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From Neil Wilkins
Director of Instruction, Sienna Plantation Golf Club
I'm not sure why, but many students spend their short game practice time working on things they are already good at. Instead, golfers need to challenge themselves by practicing out of bad lies, from uneven lies, or other short game situations where they are weakest.
The "11 Ball Drill" is a wonderful evaluation tool for your short game, and can help you identify your weak spots.
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Take 11 balls to the short game practice area and use them to determine your strengths and weaknesses around the green. First, find one type of shot that you're good with; say, the pitch from a fluffy lie from five steps off the green.
Hit all 11 balls from that situation.
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Once you've hit all 11 balls, remove the five shots that are closest to the hole. Six balls will remain, as in the photo.
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Finally, remove five shots that are farthest from the hole. One ball will remain, as in the photo.
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The remaining ball is your average (actually the mathematical median, but let's not digress - golf should be fun). Now go back and try the same pitch shot from a tight lie and see if your "average" is the same.
Hit chip shots, pitch shots, lob shots, and bunker shots, all using the 11 Ball Drill to determine which shots are your strongest, and which are your weakest. In this way, you can identify the shots you need to work on, and thus determine where your time will be best spent in your short game practice.
About the Author
Neil Wilkins is Director of Instruction at Sienna Plantation Golf Club in Missouri City, Texas, in the Houston metropolitan area. Neil works with students of all levels, from juniors to beginners to low handicappers to tour players. Among the players he works with is PGA Tour winner Ryan Palmer. For more information, visit Neil's website at www.swingimprovement.com.
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