Let's
say the average golfer shoots between 85 and 95. Of those strokes, close to 2/3
of them will be played on or around the green. It's no secret that a better
short game will lower the scores of the average golfer. Yet the average golfer
spends far less practice time on his short game than he does on his long game.
It doesn't seem to him that the short game is where the pay-off is. But is it?
By the Number
  |
To
illustrate, let's look at the game of Tiger Woods, the hottest player
around. As of July 1, 2001, Tiger is ranked 1st in scoring with 68.54 strokes per round. He leads the 2001 money list with over $4,000,000, and the career money list with $25,000,000. He's the dominant player in the game today. But how does he do it? Tiger hits 68.7% of his fairways (ranked 95th), and 71.3% of his |
| greens
(ranked 4th). Clearly he hits a lot of greens, but the interesting thing
is his "scrambling" percentage. Tiger makes par or better an amazing 69.4% of the time when he misses a green in regulation, a percentage which ranks 2nd on tour. This stat is all short game, and it's the key to his success. |
|
 |
Bruce
Fleisher, the dominant player on the Senior Tour, has practically identical numbers. He hits 72.2% (3rd) of his greens, and makes par or better 67.9% (2nd) of the time when he misses a green. Both Tiger and Fleisher understand that the long game isn't enough, and are dominating their fields with their ability to pitch, chip, and putt. It |
| goes
unnoticed, but the numbers don't lie Without their scrambling ability,
we wouldn't be hearing their names as much. |
|
 |
But
let's go even farther. Consider Phil Mickelson, one of the few players who has really given Tiger a run for his money in the last few years. It is widely known that Phil grew up with a green in his back yard in San Diego. He spent countless hours on and around that green as a child, and he's now considered one of the short game masters. The |
| impressive
flop shot that only he and a few others can hit reliably was perfected
around that backyard green. All that short game practice has translated into 19 career tour victories, and second place behind Tiger in career money. |
|
 |
Now
consider Brad Faxon. On tour he ranks 132nd in driving accuracy |
So
what's the bottom line?
Over 50
current PGA Tour players have some sort of putting greens at their homes today.
Why? Well, first they know that putting and short game proficiency can mean the
difference in winning or making the cut every week, and they know that a low
maintenance, realistic surface provides them with the feedback they need to
practice and improve their short game.
Practicing
the short game lowers scores. It lowers the scores of the average player as well
as the professional. In fact, the better one gets with the long game, the more
important the short game becomes for lowering scores. So why does the average
guy still not get it?
The
average golfer hasn't yet realized the joys of the short game. He hasn't
realized that the short shots are infinite in their variety and as satisfying as
a long, straight drive. He
hasn't realized that the skills required to master the short game translate to
the long game. He hasn't realized that rhythm and feel apply to all kinds of
shots, but are most easily
learned and developed in the short game. He hasn't realized how much plain fun
the
short game is.
The short game is like another world, a game within the game. It's a world to be explored, enjoyed, and mastered. And by calling us now you can have that world in your own back yard.
For more information please contact us at (281) 340-9206 or go to our online request form.
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