5 Underrated Short Game Drills to Lower Your Handicap Fast

If your scorecard looks the same no matter how many new drivers you buy, this one’s for you.

Most golfers hit a plateau because they obsess over full swings and ignore the 60 yards and in. The problem? That’s where most shots — and most wasted strokes — actually happen.

The good news: you don’t need a swing overhaul or a week-long golf school to drop shots fast. You just need smarter, focused short game practice.

Below are five underrated short game drills you probably don’t see many people doing at the range — but you should. Each one is:

• Simple to set up
• Easy to understand
• Designed to translate directly to lower scores

Sprinkle these into your practice a few times a week and you’ll start walking to the green expecting to get up and down — and yeah, it doesn’t hurt when you look and feel confident doing it in your favorite Broken Tee fit.

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Drill #1: Ladder Distance Control (Putting from 10–40 Feet)

If you’ve ever three‑putted from the middle of the green (…again), this one’s for you. The Ladder Drill trains your distance control so your long putts cozy up next to the hole instead of racing past it.

How to set it up

1. Find a flat section of the practice green.
2. Place tees or coins at 10, 20, 30, and 40 feet from a hole (or just pick visual spots).
3. Start with three balls at the 10-foot mark.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Start at 10 feet.
   • Putt all three balls trying to stop them within a 3-foot circle around the hole.
2. Only move back if you “pass the level.”
   • You must get at least 2 of 3 putts inside that 3-foot circle.
   • If you do, move back to the next station (20 ft, then 30, then 40).
3. If you fail a station, repeat it.
   • Miss the standard (less than 2 of 3 inside the circle)?
   • Stay at that distance until you beat it.
4. Make it a game.
   • Track how many total attempts it takes you to complete all four distances.
   • Next session, try to beat your “ladder score.”

Common mistakes to avoid

• Rushing the routine. Treat every putt like it’s for par on 18. Same routine, same posture, same tempo.
• Only focusing on the hole. Pick a precise aim spot and picture exactly where you want the ball to stop, not just “somewhere up there.”
• Changing your stroke with every putt. Your tempo and stroke should feel the same. The only thing that changes is the length of your backswing.

How often to practice

• 2–3 times per week, 10–15 minutes is plenty.
• Great warm-up drill before a round: run a quick ladder at 20–30 feet to dial in your feel.

Style tie-in tip: This is also a perfect moment to get your pre-shot swagger routine dialed — hat brim set, glove snug, shirt untucked just enough. Looking the part can quietly boost your confidence over every putt.

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Drill #2: Around-the-Clock Short Putts (3–5 Feet)

Missing short putts hurts more than losing a ball. You should make most of your 3–5 footers — and this drill helps you turn those from “uh oh” into “automatic.”

How to set it up

1. On a fairly flat hole, place 6 tees in a circle around the cup.
2. Start at 3 feet from the hole (use your putter length to measure).
3. Place a ball at each tee.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Make a full circle.
   • Putt each ball, moving around the clock.
   • Goal: make all 6 in a row.
2. If you miss, restart the circle.
   • Yep, all the way back to tee #1.
   • The pressure of “if I miss, I start over” is the point.
3. Level up to 4 feet, then 5 feet.
   • Once you can regularly go 6-for-6 at 3 feet, move the tees back to 4 feet.
   • Same rules: don’t move out until you can consistently complete the full circle.
4. Add pressure at the end.
   • Finish practice or warm-up with a “one-and-done” circle. If you miss any putt, you owe 10 more short putts.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Ramming short putts too hard. You don’t need to knock the back of the cup off. Keep a smooth tempo and a soft, confident stroke.
• Peeking early. Hold your finish and listen for the ball to drop before you look.
• Ignoring your routine. Short putts are where a consistent routine really matters. Same number of looks, same setup, every time.

How often to practice

• Before every round: one quick circle at 3 feet.
• Practice days: 10–15 minutes, 2–3 times per week.

Bonus benefit: When you start draining everything inside 5 feet, your chipping confidence goes up too — you know you don’t have to hit every chip stone-dead, just close.

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Drill #3: One-Handed Chip Control (Stop Chunking and Blading)

If your chipping alternates between “I dug a trench” and “I just hit a rocket across the green,” this drill is your new best friend.

The one-handed chip forces you to use the bounce of the club, improve your feel, and eliminate the jerky, wristy motion that ruins so many chips.

How to set it up

1. Go to the chipping green.
2. Pick a relatively simple shot: 10–15 yards of carry to a flat pin.
3. Use your sand wedge or gap wedge.
4. You’ll only need 3–5 balls.

Step-by-step instructions

We’ll do this in two parts.

Part 1: Trail-hand-only chips (for most right-handers, that’s your right hand)

1. Grip the club with just your trail hand.
2. Set up with slightly more weight on your front foot (around 60–70%).
3. Make small, smooth swings, letting the club brush the grass.
4. Focus on clipping the ball and letting the bounce of the wedge slide under the ball.
5. Hit 10–15 shots like this.

Part 2: Add the lead hand back

1. Take your normal grip again with both hands.
2. Try to reproduce the same soft, connected feeling from the one-handed swings.
3. Alternate: 2 shots one-handed, 3 shots with both hands.
4. Repeat for 10–15 minutes.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Stabbing at the ball. The whole point is tempo and feel. Think “brush,” not “hit.”
• Standing too narrow or too tall. Slightly wider stance and a small knee bend help your body turn with the club.
• Trying this on a super hard, tight lie at first. Start with decent grass and a simple chip. Build confidence, then go to harder lies.

How often to practice

• 2 times per week, 10 minutes is enough.
• Great as a pre-round warm-up when you have access to a chipping green.

