Everyone loves smashing drivers at the range — but the short game (chipping, pitching and putting around the green) is where scores are actually made or lost, and it’s the most neglected practice of all. The golf guide: why the short game scores, what to practice and how to practice smart.

The Short-Game-Scores Case

Why the short game lowers your score: the most-shots-are-near-the-green (the a-huge-share of shots being short-game from the golf-fitness-better-swing chapter — the the-shot-count; the near-the-green), the it’s-where-scores-are-made (the the-short-game deciding scores from the golf-mental-game chapter — the the-scoring; the score-here), the the-most-neglected-practice (the the-short-game being the least-practiced from the golf-fitness-better-swing chapter — the the-neglect; the the-overlooked), the driver-is-fun-but-not-the-score (the driving being fun-but-not-where-scores-are-saved — the the-driver-trap; the not-the-driver), and the reframe (the short-game as the score-making, most-neglected part worth practicing over the driver).

The What-to-Practice Breakdown

What to practice in the short game: the the-putting (the putting (the most shots) as the priority from the golf-mental-game chapter — the the-putting; the most-shots), the the-chipping (the chipping around the green — the the-chipping; the the-chips), the the-pitching (the pitching for approach-shots — the the-pitching; the the-pitches), the the-distance-control (the distance/feel control on short-shots — the the-feel; the distance-control), the the-bunker-play (the greenside bunker-shots — the the-bunkers; the sand-shots), the the-reading-greens (the reading greens for putting — the the-green-reading; the read-the-break), the the-short-game-fundamentals (the short-game setup-and-technique from the golf-fitness-better-swing chapter — the the-fundamentals; the the-technique), and the the-mobility-for-the-swing (the mobility supporting the short-game swing from the golf-mobility-warm-up chapter — the the-mobility; the move-well).

The Practice-Smart Notes

Practicing the short game smartly: the the-spend-practice-time-here (the shifting practice-time to the short-game from the golf-fitness-better-swing chapter — the the-time; the practice-the-short-game), the the-putting-most (the putting the most (it’s the most shots) from the golf-mental-game chapter — the the-putting-priority; the putt-most), the the-distance-and-feel-drills (the distance-control and feel drills — the the-feel-drills; the control-the-distance), the the-realistic-practice (the practicing realistic on-course scenarios — the the-realism; the game-like), the the-mental-game (the the-short-game mental-focus from the golf-mental-game chapter — the the-mind; the focus-and-calm), the pair-with-fitness-and-mobility (the short-game plus golf-fitness-and-mobility from the golf-fitness-better-swing and golf-mobility-warm-up chapters — the the-fitness; the the-body), the the-consistency (the regular short-game practice from the golf-fitness-better-swing chapter — the the-consistency; the practice-regularly), and the frame (the golf-short-game as putting-chipping-and-pitching practice, prioritized-over-the-driver-and-practiced-realistically — lower your score. Lower your score by practicing the short game — putting (most shots), chipping, pitching, distance control and bunker play — over smashing drivers, with realistic, feel-based practice and mental focus: why practicing the short game actually lowers your score.

Everyone loves smashing drivers at the range — but the short game (chipping, pitching and putting) is where scores are actually made or lost, and it’s the most neglected practice of all (a huge share of your shots happen near the green). What to practice: putting (the priority — most shots), chipping, pitching, distance control, bunker play and green-reading. Practice smart — shift your practice time to the short game, putt the most, do distance-and-feel drills, keep it realistic, add mental focus, and pair it with golf fitness-and-mobility. Why practicing the short game (not your driver) actually lowers your score.

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