What a great finish to a great tournament at this week's AT&T Classic. The fine folks up at TPC Sugarloaf always do a great job with their tournament. They should again be proud of their work.

As should champion Zach Johnson and runner-up Ryuji Imada. Both played outstanding golf all week and either could have won this event. I was equally impressed with their poise and composure as much as their golf swings, and we all know what great golf swings they have. You are going to hear a lot from Mr. Zach Johnson over the years ahead, he is such a good, quality player. And I get the feeling Mr. Imada will be knocking on a lot more leaderboards from here on out, and it won't be long before he eventually breaks through for a win.

Speaking of Mr. Imada, I am struck by how well he played two very different shots on the same hole over the course of two days. On Saturday, on the 18th hole, he hit a 91-foot flop shot that carried over a bunker to a pin near the water, but was able to stop it inches from the cup. On Sunday, on the 72nd hole, he played a chip from a tight, downhill lie, that again settled just inches from the hole. On both occasions, he was able to make birdie when any number of problems could have occurred.

Amateur golfers would be served well by focusing on these shots the next time they want to work on their game. For starters, amateur players spend far too much time at the range hitting driver. It might be more fun, but if you're really after improvement, it would serve you better to work on your short game.

And when you do, focus on a few important points to find out what your clubs can do for you in the course of a given round.

1.) Check the lie of the ball. Is the grain with or against you? Is the ball sitting up on top of the grass or nestled down deep within. How hard would it be to slide a club under it? Will your club catch on it's way down?

2.) Take a club you have confidence in. So many amateurs automatically reach for their 60-degree or 56-degree club around the greens because they see Phil Mickelson or Tiger Woods do the same. You want a club you know you can hit square and know how the ball will react. That might be a 7-iron or a pitching wedge. If it is, fine. But use a club you have confidence in.

3.) Use the bounce angle of the club. The short game shot is actually hit with a square to slightly open club face. You do not want your club to close down on these shots.

4.) Understand why the shot performs like it does. You are better served with a shot that will allow for some role after it lands rather than a quick spinning shot that spins back or stops immediately. Just because the TOUR guys can pull that off every time doesn't mean you can.

5.) The tighter the lie, the more precise your impact should be. Keep these rules in mind. If you can, putt the ball near the green. If you can't putt, chip. If you can't chip, then try to pitch it on. Think of how players act at Pinehurst or Augusta National. Often you see them putt it from well off the green. That's due to the closely mown grass at these facilities.

If you take these pointers with you as you work on your short game, you will definitely find yourself scoring better. You'll also find that your options near the green will increase which will increase your enjoyment of golf as well.

Best of luck to you and your game.

Charlie Sorrell is a PGA certified Master Professional who teaches out of Sorrell Scholl of Golf at Golf Meadows in Stockbridge, Ga. He has been recognized by several golf media as one of the top instructors in the country including GOLF Magazine and Golf Digest, has been named both the Georgia Section Teacher of the Year and the PGA National Teacher of the Year, as well as Georgia PGA Professional of the Year. He has also served as President of the Georgia PGA. He can be reached at his web site or by email at golfmeadows@aol.com.