I'm a big fan of variability during short game practice as well as playing games that create competition and simulate pressure.

I’m a big fan of variability during short game practice as well as playing games that create competition and simulate pressure. As we all know on the course we are faced with constantly varying lies, distances, and conditions. We are taken out of our comfort zone and face variables with nearly every shot on course. Add in the pressure of tournament golf and it’s tough to prepare properly for those feelings.

If you are solo, I recommend, dropping balls around the green in places you feel challenged or uncomfortable. Hit one ball on the green from each spot, then go up and putt all the balls until you’ve holed each of them. Count your score. Track this progress from day to day and continue trying to improve that score each time. We want the practice to be more difficult than the real thing. Doing so sets us up for success come tournament time.

If you have a partner you can play a similar game. We call it 21. You can play to 11 or 21 depending on time allotted. You can play with one other player or multiple. Each player hits 2 balls to a specified target. If you make it, it’s worth 3 points. For each ball that is closer than your opponent, you get 1 point. The player who scores the most points in each round gets to select the next hole and they will play first. There is always a time to work on technique, and those sessions vary. But day to day, these types of games and/or drills simulate on-course play and is where I’ve seen players drop shots quicker, by taking their improvement from practice sessions to the course.