Mighty,
Most pros get shorter when they go on tour! There are many amateurs bombing it on their local courses today!
I'll never forget the first and only time I saw Tiger Woods play in person. He was averaging about 325 on a tight course and playing army golf. This about 6 months before his first Masters victory.
On the other hand I was amazed by his short game as I could not believe his sand game, his flop, his chipping and his putting.
Statistics go on to back it up in that for much of his dominant period he was lucky to ever average 13 greens in regulation and this even in the year when breaking Byron Nelsons scoring record in 2000 with an average of 68.13.
This meant that Tiger averaged almost 9 under par on the short game per day! This in recovering on the 5 missed greens per day and birdieing 4 other holes per day.
The 2nd time I realized that pro golf would not be for me or anyone I knew is the day I saw at that time future US open champion David Graham shoot a 73 On a PGA tour course while hitting maybe 3 to 5 greens. Some of his shots barely got in the air!
A State Amateur champ friend of mine when asked what he would have shot if hitting the ball that bad stated, "I've never hit the ball that bad!" I re asked, "but if you did....?"."His answer, ,,,, "That bad?
Ummmm, 93!"
Short game!
REgards,
Luckylefty