Short answer to old question of how to improve scoring

CADDIES ROLE:Even a seasoned caddie can learn the fundamentals of a good short game in a group environment, writes COLIN BYRNE

LET’S BE honest. None of us really take our short game seriously. There will be some exceptions, but the reality is that the closest most of us come to practising our pitching, chipping, bunker and putting is a cursory glance at the putting and chipping green at the driving range where we bash a few buckets of balls off bouncy rubber launch pads.

There are all sorts of new statistics that show the average golfer should concentrate more on their long game when practising. It’s against my thinking but I accept the point that if you can’t get it off the tee, you are facing a hard battle to get to the green in regulation.

However, I strongly believe that the short game, once you can hit the ball reasonably well, is where a lot of shots can be knocked off a round.

When I was at the Ladies Irish Open in Killeen Castle earlier this month, I passed by the Dave Pelz Scoring Game School on my way into the club every day. Last week, I decided to take the plunge and booked myself in for some group short-game therapy.

I was intrigued as to how an engineer who had aligned himself to the most gifted chipper and pitcher of the ball in the world, Phil Mickelson, could teach a gnarled old caddie anything about the short game that he hadn’t already absorbed on the practice greens of the world over the past few decades.

So loaded with doubt, I weaved around the leafy Killeen estate entrance through a lingering morning fog in search of the short answers last Friday. It was the perfect day to work on the smaller shots on the range because you couldn’t see your ball land more than 60 yards away.

I was greeted at the door of the short-game centre and welcomed into the reception by Jussi Pitkanen and Conor Devery, our tutors for the day. The coffee table was subtly decorated with Pelz’s hardback manuals on how to score at golf.

Inside the lecture room, 12 of us ‘students’ racked our wedges and putters and sat in the comfortable tutorial easy chairs in front of Conor, who was going to help us on our quest for short-game excellence.

He introduced us to the concept of the Pelz School and where the founder got his inspiration from to set up what, when you think about it, should have been set up decades ago.

Pelz was a good amateur golfer and played college golf when he was studying engineering. He was fascinated by the vast difference between good amateurs and professionals.

Despite his golfing talent he was after all an engineer and although being aware of what he perceived as the telling difference he wanted to prove it with empirical evidence and statistics. The sceptic in me awoke – more numbers to tell you how you really feel? Conor explained his employer’s idea of collating statistics and how he came to the conclusion that putting was the most important aspect of the game.

But on looking closer he more importantly concluded that the game around the green was even more important. This made sense to all of us amateur golfers – the closer you can chip the ball to the hole the better chance you have of holing the putt. So what needs to improve, the putting or the pitching and chipping? Both of course, and thus the Pelz Scoring Game School.

Having been exposed to countless chipping lessons by the players I caddied for over many years, I was aware of much of the theory behind the art of a good short game. What I never witnessed was the more fundamental explanation of the short game which, of course, is applicable to what happens in the longer shots.

What the Pelz School does is keep the short game very simple and very logical. I had erroneously assumed I would be bombarded with statistics.

Instead I got fundamentals and logic explained in a comfortable and amenable environment.

We were introduced to the Pelz short-game philosophy, by way of explanation and encouraged participation by Conor. The short game consists of three fundamental shots: the low shot, the high shot and putting. The ball position and the back swing determine how well you are going to execute each of those shots.

What was emphasised throughout the six-hour class, with an hour’s break for lunch in the clubhouse, was that you need to practise but always with accurate feedback. So when we began a pitch-and-run session with Jussi a simple plastic T-shaped pipe to ensure correct feet position in relation to the ball made the fundamental pitch shot set-up easier. In the bunker a plastic device that you hit off created the correct path of the club and made it easier to get a concept of the fundamentals of bunker play.

Although gadgets can frequently confuse, these ones reinforced the basics of a sound technique.

When we got to the flat-stick, where 43 per cent of our golf is actually played, according to Jussi, he explained how to get into the correct set-up position for putting. He introduced us to a small device which he attached to our putter faces which gives you instant feedback about where you strike the ball.

We spent half the lesson putting and the other three hours chipping, pitching and bunker play, emphasising the proportion of shots taken during a round at these disciplines.

The scoring game school works very well on a number of levels. The fundamentals of the short game are taught in a very informative and affable manner by the two tutors, Conor and Jussi.

Your ability, even in the group situation, is irrelevant. All levels can learn through the clever teaching techniques. There is no judgment made about your technique, rather reaffirmation of the correct method and you can participate verbally or sit back and absorb quietly. The tutors have created a very comfortable environment in which to learn.

The scoring-game school is a wonderful way to learn the fundamentals of a good short game in a group environment. If you want to take their principles to a higher level then you have the option of enrolling in a one-on-one class and delving deeper than the group situation permits.

Even to a seasoned old contrarian like me the scoring game school is worth a visit and I look forward to reaping the rewards of an improved short game in my club competition next weekend.