Play Ready Golf · Your drill pack
My 4 favorite irons drills
The range lets you hit the same 7 iron at the same flag twenty times. The course never does. These four put a new target and a score on every iron you hit.
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 · Irons
Green Finder
Ten approach shots at three greens, one club for each. One point for every green you hit.
Why this drill
Shot Scope's averages: a scratch golfer hits 59% of greens. A 20 handicap hits 14%.
Set it up
- 1Pick 3 clubs, like a 9 iron, a 7 iron and a 5 iron or hybrid.
- 2Pick a target for each club at its normal distance. A flag, a range green or a sign all work.
- 3Picture a green 30 yards across around each target. That's 15 yards on every side.
On a sim, play to the sim's greens, or count any shot that finishes within 15 yards of the pin.
Play it
- 1Rotate clubs every shot: 9 iron, 7 iron, 5 iron, then repeat.
- 2Aim at the middle of each green, not the flag.
- 3Full routine on every shot. 10 shots.
Score it
Count your greens. Your score is out of 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.
Every green you hit gives you a putt for birdie instead of a chip to save par.
02 · Irons
Miss Short Correction
Ten approach shots aimed at the back third of the green. A point for every ball that finishes on the green or long.
Why this drill
When a 16 to 20 handicap misses a green, Arccos found it's short 41% of the time and long just 5%. Aim for the back and most of your misses still find the green.
Set it up
- 1Pick a target green at your normal iron distance.
- 2Split it into thirds, front to back.
On a sim, use the carry number and the green's depth.
Play it
- 1Aim at the back third on every shot.
- 2If you're between clubs, take the longer one.
- 3Full routine. 10 shots.
Score it
Your score is out of 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.
Short is the miss that costs you. Plan for your real distance, not your best one.
03 · Irons
9-Iron to 5-Iron Climb
One shot with each iron from your 9 up to your 5, then back down. Ten shots, ten different greens.
Why this drill
On the course you switch clubs every hole. This drill finds the iron you can't trust before the course does.
Set it up
- 1Pick a target for each iron at its normal distance. If a hybrid replaces your 5 iron, use the hybrid.
- 2Picture a green 30 yards across around each target.
On a sim, count any shot within 15 yards of the pin.
Play it
- 1Hit 9 iron, 8, 7, 6, 5, then 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
- 2One shot with each, full routine every time.
Score it
Count your greens. Your score is out of 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.
The club that misses here is the club that makes your doubles. Now you know which one.
04 · Irons
Wedge Matrix
Four wedges, three distances each, twelve shots in random order. A point for every ball inside 15 feet.
Why this drill
Shot Scope found that laying back from 25 to 50 yards to 75 to 100 drops your chance of hitting the green about 10 points if you're a 15 handicap or higher. So you need more than one wedge number.
Set it up
- 1Write your 4 wedges down the side of a card. Across the top, write three distances: your stock number, 10 yards less and 20 yards less. That's 12 boxes.
- 2Pick a target for each distance.
On a sim, use the distance to the pin.
Play it
- 1Pick a box at random and hit that shot.
- 2Cross it off and pick the next one.
- 3Keep going until all 12 boxes are crossed off.
Score it
Your score is out of 12. 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 layup, every punch out and every half wedge ends up in one of these boxes.
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 greens hit and layup data. Arccos on where misses finish.