Short Game Practice Tips for Indoors

Introduction

Your short game is the key to lowering your scores, but practicing it doesn't require a trip to the golf course. Indoor practice builds consistency, confidence, and feel — even during bad weather or the off-season. Here's how to sharpen your short game from home.

Benefits of Indoor Short Game Practice

Convenience and Frequency Practicing at home allows you to work on your skills daily. The more often you practice, the faster you’ll see improvements.

Repetition Builds Muscle Memory Repeating the same motion, especially in putting and chipping, helps develop muscle memory, leading to more consistent shots on the course.

Perfect for Winter or Bad Weather Indoor practice ensures you keep improving year-round, no matter the weather conditions outside.

Essential Equipment for Indoor Practice

Putting Mats and Mirrors Invest in a quality putting mat to work on distance control and alignment. Adding a putting mirror helps check your eye position and stroke path.

Chipping Nets and Targets Chipping nets give you a defined target and help simulate real on-course conditions. They’re ideal for practicing trajectory and accuracy.

Foam or Soft Practice Balls Foam balls or soft training balls make indoor practice safe while still providing useful feedback on your strike.

Alignment Sticks and Impact Bags Use alignment sticks for setup and swing path training. Impact bags help you work on proper contact and wrist control.

Golf Simulators A golf simulator takes indoor practice to the next level, offering real-time feedback on distance, launch angle, and spin rates. Simulators allow you to practice full shots, pitch shots, and even simulate short game scenarios in a controlled environment.

Indoor Putting Drills to Sharpen Your Stroke

Distance Control Drill with Targets Place targets (cups or coins) at various distances on your putting mat. Practice rolling the ball to stop exactly on or near each target.

Gate Drill for Start Line Accuracy Set up two tees or objects slightly wider than your putter head. Practice putting through the gate to ensure your putter face stays square.

Alignment and Setup Check with a Mirror Use a putting mirror to verify eye alignment and proper shoulder position. Repetition helps build muscle memory for a repeatable stroke.

Chipping and Pitching Drills You Can Do Indoors

Landing Spot Challenge — Focus on Precision Choose a landing spot on your carpet or mat and try to land your chip shots consistently on that target. Change spots to vary distances.

Club Selection Practice — Change Trajectories Experiment with different clubs, like your sand wedge and pitching wedge, to create varying flight paths and rollouts.

Use Soft Balls for Safety and Repetition Foam or soft balls let you practice indoors without worrying about damaging walls or furniture. Focus on crisp contact and feel.

Wedge Control and Swing Path Practice

Half-Swing Drill for Distance Control Practice half swings with your wedges, focusing on smooth tempo and clean contact. This builds confidence in distance control.

Impact Bag Work for Solid Contact Use an impact bag to work on compressing the ball properly and avoiding scooping. This also helps develop better wrist control.

Wrist Control Drill to Prevent Scooping Place a towel or object just behind the ball. Practice chipping without hitting the towel to encourage proper hand positioning through impact.

Creating a Productive Indoor Practice Routine

Set a Schedule — 20 Minutes a Day Designate time each day for your short game practice. Short, focused sessions will create steady improvement without feeling overwhelming.

Mix Putting, Chipping, and Swing Drills Create a balanced routine that includes putting, chipping, wedge control, and simulator work. This keeps practice fun and targets all scoring areas.

Track Progress with a Journal or App Logging your practice sessions helps you identify strengths, weaknesses, and track improvement over time.

Mistakes to Avoid During Indoor Practice

Practicing Without Feedback Use tools like mirrors, simulators, or video to get real feedback on your mechanics.

Ignoring Proper Setup and Alignment Sloppy practice leads to bad habits. Always focus on correct setup and alignment during every drill.

Overlooking Short Game Fundamentals Don’t let indoor practice get too casual — maintain solid fundamentals like tempo, contact, and follow-through.

Recommended Training Aids for Indoors

Best Putting Mats and Targets Invest in a quality putting mat with alignment lines and various hole sizes to challenge your precision.

Top Chipping Nets and Soft Balls Chipping nets keep your shots focused and safe. Use soft foam balls for repetitive indoor practice without damage risk.

Tools to Improve Feel and Touch

• Impact bags for wrist control.
• Alignment sticks for setup.
• Golf simulators for full swing and short game analytics.

Conclusion — Improve Your Short Game Anytime, Anywhere

Consistent indoor practice is the secret weapon for any golfer looking to lower scores. From simple putting drills to advanced golf simulator sessions, working on your short game indoors builds skills you’ll rely on during every round.

Explore The Par 3 Shop’s selection of short game training aids, putting mats, and practice gear to create the ultimate indoor practice setup and sharpen your scoring game year-round!