Why this ‘ladder drill’ could improve your wedge game

One of the quickest ways to improve your scores is to dial in your distance control with your wedges. Of course, that’s easier said than done.

But Drew Stoltz, the co-host of GOLF’s Subpar Podcast, has a drill that can help you take your wedge game to the next level. It’s called the ladder drill.

In the latest episode of Emergency 9, presented by Cobra, Stoltz explains how he uses the drill to get the most out of his Cobra King wedges.

“It’s tailored to improve your distance control with your wedges,” Stoltz said. “All you need is a handful of balls and a chipping green. If you do this over and over before a round, it’s sure to improve your short game.”

So, how does the drill work?

“You find a spot on the green and you give yourself a lot of green to work with,” Stoltz said. “You need some decent space for this drill. Grab a handful of balls, go down off the green and pick out one club. The goal of this drill is to get as many balls on the green as possible with each shot going shorter than the shot before it.

“So, for instance, on my first shot, I’m going to try to get it as close to the back of the green, to the fringe, as possible without going over. For my next shot, I’m going to get as close to that ball as possible but it has to be shorter.”

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Then, you work your way down the ladder until a shot goes past where your last shot landed. However many balls you get on the green before hitting one too far is your score. Then, you pick the balls up and try to beat that score.

“This will dial in your distance control,” Stoltz said. “You’re going to learn how to hit different shots with the same club — low runners, high soft ones. It’s a great way to improve your short game.”

To hear more from Stoltz, check out the entire video above.