Subtle style moment: Chipping practice is often where you’re most on your own — no gallery, no pressure, just you, the wedge, and your thoughts. It’s the perfect time to dial in what “feels like you” clothing-wise too, so that relaxed feeling follows you onto the course.

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Drill #4: Towel Landing Spot Drill (Spin and Distance Control)

Most golfers think about the hole when they chip. Better players think about the landing spot. This drill teaches you to pick and hit a landing zone so your chips react how you want.

How to set it up

1. Grab a small towel or alignment stick cover and place it on the green.
2. Start with a basic chip: roughly 10–15 yards of carry.
3. Position the towel 2–3 yards onto the green where you want the ball to land.
4. Use whatever wedge you normally chip with (often a 50–56°).

Step-by-step instructions

1. Pick your shot.
   • Decide the trajectory you want: low runner, medium, or high.
   • Keep it simple at first: start with a medium trajectory.
2. Hit the towel, not the hole.
   • Hit 10 balls, trying to land each one on (or very close to) the towel.
   • Don’t worry where they finish at first — just if they hit or hover over the towel.
3. Score your set.
   • 2 points: direct hit on the towel.
   • 1 point: within a clubhead-length.
   • 0 points: outside that zone.
4. Change the landing spot.
   • Move the towel closer to you, then farther away.
   • Notice how much swing length and speed you need for each.
5. Then, add the hole back in.
   • Now chip to actually get the ball close to the cup using your new landing spot skill.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Only watching the result at the hole. You’re training your eyes to see and hit landing zones. Keep your focus there.
• Over-swinging. You don’t need a big backswing. Let the loft of the club do the work.
• Changing clubs every five minutes. Start by mastering distance control with one wedge, then expand.

How often to practice

• 1–2 sessions per week, 15–20 minutes.
• If you’re short on time, hit one 10-ball set before a round.

Pro move: When you’re dressed in a clean, modern kit, you naturally hold yourself a bit taller and calmer over the ball. Pair that with knowing exactly where you want the ball to land, and you get a short game that actually looks as good as your outfit.

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Drill #5: Par-18 Up-and-Down Challenge (Game-Like Pressure)

You can have great technique in practice and still fall apart on the course if you never practice under pressure.

Par-18 is a simple game that trains your decision-making, creativity, and nerve around the green.

How to set it up

1. Head to the practice green with one wedge and your putter.
2. You’re going to create 9 different up-and-down situations around the green.
3. Each hole is a par 2 (chip + putt).
4. Your total score for 9 holes: Par is 18.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Create 9 unique lies.
   • Short-sided chip
   • Uphill chip
   • Downhill chip
   • Ball in light rough
   • Tight lie
   • Ball sitting down a bit
   • Longer chip (20–25 yards)
   • Simple bump-and-run
   • Tricky pin close to the edge
2. Play each shot like you’re on the course.
   • Read the lie and green.
   • Choose your shot (loft, trajectory, landing spot).
   • Hit the chip, then putt out.
3. Keep score honestly.
   • 1 stroke for the chip.
   • 1 stroke for the putt.
   • If you take 3 or more, it’s over par for that “hole.”
4. Add a target score.
   • First time: just see where you land.
   • Next sessions: try to beat your best. Aim to get closer and closer to Par-18.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Playing the same easy shot over and over. The whole point is variety. Challenge yourself.
• Raking balls over and re-trying the same lie. On the course, you only get one ball. Treat it that way.
• Not writing scores down. If you don’t track your score, you won't feel the pressure that makes this drill powerful.

How often to practice

• Once a week is great.
• Takes about 20–30 minutes to complete 9 “holes.”

Confidence bonus: When you’ve already seen (and solved) a bunch of ugly lies in Par-18, real-course situations feel way less intimidating. Combine that with feeling good in your gear and you start carrying yourself like the player you’re becoming, not the one you were.

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Putting it all together: a simple weekly short game plan

You don’t need to live at the practice green to see real results. Here’s a simple way to plug all five drills into a normal week.

Sample weekly plan (about 60–75 minutes total):

• Day 1 – 20 minutes
  Ladder Drill (10–15 minutes)
  Around-the-Clock Short Putts (5–10 minutes)
• Day 2 – 20 minutes
  One-Handed Chip Control (10 minutes)
  Towel Landing Spot Drill (10 minutes)
• Day 3 – 25–30 minutes
  Par-18 Up-and-Down Challenge (full 9 “holes”)

Before rounds, sneak in a 5–10 minute warm-up:

• A quick Ladder from 20–30 feet
• One circle of 3-foot Around-the-Clock putts

If you can stick to that for 3–4 weeks, you’ll likely notice:

• Fewer three-putts
• More tap-in bogeys and pars from missed greens
• A lot less “I have no idea what this chip is going to do” energy

And yes, more holes where your buddies say, “You got up and down from there?”

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Final thoughts (and your next move)

You don’t have to rebuild your entire golf game to drop your handicap. If you simply:

• Control your distance on long putts
• Make most of your short putts
• Get your basic chips on the green and reasonably close

…you’ll start shaving strokes faster than any new driver can promise.

Pick one or two of these drills to start this week. Put a reminder in your phone, toss a towel in your bag, and give your short game a little intentional love.

And if you want your on-course confidence to match your new skills, check out the latest drops from Broken Tee Brands — fresh golf apparel and lifestyle gear designed for players who love the game, don’t take themselves too seriously, but still want to show up and score.
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Featured image

A mid-30s golfer in modern, casual golf apparel practicing chip shots on a lush practice green at golden hour, with several balls around the fringe and the flagstick and hole visible in the background — no drinks or bottles anywhere in the scene, just clean, focused short game practice vibes.