Short game work goes a long way

Short Takes

John Lucas

I remember watching an interview with Charles Howell III the other day after he won the Nissan Open in Los Angeles. The commentator asked him the reason for his sudden success on the PGA Tour this year, as he had two second-place finishes along with the recent victory. He replied that during the offseason he was checking the world rankings to see how his own game stacked up with the best players in the game today. He said it hit him like a slap in the face. The top five players in the world had the best short games on the tour. Duh!

He said that he then changed his practice regimen with his coach to 75 percent work on his short game and 25 percent on his long game.

Obviously it worked and I suggest it will for you as well.

If you are serious about improving your own game, I suggest that you get a small note pad and record shot by shot your last five rounds. Then after it is compiled, sit down and analyze what you need to work on the most. I think you will find that your game from 30 yards and in isn't as stellar as you imagined.

When a higher-handicapped player comes to me for the first time for instruction, I usually ask him to hit a few putts and chips for me. I usually get the same response: "Oh, my short game is just fine, I need work on my swing."

When they will do that for me, nine of l0 times the putts and chips are not just lacking, they are horrible, leaving the golfer with no chance to ever post decent scores.

Therefore, may I repeat a suggestion that I have mentioned in the past? In putting, first learn to aim the putter head properly. If you are not exact at this, you will be better off never practicing your putting. The reason is this: if the putter is not aimed at the spot you want the putt to start out on, you have to make a bad stroke to hole the putt.

Make a triangle out of mica board if available; if not, cardboard will work just fine.

Make the base of it the approximate size of your putter face and about six inches high. Put a ball on the green and line up to a spot. Then bend over, knock the ball away and place the base of the triangle against the face of your putter. Step back, crouch down and sight along the triangle to see if it was indeed accurately aligned.

You can train your eyes by first placing the tip of the triangle on line with a spot on the green or on your carpet at home, then placing your putter face along the base of the triangle. Look at your target with this alignment. This an excellent way to check your club head alignment with your chipping irons and wedges.

Rules Teaser:

A player's ball lies against a rake in the bunker. When he removes the rake, the ball rolls away. After several attempts to replace his ball to where he marked it, the ball won't stay. Ruling?

Answer to last teaser:

A player holed a short putt while holding the flagstick in his other hand. Ruling? No penalty.

John Lucas is the golf professional at SkyRidge Golf Course and can be reached at john98382@olypen.com.