Dial in your short game with this simple 30-day challenge

By: Debbie Doniger, Top 100 Teacher July 9, 2021

Forget quantity. Focus on quality practice for 30 days and you’ll reap huge rewards this season on your short game.

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Forget quantity. Focus on quality practice for 30 days and you’ll reap huge rewards this season. This short-game improvement plan mandates you hit about 150 balls per session; you can do it at the range or from a golf setup in your backyard.

Visit GOLF.com for an expanded version of this routine from Top 100 Teacher Debbie Doniger.

Materials you’ll need

— Pitching wedge
— Hitting net
— Flightscope MEVO (or other launch monitor)

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The challenge will last for 30 days and you will perform a different drill each day.

1. Ball-first quarter swings

Take a pitching wedge, narrow your stance with pressure lightly forward. Choke down and hit 50 balls with a quarter swing. Focus on contacting the ball first, ground second.

2. Net-rattling half swings

Hit 50 balls with your lead arm reaching no more than parallel to the ground on your backswing. Finish your follow-through with your chest pointing at the target, left wrist flat.

3. Benchmark test

Using a Flightscope MEVO ($500; flightscopemevo.com), hit 10 balls with your quarter, half and full swings with every wedge. Record the distance and off-line direction for each and calculate the averages.

When you’re ready to get started, check out the challenge below. Your short game is sure to improve.