A half-hour practice session works best when you arrive with a task and leave with something you can measure. This plan divides the time into putting, short game and tee-shot decisions. Adjust the exercises for the facilities available to you.
Minutes 0–10: Short putts with a routine
Start from three feet on a suitable practice green. Pick a start line, take your usual preparation and make the stroke. Complete a small set, then move to four or five feet. Count makes and attempts instead of rolling balls without a record.
Keep the routine consistent. If you miss, note the result and repeat it; do not immediately add a new mechanical thought. Choose a clear area that does not interfere with other golfers.
Minutes 10–15: Lag-putting pace
Hit three putts each from about 15, 25 and 35 feet, aiming to finish within three feet of the cup. Count successes and putt out where practical. Our full lag-putting drill explains how to track the exercise.
If time is short, reduce the number of putts rather than rushing the routine. Use the same distances next time so the comparison means something.
Minutes 15–20: Chips to a landing area
Choose one familiar club and an appropriate practice-green target. Identify a landing spot and observe how the ball releases after landing. Hit a small set from one lie before changing the distance or surface.
A net or towel can make a target obvious in a safe practice space, but it cannot reproduce the rollout of a real green. Use suitable balls, enough space and the facility’s rules. Do not treat a small chipping net as a full-swing safety net.
Minutes 20–30: Tee-shot decisions
At the range, choose a broad target to represent a fairway. Imagine a hole, select the tee club and hit one shot with your normal routine. Change the target and, when appropriate, the club for the next simulated hole.
Include both driver and an alternative you actually use on the course. Record whether the shot finished in the intended area. The point is to rehearse a decision and a routine, rather than hit ten identical shots with no target.
Leave with one note
Write down one result and one next step. For example: “Four of nine lag putts finished in the zone; repeat the same distances next visit.” Avoid judging an entire practice session by the last ball you hit.
Use our score calculator to choose which block deserves more attention next week. If penalties repeatedly cost you shots, review the driver decision guide. If you are considering a purchase, first identify what a practice tool would add to the task.
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