We've all the seen the incredibly long yet accurate drives of Tiger Woods. The ball flies through the air and lands in the middle of the fairway, 300 yards away.

How can you not become jealous as you wonder if you could ever dare to hope to drive like that? It is consoling to know, that long drives are not crucial to the game of golf.

So, we get to the 'short game' because without decent short game skills, all those great long drives are not worth a candle.

We call the 'short game' those shots that get you onto the green from roughly a hundred feet away from the hole, no matter whether it's from the fairway, a bunker, the rough or a drop zone. It includes all chips, sand shots and pitches.

It is in this middle stage of the game of golf that you get to use the higher numbered clubs, your pitching iron and sand wedge or lob wedge.

You will find practice areas on most golf courses. You really must spend some time working on hitting the ball onto the green from various distances. Try to hit a ten-foot circle in the centre of the green at first. Experiment using your wedges, but remember that what works well for one person, might not work so well for you and your particular swing.

After you have got into the habit of being able to perform this skill consistently, it's time to start practising in a sand bunker. Being able to get the ball out of a bunker can cut your score dramatically.

The way to do it is to plant your feet firmly in the sand with your left foot turned to face the hole. See an imaginary 4-inch circle around the ball and try to hit the outer edge of that circle.

Try to take up lots of sand with the ball and swing completely through as you normally would. Don't pull back on your swing at all when or after you have hit the ball. It should spring up gently onto the green and stop dead in its tracks. This doesn't work very well though unless the sand is quite soft and dry. On harder or compacted surfaces, you might need to avoid actually hitting the sand completely.

However, as in all aspects of the game of golf, only practice will help you to improve your score.

Are you a rookie to golfing?? We have some great tips for the beginner golfer at Golfing Tips for Beginners