What is More Important to Your Golf Game, Accuracy or Power

During the past few decades in golf, we have witnessed and experienced a tremendous change in golf balls, clubs, grips, gloves and golf courses.  All of the manufacturers claim to increase the golfers ability, while lowering scores.  The thing we players talk about, though, is how far they hit the ball...or how we made it to the green in two...and it only took a driver and a seven iron to get there.  Power.  Distance.

What about accuracy?  Golf has always been about accuracy, but is the technology changing the character of the game?  We don't think so.  A lot of players think it is, but we don't agree.  It's kind of like the B.S. we all heard during the 1990's that the principles of sound business practices had changed - remember: companies could actually grow and be viable without having ever shown solid profits?  Yeah, right.  What happened to them when the bubble burst?

We believe the same type of hype has been sold in golf.  The implied message for years has been:  Buy a Big Bertha and you will not only out-drive your buddies, you'll beat the hell out of them, too.  Get a Launcher and put it 30 yards past the other guys.  OK, but then what?

For the average golfer, 80% of her or his shots are still made from 150 yards in front of the green into the hole. That means short irons, chipping and putting.  Not driver, 3-wood, five wood.  It means chipping the ball accurately to a spot in front of the green or on the green where it will bounce or roll up close to the hole - leaving a tap-in or short putt for par or (Oh, My God!) birdie. 

There are limitations built in to all the equipment, but the industry doesn't like to talk about that.  The USGA, the United States Gold Association, does though.  Balls can not be designed to fly unlimited distances, and drivers can not be built larger than 460cc to smash it out of sight...or, into the woods.  In fact, the distance added to the professional players' average driving distances since the year 2000 is pretty small.  John Daly, for instance, only added 7.5 yards to his average drive since that time.  The average PGA Tour player added only 5 or 6 yards - in spite of the "advances" made to the technology.  Thank you, USGA.

Critically watching the tournaments on Sundays can reveal the truth of the issue quite easily.  What delivers the low score?  What wins the Championship?  The answer is: Short Game.  The pitch onto the green from 30 yards out, leaving a 3 footer to hole out for the win. The chip out of the bunker up next to the hole...or into it.  The 18 foot putt that has to curve downhill without zooming past the hole.  Like the way Phil Mickelson won the Masters.

Can you recall Jim Nance or Johnny Miller ever saying after a tournament that Tiger or Phil really won it with that 300 yard drive straight down the middle on the 14th.  Neither can I.

So, stop worrying about how far you are driving the ball, and concentrate on keeping the ball in the fairway.  Focus on chipping and putting to hole.  You'll post the scores of your dreams.

Hit 'em long and straight and often!

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