Calculate a Short Game Handicap.

May 1, 1999

Hi, I’m Mel Sole, Director of Instruction at the Mel Sole Golf School, headquartered at Pawleys Plantation Golf and Country Club in Pawleys Island, SC. We conduct 1, 2 and 3-day golf schools, hourly golf lessons, and senior golf schools—any golf instruction program your heart desires. Give us a call at 800-624-4653 or 843-237-4993. We will be happy to book a commuter school or a package that contains accommodations, golf, and golf school.

Monthly Golf Tip by Mel Sole.

This month we talk about How to Determine Your "Short Game Handicap." Knowing this statistic will help you know which part of your short game is the weakest. This will allow you to bring down not only your Short Game Handicap but also your regular handicap.

Score Better with "Stats."

I define "Short Game" as all shots played inside of 50 yards of the green. Your "Short Game Handicap" indicates your proficiency in that area.

Each time you have a shot within 50 yards of the green, count how many shots it takes to get the ball into the hole. Mark this down on your scorecard. Those shots must still be counted if you fluff or scull a shot that does not finish on the green. For example, if you are within 50 yards of the green, and your pitch comes up short of the green, you scull your chip over the green, chip your next one on the green, and you two-putt, your short game handicap for that hole would be 5.

A further example. I hit my drive and second shot to within 50 yards of the green on the first hole. I then pitched on and one-putted. So my short game handicap would be two.

Calculate a Short Game Handicap.

C, P & B = Chips, Pitches, and Bunker shots.

SGS = Short Game Score.

I hit a five-iron from 190 yards onto the green and two-putted for par on the next hole. As I did not have any short shots around the green, this hole does not figure into my Short Game Handicap.

How to Calculate Your "Short Game Handicap"

As you see on the scorecard, I scored 35 for 9 holes. I had 3 chips, 1 bunker shot and 2 pitches. To calculate my short game handicap, I add up the number of strokes I took from within 50 yards (see SGS on scorecard above), which is 13, and divide it by 6 (the number of holes I had to chip, pitch or play out of sand) to get my final short game handicap for this nine holes which are 2.16. You would then do the same for the second nine to determine your Short Game Handicap for the full 18 holes. Do this each time you play to keep track of your progress.

If your regular golf handicap is 20 or higher, you should be aiming at a short game handicap of 3.0. Between 19 and 10, you should be about 2.75. Below a 10, you should have 2.5 or better.

If your short game handicap is higher than these figures - get to work on your chipping, pitching and bunker shots.

If it's lower - think about joining the tour!

Source: Mel Sole Golf school.

Thanks for reading - Calculate a Short Game Handicap. This will bring your real handicap right down!

Monthly Golf Tip by Mel Sole.

Score Better with "Stats."

How to Calculate Your "Short Game Handicap"

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