You’re standing over a putt. Not a long one, just five feet. You know you should make it. You tell yourself you will. And then, you don’t. Again. And again. That sinking feeling? That’s your handicap refusing to budge.
The good news? You don’t need marathon practice sessions or an expensive coach whispering in your ear. What you need is ten minutes. Seriously. Ten. That’s enough time to tighten up the biggest leaks in your game. And before you start with the “I don’t have time” excuses—if you’ve got time to scroll social media in the clubhouse, you’ve got time for this.
Putting
3-6-9 Feet Pressure Drill
How it works: You start at 3 feet. Drain three putts. Move back to 6 feet. Drain three more. Then 9 feet. If you miss? Back to the start. Painful, but effective.
What it fixes: Confidence under pressure. You don’t get unlimited do-overs on the course.
Tools: Tees to mark distances. A will of steel.
How often: 3x per week.
Why it works: The best putters don’t make everything, but they make the ones that count. This drill forces you to do just that.
Speed Control Ladder
How it works: Putt to targets at 10, 20, and 30 feet, focusing on stopping the ball within a 3-foot circle.
What it fixes: Lag putting. Eliminates the dreaded three-putt.
Tools: Alignment sticks (or just use your imagination, you creative genius).
How often: 2x per week.
Tour pro insight: Speed trumps line. Get the pace right, and you’ll never leave yourself knee-knockers again.
Chipping & Pitching
Landing Spot Challenge
How it works: Place a towel five feet onto the green. Chip balls so they land on it. Adjust distances as you improve.
What it fixes: Precision. Rollout control.
Tools: A towel or a marked circle.
How often: 4x per week.
Why it works: Pros don’t chip to the hole—they chip to a spot. You should too.
One-Club Wedge Drill
How it works: Use only your 56° or 58° wedge for all chips—high, low, flop, bump-and-run. Figure it out.
What it fixes: Face control. Adaptability.
How often: 3x per week.
Coach’s take: Master one club first. Then add variety. Most amateurs try to do the opposite.
Iron Play
Impact Bag Strikes
How it works: Hit an impact bag (or a folded towel) with your mid-iron, focusing on compressing the “ball.”
What it fixes: Shaft lean. Ball-first contact.
Tools: Impact bag or an old towel.
How often: Daily. Yes, daily.
Why it matters: Clean strikes equal consistent distances. Mishits? They don’t make it to the green.
Gate Drill for Path
How it works: Place two tees slightly wider than your clubhead. Swing through without touching them.
What it fixes: Swing path. Center-face strikes.
Tools: Tees. Your ability to aim.
How often: 3x per week.
Why it’s worth it: Mis-hit less, score better. Revolutionary, I know.
Driving & Tee Shots
Tempo Mirror Drill
How it works: Slow-motion swings in front of a mirror. Feel the sequence.
What it fixes: Transition timing. Tempo control.
Tools: A mirror. Or your phone camera.
How often: Daily.
Tour secret: Rory McIlroy does mirror drills. If it’s good enough for Rory, it’s good enough for you.
Alignment Stick Fairway
How it works: Lay an alignment stick parallel to your target. Start the ball over it.
What it fixes: Setup alignment. Shot shaping.
Tools: An alignment stick (or a club if you’re cheap).
How often: 2x per week.
What makes it legit: If you can’t aim, you can’t score. Simple as that.
Mental Game & Course Management
Pre-Shot Routine Rehearsal
How it works: Go through your full routine for five minutes. No hitting balls. Just visualize, waggle, step in, and pretend you’re flushing it.
What it fixes: Decision-making. Nerves.
How often: Daily.
The science: Players with consistent pre-shot routines lower anxiety by 30%. Feel free to remind your playing partners of this next time they stand frozen over a shot.
Par 18 Short Game
How it works: Chip nine balls, scoring par as two shots per ball. Add up your total. Repeat. Get better.
What it fixes: Up-and-down ability.
How often: 2x per week.
Stat to remember: Saving 1-2 strokes per round with short game matters more than hitting 300-yard drives. (Though if you can do both, I’m jealous.)
The Science Behind 10-Minute Drills
A 2024 study found that golfers practicing focused 10-minute drills four times per week improved 17% faster than those grinding for hours aimlessly.
Why?
Because deliberate, high-repetition training on weaknesses makes a bigger impact than just whacking balls and hoping for the best.
These drills are designed to fix your biggest leaks—poor putting, inconsistent ball-striking, and questionable decision-making.
If you commit to them, you’ll drop strokes. Quickly.
And if you don’t?
Well, enjoy that five-footer lipping out. Again.
