Distance-First Approaches
Coming up short of the green and leaving impossible chips.
Set up
Hit each iron to a target. Record the carry that actually happens, not the number on the club.
The reps
10 balls per club through 3 clubs. Build your real distance chart, then bias every on-course choice one club up.
How you know it's working
A yardage chart based on your true carries, biased to 'never short'.
Why it works
Amateurs miss short far more than long, because they club for their once-a-season strike. Knowing your real carry — and taking more club — removes the short-side miss that costs the most.
The evidence
Broadie's data is blunt: roughly two-thirds of the scoring gap to better players comes from shots outside 100 yards, with approach play the biggest slice. Arccos data shows the same story — amateurs leave the ball short of the green on the majority of mid-iron approaches.
See the full method & sources →Want this drill scheduled for your game?
Your coach puts the right drills into your week based on where you actually lose strokes — the same evidence-based method behind Shoot 89.
Get my free plan →