The Best Drills for Beginner Improvement Plans

Drills should answer one question

A beginner drill works best when the player knows exactly what it is teaching. Is the goal to hit the ground in the right place? Start the ball on line? Roll putts the right distance? If the drill has no clear answer, it becomes busywork.

Five reliable starters

1. Tee gate: Place two tees just wider than the putter head and roll putts through them.
2. Brush-the-grass swings: Make small wedge swings and clip the turf after the ball.
3. Ladder putting: Putt to 10, 20, and 30 feet, trying to stop each ball near the target.
4. Chip landing towel: Land chips on a towel three to five yards away.
5. Half-swing irons: Swing waist-high to waist-high and hold the finish.

Make success visible

Beginners need proof that they’re improving. Count solid contacts, putts that finish within a club length, or chips that land on the towel. A simple score turns practice into a game and keeps attention on outcomes instead of swing anxiety.