Helping improve your golf short game at home this winter…

Let’s set up a simple and fun basement putting range with a chip shot practice area!

All you need are a few basic items: cardboard, a blade, old carpet scraps, a net, two two-by-fours, a few bricks, ‘Gorilla’ tape, fasteners/screws, intention, and some spray paint. That’s it!

For the target, we use a large cardboard cutout target sitting on a large LCBO box with taped channels inside to give the golf ball gravity momentum to help return it back to the tee. Towels, the net, and some cardboard guardrails help keep the ball from wandering off.

This setup is for putting practice only—no drivers! The goal is to practise both chipping onto the green with 1 stroke and sinking the ball with a maximum of two putts. Think about it, that’s 3 strokes, three strokes per hole (3 strokes x 18 holes = a 54 stroke count!!) A bit oversimplified but, - that’s a great benchmark to aim for if you’re working toward a sub-100 or even a dreamy sub-80 scorecard.

Have some irons on hand, like a 9-iron, pitching wedge, or maybe any of the following: a 50-degree wedge, 56-degree sand wedge, or 60-degree wedge. These are practise perfect for lofting the ball from the fairway, over the apron, out of a sand trap, and toward the hole...

Remember, practice makes perfect! Forget the driving range and driving the family SUV to practise putting/chipping/ whatever the distance and cost away. After whatever your household chores this winter - head downstairs.

Remember, it’s all just another mental game. . .

Happy wife, happy life, happy golfing!

Chip & Putt…

Gravity drop ball return…