How to Hit More Greens: 5 Approach Shot Drills That Work

The Real Reason You're Missing Greens

Here's a stat that should get your attention: the average 15-handicap golfer hits fewer than 5 greens in regulation per round. Tour pros hit 12 or more. That gap isn't about swing speed, expensive equipment, or some secret move. It comes down to one thing — consistent contact.

Mid-handicappers lose strokes on approach shots because they hit the ground before the ball, mishit off the toe or heel, or simply can't predict where the ball will land. The good news is that all of these problems are fixable with deliberate practice.

These five drills come straight from the Golf Goose drill library. Each one targets a specific element of solid approach play. Work through them in order, spend 10-15 minutes per drill on the range, and you'll start seeing results within a few sessions.

Drill 1: Control the Low Point

This is the single most important skill in iron play. Every clean iron shot requires the club to strike the ball first and the ground second. Most amateurs do the opposite — they bottom out behind the ball and hit it fat or thin.

**How to do it:**

• Place a tee or coin on the ground about one inch ahead of the ball (toward the target)
• Hit shots with a 7-iron or 8-iron
• Your goal is to make contact with the ground at or after the tee, never before the ball
• Start with half swings and gradually build to full swings

The key feeling is that your hands lead the clubhead through impact. If you're catching the ground behind the ball, your weight is probably hanging back on your trail foot. Focus on shifting pressure to your lead foot during the downswing.

Hit 20 balls this way. If you can get 15 out of 20 with ground contact after the ball, your approach shots will transform.

Drill 2: Coping with Divots

Tour players take divots that start at the ball and extend forward. That forward divot is proof that the low point of the swing is in front of the ball — exactly where it should be. This drill trains that pattern.

**How to do it:**

• On the range, use a 7-iron to draw a straight line in the turf (perpendicular to your target line)
• Set up with the line representing where the ball would be
• Hit shots without a ball, focusing on making your divot start on the forward side of the line
• Once you can do that consistently, add a ball placed just behind the line

This drill is about building a repeatable bottom-of-the-arc position. Don't worry about where the ball goes at first. Just focus on where the club hits the ground. The ball flight will follow.

Drill 3: Ball Position Adjustments

Many golfers set the ball in the same spot for every club and wonder why their trajectory is unpredictable. Ball position directly affects launch angle, spin, and the quality of contact.

**How to do it:**

• Pick one iron (a 7-iron works well)
• Hit three balls with the ball positioned forward in your stance (off your lead heel)
• Hit three balls with the ball in the center of your stance
• Hit three balls with the ball slightly back of center
• Pay close attention to how each position changes trajectory, feel, and contact quality

You'll notice that a forward ball position produces higher shots and a back position produces lower, punchier flights. There's no single "correct" position — the goal is to understand how each position affects the shot so you can adjust on the course when you need a specific trajectory.

Drill 4: Extension and Rotation

Deceleration through impact is an approach shot killer. When you slow down the club through the hitting zone, you lose accuracy and distance control. This drill teaches you to accelerate through the ball with proper body rotation.

**How to do it:**

• Hit approach shots with a focus on what happens after impact
• After the club strikes the ball, extend both arms fully toward the target
• Simultaneously, rotate your body so your chest faces the target at the finish
• Hold your finish for two seconds on every shot

Think of it as "posing for the camera." If a photographer snapped a picture at your finish, both arms should be extended, your belt buckle should face the target, and your weight should be firmly on your lead foot.

This drill eliminates the scooping motion that causes thin and fat shots. When you commit to rotating through, the club naturally takes a descending path into the ball.

Drill 5: Fat Game — The Line-After-Ball Challenge

This is the drill that ties everything together. It's simple, competitive, and brutally honest about your contact quality.

**How to do it:**

• Draw a line in the turf about one inch ahead of the ball (toward the target)
• Hit 10 shots with your go-to approach club
• Score each shot: you get +1 only if the first ground contact is after the line
• Anything else (fat, thin, topped) scores zero
• Track your score out of 10

A score of 7 or above means your contact is solid. Anything below 5 means you need to spend more time on Drills 1 and 2 before moving on.

This is a great drill to start every range session with. It gives you immediate feedback on whether your contact is dialed in that day or if you need to spend extra time on fundamentals before hitting full shots.

Put It Into Practice

Don't try to master all five drills in one session. Here's a practical schedule:

• **Week 1:** Drills 1 and 2 (low point control)
• **Week 2:** Add Drill 3 (ball position awareness)
• **Week 3:** Add Drill 4 (extension and rotation)
• **Ongoing:** Use Drill 5 at the start of every range session as a contact check

Greens in regulation is the stat most correlated with lower scores. Improving your approach play is the fastest way to drop your handicap — and it starts with clean contact.

Golf Goose tracks all of these drills inside the app, so you can log your scores, monitor your progress over time, and let your AI caddie adjust your practice plan based on how you're improving. No more guessing what to work on at the range.

Hit more greens. Shoot lower scores. It really is that straightforward.