Japanese for "Golf Practice Prohibited." Follow our quick practice advice and they won't see you. Photo: Daruman.
In a previous article, we wrote about Golf and the 80/20 rule of economics. Essentially 80% of your handicap is most likely determined by 20% of your missed shots. We defined missed shots as missed fairways, missed greens in regulation, and missed up and down conversions. We went further and said that you most likely convert (one-putt or chip-in) 20% of your short game shots such as par saving putts, chips, pitches, etc., per round.
If you want to take a huge chunk out of that handicap, become a one-putt machine. So how can you practice in 25 minutes and lower that handicap? Follow along.
To become the best one-putt machine:
1. Putt up the hill or between gimme range and eight feet (Practice time: 0 minutes)
Dave Pelz has spent 30 years researching the short game and he basically owns the market. If there's one thing to take away from Pelz's research it's that you have to chip and pitch within an 8 foot circle around the hole. The 8 foot circle increases your odds of one-putting substantially compared to nine feet. Your one-putt odds also increase significantly when putting up hills because speed control is easier. Regardless of your situation on the course, you must put yourself in the best position every hole. It's called course management and it will save shots.
2. Practice Putting within Eight Feet (Practice time 15 minutes)
We finally get to practice now and we start with putting. Putting is a metaphor for saving shots. If you are a one-putt machine from eight feet and in, you are going to score. Your chances of making birdies outside this range are so small (even for the PGA Tour players according to Pelz), you better two-putt and get out. We think practicing your lag putting is an inefficient way to practice. Sure, roll a few long putts to get the speed of the green, but focus on green reading and pace for the putts inside eight feet.
3. Practice Chipping and Pitching (Practice time 5 minutes)
You will most likely putt every hole, but you will most likely chip or pitch 50% of the holes. Therefore, practice your chipping and pitching for multiple distances, and trajectories. We prefer a one club chipping system like the strategy employed by Stan Utley and Dave Stockton. Take one of your wedges and teach yourself how to hit low shots (lean the shaft towards the target), high shots (open the face), soft shots (open the face) and running shots (lean the shaft forward and slightly close the face). Relying on your own creativity and athleticism is the idea.
4. Practice Hitting Drivers (Practice time 5 minutes)
If there's one thing that cures golfer anxiety caused by missed putts, bad iron shot, etc., it's smoking the driver. If you are not hitting driver well, all heck breaks loose. At TPI we are starting to understand that the best players in the world bring multiple swings with them to the course. The best driving swings in the world tend to be wide with shallow angles of attack. This means that you should create a driver swing that feels like you are standing taller, wide and extended with your arms, and try sweeping the ball off the tee. It may feel different than your normal swing. But if you can guarantee a fairway in regulation, scoring just became a lot easier.
Try this 25 minute practice session/warmup and let us know how you play. Efficient golf for the efficient practicer.
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