Most golfers believe it takes years to master distance control around the greens. The truth is, with a little focused practice you can improve quickly and start lowering your scores.
A few simple drills and a small investment of practice time can help you hit your short game shots closer to the target, convert more up-and-downs and gain confidence around the greens. Real improvement is possible in a surprisingly short amount of time.
Here are five drills you can use to dial in your distance control around the greens.
Drill 1: Varying targets
Set up targets at 10-yard intervals — 10, 20, 30 and 40 yards. Choose one of your higher-lofted clubs, such as a sand wedge, and practice controlling your distance by varying the length of your backswing.
Learning to produce different carry distances with the same club is an essential short game skill, especially when you need to carry a bunker, rough or another obstacle before the ball lands.
Drill 2: Long or short?
One of the best ways to develop feel is to predict the result before you see it. Choose a target and hit your shot. At the moment of impact, decide whether you think the ball will finish long or short of the target. Then watch the result.
Sometimes you’ll be right, and sometimes you’ll be surprised. Over time, this simple exercise sharpens your awareness of how solid contact, swing length and tempo influence distance. As your predictions become more accurate, so will your distance control.
Drill 3: Differ trajectories
Practice hitting the same club with three different trajectories: low, medium and high. By adjusting ball position and trajectory, you’ll change how the ball lands and rolls. Higher shots land softer and roll less, covering less total distance. Lower shots release more after landing and typically travel farther.
Learning to vary trajectory gives you another way to control distance and adapt to different course conditions.
Drill 4: Coin toss landing spot
Place a small target on the green, such as a coin or ball marker, and practice landing your golf ball as close to it as possible.
Focusing on a very small landing spot trains you to make subtle adjustments in swing length and speed. As your landing precision improves, you’ll naturally begin hitting your shots much closer to the hole. Remember, your landing spot is often more important than the final resting place of the ball.
Drill 5: Different clubs, same target
Pick a single target and challenge yourself to reach it using several different clubs. For example, try hitting the same shot with a pitching wedge, gap wedge, sand wedge and lob wedge. Each club will require slight adjustments in trajectory, carry distance and rollout. This drill develops feel, expands your creativity and teaches you which clubs perform best for different shots. Those lessons translate directly to better decision-making on the golf course.
