Short Game Drills to Break 100 Fast
- Next Shot Golf
- Feb 12
- 3 min read
If you want to break 100 in golf quickly, the fastest improvement doesn’t come from hitting longer drives — it comes from improving your short game. Most high-handicap golfers lose 10–20 strokes per round inside 100 yards due to chunked chips, poor wedge distance control, and three-putts.
The good news: a few focused drills practiced consistently can dramatically lower your scores within weeks. Below are the most effective short game drills specifically designed for golfers trying to break 100.
Drill 1: The “On the Green Every Time” Chipping Drill
The first short-game goal for breaking 100 is simple: get the ball on the green consistently.
How to do it
Drop 10 balls around the practice green
Chip each ball toward the center of the green
Your only goal: land every ball on the putting surface
Success standard
7/10 balls on the green = solid
9/10 = excellent
Once you eliminate wasted shots around the green, double bogeys quickly turn into bogeys.
Drill 2: 25-50-75 Yard Wedge Ladder
Distance control from scoring range is one of the fastest ways to lower scores.
How to do it
Place targets at 25, 50, and 75 yards
Hit 3 balls to each distance
Rotate distances repeatedly
Goal
Finish each shot inside a 20-foot circle
Track results each practice session
After a few weeks, you’ll develop predictable wedge distances — a huge advantage when trying to break 100.
Drill 3: The Bunker Escape Drill
Many golfers trying to break 100 fear bunkers because escaping often takes multiple shots.
How to do it
Hit 10 bunker shots toward the center of the green
Focus only on getting the ball out and onto the putting surface
Ignore the flag — prioritize consistency
Goal
7 of 10 shots out of the bunker and on the green
Simply turning bunker disasters into routine bogeys can save several strokes per round.
Drill 4: Lag Putting Distance Control Drill
Three-putts are one of the biggest score killers for high-handicap golfers.
How to do it
Place tees in a 3-foot circle around the hole
Putt from 20, 30, and 40 feet
Your goal: finish every putt inside the circle
Goal
8 of 10 putts inside the circle
Eliminating just 3 three-putts per round can lower scores dramatically.
Drill 5: The “Up-and-Down Challenge”
This drill simulates real on-course scoring situations.
How to do it
Drop 9 balls around the green
Chip each ball and putt out
Track how many times you get up-and-down in 2 shots
Goal
2 successful up-and-downs = good
4+ = strong scoring ability
Practicing pressure situations helps translate practice performance to real rounds.
Weekly Practice Plan to Break 100 Faster
A simple short-game focused routine:
Practice Area | Time Allocation |
Chipping | 20 minutes |
Wedges (25–75 yds) | 20 minutes |
Putting (lag drills) | 20 minutes |
Up-and-down challenge | 10 minutes |
Practicing this routine 2–3 times per week can significantly reduce scores within a month.
Key Takeaway
Breaking 100 doesn’t require perfect ball-striking. If you can chip the ball onto the green consistently, control wedge distances, and eliminate three-putts, your scores can drop faster than you expect. Focus your practice where strokes are gained quickest — inside 100 yards. Use these short game drills to break 100 fast.
