WEEK FOUR
Short
Game Week
The great Bobby Jones once said a player who can
string together “three of them and one of those” is a match for anyone. So while
the long game is glamorous, the short game is the great equalizer. Thus at
least 60% of your practice time should be devoted to chipping/pitching, putting
and bunker play using the following model of learning.
First review your short game – write in your
journal all you know about each part -- for
example the How-I-Chip technique -- then graduate to actually using that
technique by adjusting your touch from a number of real-lie situations. Then
return to your journal and write down any problems or additions uncovered by
your self-assessment. Anything you can’t fix or figure it out should send you
on a trip to see the wizard i.e. get some help.
During short game week take the Technique/Touch
paradigm below for a spin to learn its ins and outs – you will then use it as
the learning model anytime you want to learn something.
Stage One: Technique
With your journal as a guide [bring it to the
range] run through your check list of fundamentals such as ball position,
weight distribution, when and how to set the wrists, etc. then hit a few shots
with no particular target in mind – the focus is “did I do it correctly” rather
than “where did it end up.” You may hit 35 balls from the same spot, not caring
about results because only the form of your swing is important at this stage.
Once you are confidant with your technique, it’s time for stage 2 where you
develop your touch. [By the way if you’re a faithful reader of this column you’ll know all
about short game technique -- if not assess yourself a two shot penalty then
see my book “Play Better Golf” at www.tjtomasi.com .]
Stage
Two: Touch
To have a good short game you must be able to
move your focus from Technique to Target. In this stage your concern is not
“how you do something” but how close you come to your target. Take a handful of
balls and toss them over your shoulder then play them, one at a time, until you
hole each one out. Play the ball as you find it, hit it to your target, putt
the ball in the hole, then go back and play the next ball. This is the way you
do it on the course and it should be the way you practice. Keep track of your
ability to get it up and down from different lies, and then focus on those lies
until they become strengths.
From now on: When
you’re hitting to a target, there’s no mechanics; when your practicing
mechanics there’s no target.
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