Why the short game can never be practiced enough?

[EdZ]

I'd agree with this up to a point...however...

I'd rather be hitting 12 greens and shooting 75 than shooting 75 while hitting only 6 greens and getting up and down 75% of the time. The 6 greens scrambler is rarely going to shoot lower than 75...the guy hitting 12 greens has much more scoring "potential".

Now the real trick is learning to be the guy that hits 12-14 greens and gets up and down 75% of the time

While I certainly agree the shortgame is 'the' key to obtaining the best score out of any given situation, I had a harsh reminder this weekend of how much driving alters the scorecard...

birdied 5 out of my first 10 holes with only 1 par and every bogey was the direct result of a bad tee shot. Granted, I could have saved at least two pars, but the others were really 'good' bogeys.

[birdie_man]

Yup.....no matter what you have to keep the ball in play too.

Penalty strokes.....no good....

[Mathew]

A stroke is a stroke. There is a strong link between all the strokes from a basic pattern 12-1/2-0 - practicing one is practicing the other from a mechanics pattern standpoint... Basic, Acquired and Total Motion... and they should be very much viewed as a single entity....

However at the same time - there is individual uniquenesses to preforming each.....ie on full shots you strive for maximum lag pressure - on partial shots you need to control the degree....etc etc