hi
i remember lee trevino and seve ballestros playing St andews in a one club challenge, both player had a 5 iron, lee shot 70 and seve shot 69, it was a windy day and both hit drives with the club closed and shut like a 3 iron, even had to play sand shots with the 5 irin and putted too.
i wounder how many player could post a score like that today, my point is you dont have to be long to score, you only have to be able to keep in in the fairway and be able to scramble, like both the above players, there ability to shape shots and use what is in there hand still amazes me, but did show me how a short game matters as both player did not drive far, think longest was 240 back then, and lee only hit 270 with a driver.
i take msklar point that you have to practice both but most handicap players spend most time on the driver and the odd day chipping. high handicapers miss greens more and need a good short game, the same with the long driver that hits it in the rough a lot he need a good short game to be back on the fairway.
bill