Play Ready Golf · Your drill pack
My 4 favorite driver drills
Off the tee, the drive that costs you isn't the one in the rough. It's the one that never comes back. These four score the penalty, not just the fairway.
Run all four once this week at Level 1. That's your baseline. Then beat it.
How the levels work
Get a baseline
Run each drill once at Level 1 and write your score down.
Two in a row
Hit your target two sessions in a row, then move up a level.
Turn one dial
Past Level 3, change one thing: Distance, Diameter or Dice.
01 · Driver
Wide Fairway 10
Ten drives into a fairway you pick. The fairway scores, the rough is free, and a penalty costs you.
Why this drill
Shot Scope's averages: a 15 handicap takes about two and a half penalty strokes a round. A scratch golfer takes about a half. This drill scores the penalty, so you learn to keep the ball in play.
Set it up
- 1Pick a target line out where your drives land.
- 2Pick two markers about 60 yards apart, one on each side of that line. Flags, signs or trees all work. That's your Level 1 fairway. From Level 2 on, make it 50.
- 3The 15 yards outside each edge is rough. Anything past that is a penalty.
On a sim, use offline yards. Level 1: fairway within 30, rough to 45, penalty past 45. Level 2 and up: fairway within 25, rough to 40.
Play it
- 1Hit 5 drives at your first target line. Full routine on every ball.
- 2Switch to a new target line and a new fairway. Hit 5 more.
- 3Score every drive as it lands.
Score it
Add them up. Your score runs from minus 10 to plus 10. Higher is better.
Your target
Hit your target two sessions in a row, then move up a level.
After Level 3, make it harder
One change at a time. Drop back to the Level 2 target and climb again.
This is every tee shot you hit. Fairway or not, the scorecard counts it.
02 · Driver
Safe Side Selector
Before every drive, you pick the side you can miss on. A miss on the other side costs you 2.
Why this drill
Water left, out of bounds right. This drill trains that decision before you're standing over it: pick the side you can miss on, and aim so your miss goes there.
Set it up
- 1Pick a fairway: two markers 65 yards apart for Level 1, 50 yards from Level 2 on.
- 2Before each drive, call one side safe. The other side is the hazard.
On a sim, use offline yards: half the fairway width on each side of your line.
Play it
- 1Call your safe side out loud before every drive.
- 2Aim so your miss goes to the safe side.
- 3Switch sides whenever you like. 10 drives.
Score it
Add them up for your net score. Higher is better.
Your target
Hit your target two sessions in a row, then move up a level.
After Level 3, make it harder
One change at a time. Drop back to the Level 2 target and climb again.
Every tee shot with trouble on one side is this drill. Make the decision before you swing.
03 · Driver
Tempo 3-Ball Sets
Drives at 70%, 85% and full effort, to find out which one finds the most fairways for you.
Why this drill
Most golfers swing at full speed on every tee shot without ever testing it. This drill shows you which effort keeps the ball in play.
Set it up
- 1Pick 3 targets downrange: left, middle and right.
- 2Use a 50 yard fairway around each one.
On a sim, count any drive within 25 yards of your line.
Play it
- 1Hit sets of 3: the first ball at 70% effort, the second at 85%, the third at full.
- 2Rotate through the 3 targets. 9 balls.
- 3Note which effort hit the most fairways.
Score it
Your score is out of 9. Higher is better.
Your target
Hit your target two sessions in a row, then move up a level.
After Level 3, make it harder
One change at a time. Drop back to the Level 2 target and climb again.
When a hole is tight, you'll already know which swing finds the fairway.
04 · Driver
14-Hole Fairway Card
Fourteen tee shots, like a real round. One ball per hole, and every one goes on the card.
Why this drill
It's a round's worth of tee shots, one ball each, so your number here is one you can compare to your rounds.
Set it up
- 1Pick 3 targets downrange: left, center and right. Use a 50 yard fairway around each.
- 2Write 1 to 14 down the side of a card.
On a sim, count any drive within 25 yards of your line.
Play it
- 1Switch targets every hole.
- 2Full pre-shot routine on every ball.
- 3Mark each hole fairway or miss. 14 holes.
Score it
Your score is out of 14. Higher is better.
Your target
Hit your target two sessions in a row, then move up a level.
After Level 3, make it harder
One change at a time. Drop back to the Level 2 target and climb again.
This is the tee shot half of your round, before you ever get to the course.
Want this run for you?
These are 4 of 119
These 4 are from the 119 drills in the Play Ready Golf app. Every one has the score and the levels built in, and the app builds your practice week around your biggest leak, then rebuilds it after every round you log.
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Data: Shot Scope penalty strokes by handicap.