear
picture in your mind of the final outcome. Play the game quickly.

But, never so quick that you sacrifice decent preparation for every
shot.

C. Over-Analysis

The reason some people choose golf as their sport is so that they can
enjoy a game that is comfortable, confidence-building, and which
puts them at ease with the world.

They let the game come to them, by just letting it happen. They
know that overanalysis won’t help them. They are at one with their
game.

You may have taken a few lessons in the past, put in hours on the
driving range, & learned additional skills and tips from watching the
pros on TV.

It’s time to trust these lessons and past experiences that you have had
by allowing your subconscious to guide the way. Just take your
swing – it’s that simple.

The best thing you can do is develop a solid, consistent swing and
grow your confidence with it. From that point on, the game is all
about simply hitting the ball towards the intended target, walking
over and picking it up, hitting it again, until you have reached the
hole.

This may seem like an oversimplification. And, of course, practice
and preparation are important. But, if you spend time analyzing
every second of the game to the point of seriously frustrating
yourself, you are on the wrong track.

Rather, enjoy golf and use your energy to focus and concentrate on
your next shot.

Use the time wisely instead of mulling over every minor detail.

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The Critical Importance of Short Game

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