Distance vs. Accuracy

This weekend will be an exciting weekend of golf, because Mickelson, Woods, Els, and Singh are all playing at Torrey Pines in San Diego. It is always one of my favorite events to watch for many reasons. One is that it is nice to see green grass, because when looking out my window all I see is white. The 18th is an exciting hole -- a par five with a typical Sunday pin placement front left, where guys who don't go for the green in two can hit some great wedge shots that back up to the pin (or water if they miss). They also frequently have a camera placed behind the tee shot on #18 that tracks the ball in flight, something I love.

But there is one thing I am looking forward to watching this week, and Torrey Pines will be a great litmus test for two competing theories. The old standard theory to play better golf is to hit every fairway and let the distance be secondary. However, so many players are leaning more to the theory that they would rather hit a wedge from 100 yards than having to play from 150. I would agree with this from my standpoint, but there is a caution that needs to be said. There is a BIG DIFFERENCE between that 100 yard wedge from the rough and the 100 yard "chip-out" from the woods, desert, or other. The great players that are also long hitters can hit is straight within reason, and are not "all over the map." There is a difference.

Here is what I would suggest you try, which will help you accomplish both things: when you set up to hit a tee shot, make it your primary focus to HIT THE BALL SOLIDLY. Rarely does a solid shot go off course by much, and, of course, a solidly hit ball goes farther. This way you will let the power in the clubhead do its work while swinging "within yourself." Try this, and find yourself hitting longer and straighter drives.

Choking, Part II

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Well, I remember watching both Ernie Els and Vijay Singh struggling to finish with style during last week's MERCEDES CHAMPIONSHIP. I commented that while maybe those guys choked a bit, more importantly, they lived for the feeling of being in the hunt with the opportunity to deliver "the shot." Hope you watched the SONY OPEN, because those two were at it again. This time, they both delivered. Ernie shot 62 in the final round, including an eagle on the par 5 eighteenth hole to get into position. Vijay shoots a 65, including a tremendous tee shot on 18 and ultimately a birdie to win by one. Maybe they choked last week, but for sure they learned from it and look at the results.

I hope all of you have had the opportunity to play a shot with all the marbles on the line. I firmly believe the reason professionals keep playing is for THIS FEELING, which is impossible to recreate. I once read an interview with an old musician who was asked why he kept performing. He didn't need the money nor the fame. He had it already. He said it was the feeling of being on stage in front of all the people with a chance to perform his best. There is no other way to recreate it. The same goes for golf, because where else in life do we get to feel that same buzz in our stomachs or that trouble even picking the club out of the bag? No where, except for on the golf course.

Like I said, I hope all of you have had the opportunity to feel this. It is not pressure, it is not nervousness, it is far beyond this and when you pull off the shot like you had hoped, there is no feeling to match it.

Chipping -- Club Selection

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How many of us are able to spend hours each week practicing our short game? This is certainly something that we as teachers preach, but, in reality, we also realize that to most of us golf is a form of recreation. I will absolutely say that if you have time to practice, short game should be your priority, but there are ways to get more out of the time you practice to improve your shipping.

If this is you and you are only able to give minimal time to your practicing, use only one club when you chip, both in practice and on the course. Ideally, we should be able to chip effectively with anything from a 5 or 6 iron all the way to our lob wedges. However, I would suggest that those of us that cannot devote adequate time to practicing with each club learn to get very good with one club first. I have read that some of the best players in the world, including Tiger, Annika, & John Daly, use only their lob wedges with very few exceptions. Now, for sure, they play all kinds of different shots from low skipping runners to the flop shot, but it is very possible to do this with only one club.

TRY IT. Certainly, using only one club makes it much easier to judge how the ball will fly, both from a distance and a trajectory standpoint. It also eliminates the worry of wondering which club to use. One thing I really like about it is that it forces us to be creative and learn to hit different shots with one club, which goes a long way to improving our feel. Is this the only way to chip -- of course not. But give it a try and see if it works for you.

Let me know how it goes!