It’s pretty obvious that the more greens you hit in regulation, the better you will score.

However, it is very unlikely that you will hit all 18 greens in regulation, so the better your short game is, the better chance you have to still score well and save your round from getting away from you when your swing is out of sorts.

If 60 percent of the strokes that you take during a round of golf are within 60 yards of the hole, then 60 percent of your practice time should be on your short game. The short game consists of putting, chipping, pitching and sand play.

The most important part of the short game is putting. Learning to read greens and control your distance is the most important part of putting. I subscribe to the theory that learning to putt at a 17-inch pace is the key to great putting. This means that if the ball does not go in, it will roll 17 inches by the hole. The size of the hole will accept a ball rolling at this pace.

Chipping is done when you are within a few feet of the green and usually with a 6- or 7-iron. A chip shot carries about 25 percent of the distance to the cup and then rolls the remaining 75 percent. To make this shot a little easier, try using your putting grip and putting stroke for this shot.

Pitch shots are usually done with your sand wedge and carry about two-thirds of the way in the air and roll about one-third of the way. The proper position for this shot is having about 75 percent of your weight on your forward leg and foot. Grip pressure should be very light with your hands in front of the ball.

Sand play can also be crucial when trying to keep your rounds going. When you get in the bunker, open up your hips and stance. At that point put about 75 percent of your weight on your front foot. Take the club away without a weight shift outside your line and bring your hands back down through your address position striking the sand no more than 2 inches behind the ball and finish your swing.