Why Clubs for Your Short Game Matter More
We have frequently gotten emails from readers asking about driver "x" and whether or not it is better than driver "y", or which one will improve their driving more. When responding to these messages, the first thing that I ask them is how is your short game? More often than not, after some digging, I found out that their short game is actually pretty bad, and could benefit more from a upgrading of clubs far more than their driver. The sad fact of the matter is that driving has gained a reputation the golfing community, and has somehow gained more attention than the far more important short game. There is something about hitting a booming 300 yard driving straight down the center of the fairway that makes people drool, and it hampers many peoples progress in the game of golf.
But lets take a minute and break down why a driver is probably the least important club you own. For starters, the most you will ever need to use it on a normal course is fourteen times, assuming you don't whack one out of bounds or into the drink. Fourteen can even be an overestimate, considering there are many situations such as dogleg holes or tight fairways that can warrant using a iron or fairway wood off of the tee box as a more effective club selection. But now consider that par on a normal course is 72, and you use your driver an assumed 14 times. That leaves you with 58 other shots you need to make, and that is assuming you are a scratch golfer, which almost none of us are. So in reality you could actually have anywhere from 58 to 100 or so more shots besides your drives off the tee. A small percentage of those shots may be fairway woods, on holes like par 5's, but really most will consist of irons, wedges, and your putter.
While a good iron set is important, truthfully, clubs that when purchased and put to use effectively can really change your game are the wedges and putter. Lets say that most of us are fairly good with our irons. That means that we will put the ball on the green from outside of 120 sometimes, but also miss a lot of times, and still have anywhere from 120 feet, to just a few feet left to go. Your wedges are the clubs that are going to make these shots a hundred times easier for you. I remember the days when my pitching wedge was my only wedge. While some can master it, after buy a loft and gap wedge, I can't imagine ever having to go back. I feel confident that 80% of the time within 100 feet of the green I can put the ball on.
If wedges are the all important clubs to get you to the green, then the putter is the arguably the most important club in your bag as it has to finish the job. Scratch golfers are expected to make 36 putts each round, out of 72 shots. This means that the putter is supposed to be the most used club in your arsenal, and therefore should be given the most careful consideration in choice and selection. If you can find the will to drop $400 on a shiny new driver, you can surely invest in a good putter. Once you realize the benefit of a good putter, and begin to putt far better, trust me in saying that you will fall in love with that putter, and it will quickly become your "baby", a favorite of yours within your golf bag.
