To this day I still dread the driving range, I find working on approach shots tedious and boring, and so it was out of boredom and the knowledge that I needed to work on my ball striking that I discovered and developed these games. Hopefully they keep you entertained and make that hour or two of range work feel like 15 minutes.
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9 Shots- This is the game that Tiger Woods made famous where you attempt to hit all three ball flights (draw, straight, fade) at all three heights (low, standard, high). It is a fantastic challenge to make sure you are mastering all skills but it is incredibly difficult and really only the top players get much benefit from it which is why it falls at number 5 on my list.
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Single Finger Approach - The single finger approach game is great because it gives us a definitive mark to aim for when hitting shots inside 100 yards rather than us just assuming it’s close or not. All you have to do is hold up one finger about a foot or two in front of you and close one eye. The finger should cover the target and where the ball landed for the shot to be successful. If you are successful in this drill you will be looking at a lot of birdie putts.
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Iron Gate Drill - One of the most overlooked parts of solid ball striking is where on the club face you are actually striking the ball. This game is simply creating a gate the width of your iron face and attempting to hit the ball without hitting the edge of the gate. Its simple and gives terrific feedback but also a great challenge for players at all skill levels.
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1 Club 3 Flags- Now we get into the fun challenges. One club three flags is all about learning how to control distance with your irons. If your 9 iron goes 150 yards it’s rare that you get an exact 150 yard shot, so we want to learn to control the distance. For this game I would have a 150, 140, and a 160 target and try to hit my nine iron at all three.
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80yd Leapfrog- If you want to lower your score quickly, do this drill for a week straight. Hit a shot that goes longer than 80 yards, without changing clubs attempt to hit each shot further than the previous. To get good at this challenge you have to learn to manage the distance you hit the ball not in 10 yard increments like most of us do but in 1-3 yard increments. If you can do that you will be dialed in with your approach shots.
Use these 5 challenge to turn your approach practice from a chore to a game. The next time your at a simulator or driving range give each one of these challenges 5 minutes of your time and you will see how much more engaging your practice becomes. Approach shot practice does not need to be measured in amount of balls you hit, it should be measured by the focus you have on each shot.