By Colin Fisher

Practice can be boring. Some players love it, some hate it.

Not all practice is boring, though, if it’s designed with a specific purpose in mind and is golf-course-specific. And if you are able to actually use the course to practise on, that’s even better!

I rarely meet golfers who say their wedge play is poor. 

Usually, on closer inspection, it’s far from good. Simply not losing balls doesn’t mean it’s good.

Here’s a game which can be completed on the practice area, should you have access to a good enough one – or on the course, if you prefer. 

You won’t hold anyone up, and you are only hitting one ball at a time, so you won’t fall foul of the other members or green staff.

Set your target and level before you play and see if you can match or beat your predicted score.

ON COURSE:

Play one additional ball per hole in an up-and-down game. In nine holes you need to play a hole in increments of every 10 yards.

For example, on the first hole, play a random distance from between 30 and 40 yards, and continue out to the ninth hole which you play from between 110 and 120yards (picture one).

Play each hole to its completion, and keep score of your total shots (picture two). Set your personal best until you develop the skill to win the game, then move up to the next level.

ON SHORT GAME AREA:

Same as on course. Or if the short game area you’re using has different flags, place three cones from between 30 and 110 yards and use three different flags. 
Hit one ball to each flag from each cone (total nine balls). Putt out and score as low as possible.

LEVELS (you can introduce as many levels as you need - increasing or decreasing in twos as you go).

Level 1 = 27 or less. Level 2 = 25 or less. Level 3 = 23 or less.