Short Game Woes

The drive is the money shot, but chips and putts are the actual money.

If you scroll through Instagram you will find thousands upon thousands of videos of golfers of all skill levels crushing their tee shot. The set up, the back swing, the satisfying whack as the drive hits the ball; all make for great social content. For those less advanced golfers, these shots also have the benefit of looking cool without having to prove it was a solid shot. Unless the viewer is a pro, it is unlikely that they can tell exactly where that ball went based off of a video shot on a cell phone. Keep scrolling and you will definitely find the chip shots and the putts, but there is no hiding success or failure in these videos.

In many ways this is a great analogy for your actual golf game. Tee shots are fun, and it feels great to crush your drive, but the best drive does not always equal the best score on the hole. I drove 190 yards last weekend, straight down the fairway. The whole was 226, and my ball was perfectly placed for an “easy” chip up to the green. I say “easy” because as I have mentioned before, chipping is the weakest part of my game. Chip was good, and then I 3 putted the hole.

“Nooooooo”

What could have been a birdie became a bogey. It doesn’t matter that I hit it 190 yards or that I landed right where I wanted to be, that shot isn’t the one that puts the ball in the hole. This isn’t to say that your drive isn’t important, it definitely is, but if you think about where holes are won or lost, it’s on the green, not the tee box. In the same round I had a couple of drives that looked like they could get me in trouble, but I was able to save the hole with my short game. For me this was a huge win, as historically if I hit a bad drive I was basically screwed because I couldn’t count on my short game to get me out of trouble. I still wouldn’t say that I am at a point where if I hit a bad drive I am confident in my ability to make a comeback, but I am getting better. I at least know that I can figure out a plan of action and execute at a reasonable frequency.

I have been spending a lot of time in my backyard practicing chipping; working on my power control to guarantee I don’t break my back window. I feel myself getting better, but I also recognize frustration rising when I lose the feel for a bit. That is the nature of this game, repetition breeds success, but it is not always a perfectly linear path. I also ordered myself a putting mat. I already have a mirror that I received as a Christmas gift, and it has been a big help. The mat will allow me to continue to practice in my basement without the drag of carpet, or in my backyard. A net from Rukket Sports is also on its way, though FedEx did their best to lose it. Hopefully it will be here in the next few days. Shane says our backyard is going to start looking like a driving range; I don’t really see a problem with that…

Playing 9 tonight, hoping for a repeat or better of last Sunday’s round!

Until next time,

Fore!

Katherine

This story originally appeared on https://thebirdsandthetees.wordpress.com