Ball Striker v Short Game Wizz

[sms316]

OK. Hypothetical one;

You are a scratch handicapper who shoots par every round. Would you rather be the guy who hits it pure but can't putt to save himself? Or the guy who hits it all over the park and has a great short game which gets him out of jail constantly?

[Scottt]

The get out of jail king. No question.

[moree golfer]

I would go for 'up and down magician' as you can still scratch out a decent score usually, despite spending plenty of time in the shade.

[razaar]

No such thing as a scratch golfer who can't putt to save himself.

[Dotty]

More information needed.

Will I be driving my Lambo or my Bentley that day ?

[henno]

No such thing as a scratch golfer who can't putt to save himself.

Yes there is. Not to name names, but I've played with a couple of tour players with club 'caps better than scratch who hit every green and two putt each one of them. Birdies on the par 5's after hitting them in 2 and the odd 3-putt for bogey.

As frustrating as it seems, I'd rather be the flusher as you can sometimes just have dumb luck with putts.

[Eag's]

I would rather have a great short game because you would have no fear of missing greens ;)

[BrisVegas]

flusher. i don't play for a living.

[Iain]

Short game king for me.

[oz]

Being able to get up & down from everywhere is demoralising for your opposition. No doubt, that would be my preference.

[Yossarian]

Winner!

[razaar]

Yes there is. Not to name names, but I've played with a couple of tour players with club 'caps better than scratch who hit every green and two putt each one of them. Birdies on the par 5's after hitting them in 2 and the odd 3-putt for bogey.

As frustrating as it seems, I'd rather be the flusher as you can sometimes just have dumb luck with putts.
Sorry henno because they played like that on that particular day doesn't mean they can't putt to save themselves. There are scratch players and pros who strike the ball better than their peers and others who have a better scrambling game than their peers. You just don't make it to scratch if you have a weakness in your short game, because ball striking comes and goes. You only have to look at the stats of the tour players (the best in the world) to make this obvious.

I do know what SMS means, just being picky about his choice of phrase.;)

[Webster]

why can't you be both?

[Flavzz]

Peter O'mally category for me for sure, cos you can jag a putt once in a while. Id rather see that white pill hitting every fairway and green.

[PerryGroves]

Almost anyone can learn how to putt (but apparently not me), most will never know the joy of being able to nail a 2-3 iron perfectly out of the middle, see it do exactly what you want in the air and land close enough that being a good putter is irrelevant.

[sms316]

Holing a 20 footer to get into a playoff is a pretty cool feeling too.

[petethepilot]

Depends if you want to enjoy golf for the sheer pleasure of hitting the ball well or if you want to win. If you want to win, you must be able to chip and putt, therefore shortgamer wins - On average courses!. On championship hard courses where bad hits are punished, the ballstriker should win.

Everybody can hit it well from time to time. The streaky players win lots these days so if his attitude is right (which it generally is with chip/putt kings) I go for the short gamer!

Saying that no one hits it bad on Tour!!! Some just hole more 10 to 20 footers.

Pete

BTW I have seen scratch players who were embarrassingly bad at putting. Never seen one who couldn't chip/play bunkers!

[virge666]

Short gamers survive on tour . . . flushers go and play in Asia.

Shortgamers usual have a good pitching game as well. And that is where the money is.

[Minor_Threat]

Short game anyday.. No question!

[chappy1970]

Shortgame = no brainer

[Lucasto23]

Short game for sure. Point in case is Allenby. He is an absolute flusher and struggles with the flat stick are pretty much why he has not won a stack more events. He has found something with the flat stick now and is contesting in pretty much every event he is teeing it up ATM ;)

[razaar]

Congrats Yoss, you have a third of the votes. Might even win this poll.:D

[dhills2]

Go Yoss! :)

[Daves]

As much as I would love to be able to flush it regularly, there would be nothing more frustrating and depressing as not being able to convert those shots.

[Jarro]

up and down King :)

[markTHEblake]

Ballesteros - flusher, sprayed it, great short game, 6 majors

Runyan - powder puff, great short game, 2 majors.

A great short game isnt enough, if you cant reach the ladies tees, Runyan was the exception but nobody has ever had a up and down stat like he did, an average of less than 2 shots for chips around the green.

[Ned]

Can I just have some kind of golf game ?

[Courty]

Short game FTW

[nuttedit]

If you can chip and putt u are match for anyone, and generally drives your playing partners to distraction.
Another good thread sms compared to some of stuff i read here.

[Daves]

I still think Yoss is being under rated though! Should be a clear winner here>

[Yossarian]

I pack one hell of an underated punch. Cheap date to as evidenced by my wardrobe exploits.

[BrisWesty]

OK. Hypothetical one;

You are a scratch handicapper who shoots par every round. Would you rather be the guy who hits it pure but can't putt to save himself? Or the guy who hits it all over the park and has a great short game which gets him out of jail constantly?

I voted for Yoss because I needed confirmation re the other two options.

sms, is this a forever scenario or can it change? If there was the opportunity to work on the part of the game that is currently not at a scratch level, I'd vote to hit the ball pure all the time, and then feverishly practice short game till it became better.

I'm reasonably happy with short game, but just don't have the length to compete with the big units atm. Id be struggling to get an extra 30-40m out of my longer clubs.

[Moe Norman]

I'd prefer to be the flusher.

[razaar]

I want Yoss to win this thing, who hasn't voted? Go Yoss.