You do not need a private club membership or hours of practice to sharpen your short game. In fact, some of the best ways to improve your chipping and putting can be done for free at a public practice green with just a few golf balls and a little creativity.
The short game is where golfers really start to low their scores. Additionally, sharpening your short game is the quickest way to impress others on the course. A great drive is fun to watch, but getting up and down around the green is what stands out in your groups memory, as well as on the scorecard. The good news is that practicing your short game does not have to feel repetitive or boring.
Here are three simple games you can play on your own, with a friend, or with your family to build confidence and improve your touch around the greens.
1. The Short Game Assessment Challenge
This game is one of the best ways to measure your consistency around the green and track your progress. The best part is, you do not need any fancy app or gadget to collect data and record your improvements.
Choose one spot around the practice green, this could be putting, chipping, or pitching. Once you have chosen your spot, put 11 balls down and pick one club and one target. From that same location, hit 11 golf balls trying to land each shot as close to the hole as possible.
Once all 11 balls are hit, remove the five balls that are farthest away from the hole. Then remove the five balls that are closest.
The one golf ball left represents your “average” shot.
This is a simple way to see how close you typically hit that shot. If your average result is not very close, a different club may be a better choice, or it may highlight an area of your short game that needs work. Because golfers often remember only their best or worst shots, this game gives a more honest picture of their usual results.
The fun part is comparing results with different clubs. Try the challenge with a pitching wedge, sand wedge, or even a 9 iron bump-and-run. You may discover that one club gives you much better distance control than another.
Play against friends or family members and see whose “average” shot finishes closest over multiple rounds.
2. The Miniature Golf Short Game Course
This game turns the practice green into your own miniature golf course.
Start off the green with one golf ball and one wedge. Choose a hole somewhere on the practice green. Your goal is to complete the hole in two shots.
That means you are trying to get “up and down” every time.
After finishing the first hole, move to a different location and repeat the process to another target. You can create a full 9 hole or 18 hole short game course around the practice area.
This game is excellent for improving creativity, distance control, and confidence under pressure. It also teaches golfers how to visualize scoring situations they face during actual rounds.
Mentally, this game is powerful because it trains you to expect success around the greens instead of fearing short shots.
You can make it competitive by keeping score:
- 2 shots = par
- 1 shot = birdie
- 3 shots = bogey
Kids and beginners especially love this game because it feels more like playing than practicing.
3. Around the World Putting Challenge
If you want to improve your putting while adding pressure and focus, this is a great game to finish your practice session.
Place golf balls in a circle around the hole about three feet away, almost like numbers on a clock. Start with six or eight stations around the hole.
Your goal is to make every putt in a row without missing.
If you miss one, you start over from the beginning.
This game may sound simple, but it quickly becomes challenging once pressure builds. The final few putts start to feel very similar to those short putts golfers face on the course.
This drill improves:
- Confidence under pressure
- Focus and routine
- Short putting consistency
To make it more fun, compete with a friend to see who can complete the circle first. You can also increase the difficulty by moving farther away from the hole after successfully completing each round.
Make Practice Feel Like Play
One of the biggest mistakes golfers make is believing practice has to be serious all the time. The reality is that games often create better focus, more competition, and more learning than simply hitting ball after ball without a purpose.
The best part is that all three of these games can be done for free at a public putting and chipping facility. You do not need expensive equipment or a full golf course to improve your short game.
Grab a few golf balls, head to your local practice green, and turn your next practice session into something fun. You might just start impressing everyone around the greens a lot sooner than you think.
MS. SWAG GOLF 