First StepsBeginner Golf Practice Plan (6 Weeks, 2 Sessions a Week)
Practise twice a week for six weeks. One session is for the short game (putting, chipping and bunker), the other is for the full swing (irons and driver). Learn the drills at Easy for three weeks, move up to Normal in week 4, play your first scoring game around the practice green in week 5, and repeat week 1 in week 6 to see how far you have come.
- 6 weeks · 2 sessions a week
- 54–82 min a session
- Putting, Chipping, Bunker, Approach, Off the Tee, Course Management
Written by the Strenvio team from the drill library. Published · updated .
Who it’s for
- New golfers who want to know what to do at the practice area.
- Golfers who usually hit a bucket of balls without a plan.
- Anyone with about two hours a week for practice.
The problem
New golfers usually spend their practice time hitting a bucket of drivers, while most of their shots on the course are putts, chips and short irons. Without targets or a score, there is no way to tell whether a session helped, and practice turns into hitting balls.
The goal
Make clean contact with the putter, the wedge and the irons, pass every drill at Easy and at least half of them at Normal, and play nine holes of Par 18 around the practice green.
Before you start
6 weeks · 2 sessions a week, 54–82 min a session with the warm-ups. You commit to:
- Two practice sessions a week of about 60 to 85 minutes, warm-ups included.
- A practice area with a putting green, a chipping green with a bunker, and a range.
- A putter, a sand wedge, a pitching wedge, a 7-iron and a driver, plus tees and a towel.
- No rounds needed. If you play, the plan works around them.
How to use this plan
- 01
Plan the session before you start
Read the week’s goal and the session on your phone or the printout before you leave home, and pack what the drills need: tees, alignment sticks, a towel and enough balls.
- 02
Warm up before every station
Give every station about 10 minutes before its first scored drill, including the putting green. Nobody should putt for score straight from the car.
- 03
Short game first, always in the same order
Putting, then chipping and bunker, then approach shots, then the tee. Do not jump back and forth: the order is what makes your scores comparable from week to week.
- 04
One ball, one target, one routine
Keep the bucket a few steps behind you and walk back for every ball. Pick a target and go through your routine on every scored shot, as you would on the course.
- 05
Write down every score
A drill without a score is just hitting balls. Write each result in the Your result box or record it in the Strenvio app.
- 06
Move up only when you pass
Pass a drill before you play it at the next level. If you miss the target twice, stay at that level for another week; the plan still works.
- 07
End with a short review
Two lines after each session: what got better, and what to watch next time.
How scoring works
- The level sets the drill: the distances, the targets and how many balls. Every drill row links to the setup of its level.
- The scoring option sets the game: what each ball is worth and the pass mark. The plan picks one for every drill, from Classic (in or out) to the strict ones where a short or fat shot costs a point.
- Write down every ball, add up the points and compare with the pass mark. A few drills count differently, such as your longest run or your strokes; their rule says so.
- The Strenvio app scores the same games and adds bonus points for farther stations and streaks. The pass marks here use the base points, so pass or fail is the same on paper and in the app.
The plan week by week
Week 1Learn the drills at Easy and find clean contact with every club.
This week is about learning how each drill works. Count every ball, but do not worry about the score yet; just write it down, because week 6 repeats these sessions. In every drill, listen for clean contact before you look at where the ball went. Every drill is played as Classic: success or not, so you can focus on how the drill works.
Session A: Short game
About 1 h 10 min| Drill | Level | Time | Goal & scoring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Putting warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Loosen your shoulders, wrists and back for a minute before you pick up the putter. Roll short putts to a tee from 3 ft until the ball starts on line. Finish with long putts to the fringe, for pace only. Nothing is scored. |
| Clock DrillPutting | Easy | 10 min | Hole 3 of the 4 putts to pass. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 3 points or more. |
| Ladder DrillPutting | Easy | 5 min | Putt once from every tee. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 3 points or more. |
| Chipping warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Easy chips with one club to a big target, just to feel the contact and the bounce. Pick a landing spot and chip to it with two clubs; watch how far each one runs out. Nothing is scored. Move on when the strike feels clean. |
| Three FlightsChipping | Easy | 10 min | Record strike quality and target result for all 15 balls. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 5 points or more. |
| Bunker warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | A few practice swings that splash a line in the sand, without a ball. Then balls to a big target on the green: out first, close later. Nothing is scored. Rake the bunker before the drill. |
| Line in the SandBunker | Easy | 15 min | Enter the sand on the line on at least 5 of 15 swings to pass the Classic scoring option. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 5 points or more. |
Session B: Full swing
About 54 min| Drill | Level | Time | Goal & scoring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-swing warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Two minutes of mobility: hips, shoulders and back, then a few slow swings holding two clubs. Half swings with a wedge, then a 9-iron and a mid-iron at 70–80 % speed. Build to full speed over the last few balls. Nothing is scored. |
| Divot Board / Towel Contact DrillApproach | Easy | 20 min | Miss the towel on 15 of 20 swings to pass. Play it as Binary Clean
Add up the points. Pass: 15 points or more. |
| Iron DispersionApproach | Easy | 8 min | Finish 7 or more of 15 shots inside the 30 yd corridor to pass. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 7 points or more. |
| Driver warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Coming straight from the irons? You are already warm: go to the next step. Otherwise, two minutes of mobility and a few half swings with a mid-iron. A hybrid or fairway wood at 70–80 % speed, then three drivers at an easy pace. Pick a target for every ball. Nothing is scored. |
| Driver DispersionOff the Tee | Easy | 6 min | Land 4 or more of your 10 driver shots inside the 30-yd corridor to pass. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 4 points or more. |
Week 2Control the pace of your putts and the strike of your chips.
