The short game is the heart of golf. You might hit incredibly long drives, but if you don’t master the approach, chip, and putt, you’ll still lose shots in the final metres. On a technical course like Chaparral Golf Club, where precision is key, improving your short game can make a huge difference to your scorecard. And there’s no better place to practise than Mijas, where the privileged climate allows you to train all year round.
Sharpen your technique with this short guide featuring practical and effective drills to boost your accuracy, control, and confidence around the green.
Why is the short game so important?
Over 60% of shots in a round happen within 100 metres of the hole. This includes approaches, chips, and putts. Mastering this zone won’t just help you save pars — it’s where you can gain real advantage over your rivals.
Top-level professionals have shown that finesse around the green is what separates the good from the great.
Drills to improve your approach shots
“Three Balls, Three Distances”
Place three balls at different distances (30, 50, and 70 metres) and use the same club. Try adjusting your swing length to control the distance. This drill enhances feel and distance control.
Target Zones
Mark three areas around the hole (short, medium, and long) and try to land the balls in each. This sharpens your accuracy and helps you visualise the shot more effectively.
Chipping with confidence
“Precision Circle”
Place a towel or a practice ring around two metres from the green’s edge. From different positions, aim to land the ball in the circle with a single bounce. Experiment with various clubs to find which gives you the most consistency.
Chipping on Slopes
Practise from uphill, downhill, and sidehill lies. This will prepare you for the technical challenges posed by a course like Chaparral.
Mastering Putting Through Routine and Repetition
“Ladder Putting”
Place three balls at 1, 2, and 3 metres from the hole. Only move to the next distance after holing the previous one. This drill builds confidence on short putts and is key to eliminating costly three-putts.
Reading Real Greens
Before you start putting, spend a few minutes studying the slopes. Practise uphill, downhill, straight, and breaking putts. This will train both your eye and your brain to read greens more accurately.
Chaparral Golf Club: The Ideal Setting to Refine Your Technique
Located on the Costa del Sol, Chaparral Golf Club offers not only a challenging layout with narrow fairways and strategic greens, but also cutting-edge Top Tracer technology to analyse every shot in detail. Track your progress, identify areas for improvement, and take your game to the next level.
The mild climate and stunning natural surroundings make Chaparral the perfect course for year-round training. Its comprehensive facilities allow you to work on every area of your game in total comfort.
You can’t improve your short game with theory alone — it takes focused, varied practice. As the saying goes: practice makes perfect. Or as a European Tour winner once said, “The more I practise my short game, the easier it is to sign a good scorecard.”
Apply these drills regularly and you’ll soon notice a clear improvement in your control, precision, and confidence. Make the most of the ideal conditions at Chaparral Golf Club and Mijas to take your golf to the next level — because in golf, the difference is in the details… and in the short game.
