Short game overrated?

Tuesday, 8 March 2011
Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy sparked controversy last week when he aired his thoughts on the short game not being important.

He was quoted as saying, "I don't care what anyone says about the short game being the most important, it's not.

"The long game puts you in position to have putts to win tournaments. Guys say you have to have short game to win tournaments and it is not the case. Not at all.”

This week Jack Nicklaus has come to his defence saying, "I agree with Rory.

"In fact, it was me who told him so in the first place, when we had lunch last year.

"I told Rory that I never practised my short game because I felt like if I can hit 15 greens a round and hit a couple of par-fives in two and if I can make all my putts inside 10 feet, who cares where I chip it?"

Are McIlroy and Nicklaus right?

Or do you still believe the old saying, "drive for show, putt for dough."

Tell us your thoughts by commenting below.

 
Comments
Posted by james at 12/11/2011 08:38 PM
sorry no disrespect to 2 of my idols,i love the game,they are way of the mark!in the modern game tournaments are won or lost on or around the greens, fact!
Posted by Alexander at 26/08/2011 04:00 AM
So-so. Something was not impressed.
Posted by lol at 13/08/2011 01:25 PM
this is coming from a guy who has practice green and a BUNKER in his backyard.
Posted by roger at 12/03/2011 05:12 PM
The player who masters the short game brings home the gold.
Posted by Alan at 10/03/2011 09:20 AM
Best I have heard is short game determines how low you can go and long game determines how high you will go.
Posted by Mike at 09/03/2011 05:59 PM
He is talking about winning tournaments people. Fair comment in that context! (Not so Irish perhaps!) .......That said a wise man might still learn to chip and putt just to hedge his betts.
Posted by Shannon Knight at 09/03/2011 12:25 PM
You can bomb a drive 350yds down the middle of the fairway then miss the green with your approach shot. Then fail to get up and down. Whats the point of hitting it that far then not being able to get up and down. Therefore having a good short game is very important especially at a high level.
Posted by Paul Bryant at 09/03/2011 11:48 AM
I wonder how much money young Rory would make if he never got up and down for par again??.
Posted by Paul at 09/03/2011 11:39 AM
When did putting become excluded from the short game ... you still need to be a good putter inside 10ft as mention by the best of them all. These young upstarts???
Posted by Daniel at 09/03/2011 12:21 AM
It's funny how Nicklaus also said that Tiger Woods is as good as he is because of how good his short game is. And don't forget Mickelson who hasn't seen a fairway since 1985. Oh yea, Norman also had one of the best short games in his prime. Nicklaus can't let go of the past and still thinks the game is the same as it was when he was at the top. With dodgy balls and wooden woods.
Posted by ray punjer at 08/03/2011 07:36 PM
as a professional caddy I have watched thousands and thousands of short game practice shots hit by tour players there is no doubt a player with a well honed short game in his bag will go into a tournament with great confidence.Rory is a good young player and will learn this as time goes on.
Posted by NWABP at 08/03/2011 07:24 PM
The key here is "...if I can hit 15 greens a round...make all my putts inside 10 feet..." Hands up all those handicap golfers that can do that. The rest need a short game, otherwise they will lose every nassau.
Posted by Duncan Moodie at 08/03/2011 05:13 PM
Mciiroy is typical Tour Player, what they think they do and what they actaully are sometimes not even close !!
Posted by Bryan at 08/03/2011 03:57 PM
Having a good short game takes pressure off the long game.
Posted by Andrew at 08/03/2011 03:12 PM
The short game remains an important and critical part of the game as evidenced by Mcllroys performance in the second round of the Britsih Open last year. When his long game is working he can and does score very well. In round two the conditions became hideous and players required great short games to protect them from shooting 80 or worse. Woods, Nicklaus and Seve understand this and that is why they have a number of Majors to their names young Rory.
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