Every golfer knows all too well the difficulties of the short game - the frustration of three-putting, of leaving a ball in the bunker, of fluffing an easy chip, of misjudging a wedge and flying the green, of seeing birdies and pars turn into bogeys and worse. The closer you get to the cup, the more trying the game of golf becomes. It is from forty yards and in (an area from which about half your strokes are played) that you score well or badly, and to score well you have to be able to "get up and down".

Today's most successful golfer - twice Masters champion and winner of the U.S. Open and five British Opens - has now written a book on the most challenging and important aspects of the game - from the forty-yard wedge to the three-foot putt, from sand play to chips and pitches, both the basic and the intricate shots. Tom Watson's guide addresses the problems that all golfers, whether pros or just beginners, face dozens of times in every round.

As all golfers know, in the 1982 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, Tom Watson holed out a seemingly impossible chip on the 17th hole to break a tie with Jack Nicklaus and win the championship. In Getting Up and Down, Watson explains how he made this spectacular shot, and shows you how to think about and execute a wide variety of strokes, from the "easy" ones to those that seem nearly impossible. As Watson's instruction proves, even a high-handicapper can manage without disaster. No one can get up and down all the time, but those who study this book will know how to in almost any situation. By applying Watson's lessons to your own game, you can hope to lower your score by 5 to 10 percent, no matter how well you play.

There are no shortcuts to mastering the short game. In Getting Up and Down, Tom Watson provides the principles and the specific advice that are the basis of successful scoring. He has also devised many entertaining drills that build your skills, knowledge and confidence. This book makes a difference . . . the difference you'll see on your scorecard.