When you are in your ‘Short Game’, around the green, in the ‘First Cut or Fringe’, with no trouble to ‘Cover or Avoid’, (bunker, a little water, flower beds, shrubs, detritus, etc.) ‘Loft and Excessive Clubhead Speed’ are not your friend.
A big, high, soft ‘Flop Shot’ may be a ‘Thing Of Beauty’ but catch it a bit ‘Thin’ (Skully) and all opinions are quickly changed? Ending up across and past the green about 30 yards is a very poor exchange from your previous lie!
A poor ‘Putt’ is always better than a terrible ‘Flop Shot’ or even an average ‘Running Chip’? (‘Bump & Run’)
Your first choice around the green is always ‘Putt’. Second choice is ‘Putt’. Third choice is ‘Putt’. Fourth choice may still be a ‘Putt’. Fifth choice might be a ‘Chip or Bump & Run #8 Iron’.
Make several dozen of these ‘Close-In Shots’ with all your ‘Short Irons’ (Putter, #XW, #LW, #SW, #AW or Gap Wedge, #PW, #9Iron, #8 Iron and #7 Iron). Judge the total outcome for yourself! Hit a few ‘High Velocity Lob Wedges’. You will likely miss one or two!
By The Way, if you happen to prepare well (PSR) and sink that original shot, it cards as a really impressive ‘Zero Putt’!
When is the last time you had ‘Less Than 30 Putts’ in a round of golf? ‘Green Reading’ is fun!
Have you made an ‘Art Form’ of your ‘Approach Game’? (5/10/15 Foot Circles inside your #PW or thereabouts. Do you ‘Quadrant Your Greens’? Do you use your ‘12 Inch Landing Circles’ working around the ‘Dance Floor’?
Think Small!