Course Program

Thread the gap: precision short irons to the pin

Thread the gap, for a 31-handicap player, ~30 minutes at Eccentric Duffer

Driving RangeAll teesProgram HCP 30.65 drills

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

10 to 45

Average HCP

30.6

Duration (single session)

2 hr 35 min

or

1 drill/day: 5 days · 31 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Precision35%
Aim15%
Scoring13%
Visualization10%
Mechanics9%
Dispersion6%
Trajectory6%
Alignment6%

Overview

Program Structure

Thread the gap: precision short irons to the pin. Get close to pin and leave tap-ins. Focus on Precision, Aim, Scoring. For a 31-handicap player, in ~30 minutes.

Skill

Precision

Club

Short irons (9,8)

What you will improve

  • Precision
  • Aim
  • Scoring
  • Visualization

Program details

Sessions
5 focused drills
Recommended
2–3 sessions / week
Total duration
2 hr 35 min
or
1 drill per day
5 days · 31 min/day

Drill Framework

Program breakdown

Each drill is designed to prepare you for the course. Follow the program or repeat the drills to improve key areas of your game.

Drill 1Drill 2Drill 3Drill 4Drill 5
01

Short irons (9,8) | Left-to-R and Right-to-L Shot

Driving Range

Produce left-to-right and right-to-left shots using short irons only. Hit one bucket of ~50 balls.

31 minFocus: Driving Range
Diagram for Short irons (9,8) | Left-to-R and Right-to-L Shot
1

Pick a target suitable for short iron shots (9 or 8 iron).

2

Hit 36 shots: alternate between producing left-to-right and right-to-left ball flights, all aimed at the same target.

3

Use the same setup and stance for every shot, focusing on shaping the ball to curve correctly.

4

Count shots that land and stop near the target as successful.

5

When all 36 shots are done, add up your total successful shots out of 36 and enter the score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285
02

Short irons (9,8) | Downswing

Driving Range

Work only on downswing using short irons only. Hit one bucket of ~50 balls.

31 minFocus: Driving Range
Diagram for Short irons (9,8) | Downswing
1

Pick a flag or target on the driving range suitable for short irons (9 or 8).

2

Take 36 shots using only the 9 or 8 iron.

3

Focus solely on your downswing, using at most two swing thoughts or tasks to control the ball flight.

4

Aim at the same single target for all 36 shots.

5

Count each ball that lands and stays near the target as a success.

6

Add up the number of successful shots out of 36 and enter the score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129272419151174
03

Short irons (9,8) | Visualized Course

Driving Range

Use imagination to hit any type of shot within self-set boundaries, using short irons only. Hit one bucket of ~50 balls.

31 minFocus: Driving Range
Diagram for Short irons (9,8) | Visualized Course
1

Pick one flag/target suitable for short irons (8 or 9).

2

Use existing objects around you to creatively imagine hazards and boundaries (such as water, sand traps, out-of-bounds, or edges of the green) around that target.

3

Hit 36 shots with the same setup, aiming all balls at this one target.

4

Focus on landing the ball in the imagined target area and minimizing large misses.

5

Count how many shots land and stay in the correct target zone.

6

Add up the number of successful shots and enter your total out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score292724201612963
04

Short irons (9,8) | Straight Shot

Driving Range

Produce straight shots using short irons only. Hit one bucket of ~50 balls.

31 minFocus: Driving Range
Diagram for Short irons (9,8) | Straight Shot
1

Pick a target straight ahead suitable for short irons (8 or 9 iron).

2

Hit 36 shots total, using short irons only. Focus on producing a straight shot with each attempt and aim all shots at the same target.

3

After all shots, count each shot that lands and stops near the target as a success and enter your score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285
05

Short irons (9,8) | GIRs Simulation

Driving Range

Simulate X number of GIR (Green in Regulations) using short irons only. Hit one bucket of ~50 balls. Count total number of greens hit.

31 minFocus: Driving Range
Diagram for Short irons (9,8) | GIRs Simulation
1

Pick a flag for your 9 or 8 iron on the range.

2

Make a green zone around the flag with cones, buckets, or imagine a small circle (5% of the distance to the flag).

3

Split 36 shots into 3 groups of

4

Try to land each shot in the green zone.

5

Change between 9 and 8 iron, but keep ball setup the same.

6

Count how many balls landed in the green zone when all 36 are done. Enter your score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score312926221713963

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

Start the drills at your own pace or work with a coach to inside drills.golf.

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