SHORT GAME · DRILL GUIDE
Chipping Ladder
Three balls at a random zone between four clubs on the ground: get one in, tap which ball did it, and the next zone comes up.
Free in your browser. Also on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
WHY IT WORKS
The problem, and the fix
Chipping to one spot over and over grooves one length. Around the green the pin is near, far and everywhere between, and every chip needs its own carry and roll.
The goal: Control your distance: get the ball to finish in whichever of the three zones comes up, near, middle or far, within three balls.
With only one length you can trust, every pin that doesn’t suit it leaves a long putt.
How it works
Five steps from opening the drill to your first logged result.
- 1Lay four clubs across the ground in front of you, one behind the other, at the distances in Settings. The gaps between them are three zones: near, middle and far.
- 2The app picks a zone at random. Chip up to three balls at it, stopping as soon as one finishes in it.
- 3Tap which ball got it: 1st, 2nd or 3rd, or Didn’t get it. The next zone comes up straight away.
- 4The zones you get least come up a little more often, so every distance gets work.
- 5Hands-free: say “first”, “second”, “third” or “no”. Also “repeat”, “skip”, “undo”, “finish” or “hands-free off”.
SEE IT IN ACTION
On iPad, iPhone and the web
Chipping Ladder looks the same everywhere: in your browser on a phone, a tablet or a computer, and in the iPhone and iPad app.
Coaching tips
No fixed length — 15 to 25 zones is a good session. Finish whenever you like: a session saves itself from the first reps.
Play 100 ladder zones, three balls at each. Every badge is a coin on the drill’s Progress page.
No phone? Print the practice sheet. Count the rows you got on any ball, and those you got on the 1st. Getting more on the 1st ball is the next step.
Questions
What do I need?
Wedges + 4 clubs laid on the ground, any short-game area.
How long is a session?
No fixed length — 15 to 25 zones is a good session.
How do I score it on the practice sheet?
Count the rows you got on any ball, and those you got on the 1st. Getting more on the 1st ball is the next step.
Which badges can I earn?
6: First session, 100 zones, 5 in a row, Every zone, First-ball five and Distance control. Each one lights up on the drill’s Progress page.
Can I use it hands-free?
Yes. Turn on Hands-free in the drill and say each result out loud, and “undo” or “finish”. It works in browsers with speech recognition, such as Chrome and Safari, and in the iPhone and iPad app. You can always tap instead.
Do I need an account?
No. Practice as a guest and your sessions stay on that device. Sign in with Apple, Google or email to keep them in your account, on the web and in the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch app.
Ready for Chipping Ladder?
Open it in your browser and log your first rep. Practice as a guest, or sign in to sync with the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch app.
By David Golfs · Questions? david@davidgolfs.com