ShareThisThis winter has all but flown by. Where does the time go?
So once again, I'm on my soapbox about why the average amateur golfer doesn't improve.
First, in general, they don't practice. Second, those who do practice to some extent don't practice with any certain purpose.
Often even those of my students who do take lessons tell me of their various ailments. Then at some point during the season we go out for a playing lesson, and not that the original complaint is not true, but almost always problems with their short game and course management far outweigh the original item.
It is amazing after 28 years of teaching and coaching this game how this isn't perfectly clear to the club player.
That said, here's something that may shock you. Many PGA Tour players, relatively speaking, are really not very different. It is mind-boggling to me, but true.
Now I know this will get the ugly e-mails flowing , but the ladies on the LPGA Tour in general are the worst violators. That really makes no sense at all to me. They would benefit the most from that area of game improvement as a group. Yes, there are girls out there with decent short games, but not in comparison to the guys.
I often tell my amateur students putting, which is the deal-breaker for great scoring improvement, does not require you to be fast, strong, agile or a world-class athlete.
What it does require is a little fundamental information and tons of repetition. Translated, that is sound basics and a strong desire to improve. It sounds like a great formula for almost any area of improvement in life: a game plan and a work ethic.
I sincerely believe that I have never met a golfer of any skill level who I felt I couldn't advance two levels forward in their scoring via short game if the only thing they brought to my lesson tee was desire.
Listen carefully: Go find a coach of sound reputation. Tell him or her you want six hours of nothing but short game help. Putting, chipping, pitching and bunker play.
Tell that coach at every session you want specific homework (drills and amount of recommended practice time between sessions) to be completed before your next meeting.
So do the above and watch the shots jump off your scorecard. Ignore the above and be doomed to the land of repeating golf pain forever.
Make your short game your top project for 60 days. Just 60 days. It will change your golf game forever.
I wish you lots of one-putts and many a holed chip shot.
(Tom Patri is a Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher. E-mail at tpatri@mindspring.com or visit Patri's Web site at www.tompatri.com.)
(Golf World is a feature of the Naples Daily News in Florida.)
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