A curated set of practical practice routines focused on pitching, chipping, and bunker play that can be completed before or during a morning practice session. Provides step-by-step instructions, setup tips, and common faults with corrective cues.
Welcome to a focused moment of play before the first light of the course—where precision, touch, and confidence shape every short-game spark. In the quiet calm of early rounds, small adjustments yield center-cut results, and that’s the essence of our Short-Game Drills series: concise, actionable, and tuned for efficiency.
The short game is where morning routines meet real-world impact. Historically, elite players have built reputations on their ability to convert delicate touches into reliable scores. Our drills honor that heritage—balancing tradition with modern efficiency—so you can approach pitching, chipping, and bunker play with a calm, repeatable rhythm.
Think of these drills as a choreography: setup, motion, feedback. Each progression respects the early round tempo, providing quick wins that accumulate into lasting confidence around greens.
Objective: Create a smooth, low-trajectory pitch with clean contact. Setup with a narrow stance, weight slightly toward the front foot, and a quiet torso.
Common faults: early release, floppy wrists. Corrective cue: pause slightly at the top to maintain lag.
Objective: Control the roll-out distance with a compact stroke and hinged wrists.
Common faults: excess wrist hinge; fix with a steady, pendulum-like stroke.
Objective: Escape greenside bunkers with control, spin, and predictable bounce.
Common faults: getting steep; corrective cue: rotate through with a wider base.
Objective: Refine contact across short-game clubs with a focus on impact consistency.
Common faults: mis-hit due to timing; corrective cue: slow down and feel the pause at the top.
The Short-Game Drills are designed to be used in 20-minute windows before or during your morning practice. Build consistency by cycling through drills in a controlled sequence, then revisiting with incremental difficulty.
Early rounds have long been associated with discipline, focus, and the quiet ritual of preparation. Historically, professional players have credited a well-structured morning routine with stabilizing nerve, sharpening touch, and preserving rhythm under pressure. Our approach embraces that heritage, translating it into concise drills that honor the elegance of a well-timed practice session.
The language of the short game—touch, feel, and trust—reflects a broader tradition in golf of turning routine into mastery. By framing these drills for a 9am tee time, we connect timeless technique with the practical realities of real-world rounds, offering a modern seam that feels both classic and current.
Explore more morning-focused resources to complement your short-game practice.