[Burner]

It seems to me that, as a higher handicapper, the full swing is more important, and that the pendulum shifts toward the short game the better you get. I'll give you an example. My brother and I played 9 today. I'm about a 25, he's a single digit handicap. On decent hits, length is about equal. Now my putting is a little better than his, particularly this early in the season (only the second round for both of us). Of course he dusted me. But I beat him on 2 holes, because I was able to match him on the full swing shots; only in those instances did the short game matter. On the rest of the holes, as far as our "competition" was concerned, my putting touch became a moot point, because I could barely get the ball airborne. My point? Most higher handicappers are such because they can't get the ball to go anywhere near where they want it to go on a consistent basis. When they can get around the green in regulation on a regular basis (the result of an improved full swing), then the short game's importance increases relative to the player's overall game. You could be a short game genius, but if you finally reach the green only after 4 or 5 shots, your score will still suck

Amen Brother.

You have just spoken for 90% + of the golfing population, even though most of them are loth to admit it.
Only the remaining few % experience the joy that a decent short game can bring them.