Course Management · Drill
Distance, Smart Misses and the 50-100 Yard Zone
Part of our course management programs for picking targets. Build a program with it
You don't need to hit every fairway to score well. Distance plus smart misses can work. Spend a range session finding your natural shape. Then own it. If your ball curves right, start it down the left side. Track your misses for a few rounds. Then work on the zone many golfers ignore: 50 to 100 yards. Try a session with no drivers at all. Hit pitches from several distances inside 100 yards. Change clubs, height and spin.
The drill
- Find your natural shot shape.
- Aim so your curve stays in play.
- Track your misses.
- Pitch from four distances inside 100.
- Vary clubs and trajectory.
Why it works
A repeatable shot shape gives you a predictable miss. When you aim so the curve brings the ball back into play, your normal miss ends up in a safe area instead of in trouble. Tracking misses shows where you actually lose shots, and the 50 to 100 yard zone is where a good wedge game turns a missed fairway into a short putt.
Common mistakes
- You try to change your natural shape on the course instead of working with it.Learn the shape on the range first, then pick targets on the course that fit that shape.
- You aim at the middle of the fairway and hope the curve does not happen.Aim at the side of the fairway opposite your curve so the ball finishes in play.
- You hit every pitch with the same club and the same swing length.Change the club, the backswing length and the trajectory, and note how far the ball carries each time.
How you'll know it's working
- Your misses start to finish in the same area, not on both sides.
- Your ball starts on the line you picked and curves back in play.
- Your pitches from the same distance finish inside a small area, with solid contact and a shallow divot after the ball.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Use one wedge and hit to a large target at each of the four distances before you change clubs or trajectory.
Harder: Pick a specific landing spot for every pitch, switch clubs and trajectory on each ball, and count only the shots that finish within a short putt of the hole.
Common questions
How do I play a hook or a fade on the course?
Find your usual curve on the range, then aim so the curve brings the ball back toward the target. For a right-hander with a left-to-right curve, start the ball down the left side.
Why is the 50 to 100 yard zone so important?
Many golfers leave approach shots in this range, and it is hard to judge with a full swing. Practising set distances with different clubs and heights gives you control from there and cuts down on dropped shots.