Most strokes on a beginner's card come on and around the green. This week starts the short game with the Ladder Drill for pace and swaps Three Flights for the Chipping Ladder, which records strike, landing spot and finish. Stay at Easy and try to pass each drill once. Still Classic: pass each drill once before the points start.
Session A: Short game
About 1 h 12 min| Drill | Level | Time | Goal & scoring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Putting warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Loosen your shoulders, wrists and back for a minute before you pick up the putter. Roll short putts to a tee from 3 ft until the ball starts on line. Finish with long putts to the fringe, for pace only. Nothing is scored. |
| Ladder DrillPutting | Easy | 5 min | Putt once from every tee. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 3 points or more. |
| Clock DrillPutting | Easy | 10 min | Hole 3 of the 4 putts to pass. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 3 points or more. |
| Chipping warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Easy chips with one club to a big target, just to feel the contact and the bounce. Pick a landing spot and chip to it with two clubs; watch how far each one runs out. Nothing is scored. Move on when the strike feels clean. |
| Chipping 5 m LadderChipping | Easy | 12 min | Ten landing successes pass the session. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 10 points or more. |
| Bunker warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | A few practice swings that splash a line in the sand, without a ball. Then balls to a big target on the green: out first, close later. Nothing is scored. Rake the bunker before the drill. |
| Line in the SandBunker | Easy | 15 min | Enter the sand on the line on at least 5 of 15 swings to pass the Classic scoring option. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 5 points or more. |
Session B: Full swing
About 54 min| Drill | Level | Time | Goal & scoring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-swing warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Two minutes of mobility: hips, shoulders and back, then a few slow swings holding two clubs. Half swings with a wedge, then a 9-iron and a mid-iron at 70–80 % speed. Build to full speed over the last few balls. Nothing is scored. |
| Divot Board / Towel Contact DrillApproach | Easy | 20 min | Miss the towel on 15 of 20 swings to pass. Play it as Binary Clean
Add up the points. Pass: 15 points or more. |
| Iron DispersionApproach | Easy | 8 min | Finish 7 or more of 15 shots inside the 30 yd corridor to pass. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 7 points or more. |
| Driver warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Coming straight from the irons? You are already warm: go to the next step. Otherwise, two minutes of mobility and a few half swings with a mid-iron. A hybrid or fairway wood at 70–80 % speed, then three drivers at an easy pace. Pick a target for every ball. Nothing is scored. |
| Driver DispersionOff the Tee | Easy | 6 min | Land 4 or more of your 10 driver shots inside the 30-yd corridor to pass. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 4 points or more. |
Week 3Land your chips on the green and let them roll to the hole.
This week the short game skips the bunker and gives the time to chipping: one drill for strike and landing spot, one for trajectory. On the range, count how many iron shots land inside the corridor and to which side the others miss. Classic again; next week the points start.
Session A: Putting & chipping
About 57 min| Drill | Level | Time | Goal & scoring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Putting warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Loosen your shoulders, wrists and back for a minute before you pick up the putter. Roll short putts to a tee from 3 ft until the ball starts on line. Finish with long putts to the fringe, for pace only. Nothing is scored. |
| Clock DrillPutting | Easy | 10 min | Hole 3 of the 4 putts to pass. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 3 points or more. |
| Ladder DrillPutting | Easy | 5 min | Putt once from every tee. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 3 points or more. |
| Chipping warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Easy chips with one club to a big target, just to feel the contact and the bounce. Pick a landing spot and chip to it with two clubs; watch how far each one runs out. Nothing is scored. Move on when the strike feels clean. |
| Chipping 5 m LadderChipping | Easy | 12 min | Ten landing successes pass the session. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 10 points or more. |
| Three FlightsChipping | Easy | 10 min | Record strike quality and target result for all 15 balls. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 5 points or more. |
Session B: Full swing
About 54 min| Drill | Level | Time | Goal & scoring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-swing warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Two minutes of mobility: hips, shoulders and back, then a few slow swings holding two clubs. Half swings with a wedge, then a 9-iron and a mid-iron at 70–80 % speed. Build to full speed over the last few balls. Nothing is scored. |
| Divot Board / Towel Contact DrillApproach | Easy | 20 min | Miss the towel on 15 of 20 swings to pass. Play it as Binary Clean
Add up the points. Pass: 15 points or more. |
| Iron DispersionApproach | Easy | 8 min | Finish 7 or more of 15 shots inside the 30 yd corridor to pass. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 7 points or more. |
| Driver warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Coming straight from the irons? You are already warm: go to the next step. Otherwise, two minutes of mobility and a few half swings with a mid-iron. A hybrid or fairway wood at 70–80 % speed, then three drivers at an easy pace. Pick a target for every ball. Nothing is scored. |
| Driver DispersionOff the Tee | Easy | 6 min | Land 4 or more of your 10 driver shots inside the 30-yd corridor to pass. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 4 points or more. |
Week 4Move up to Normal on every drill you passed.
Play Normal on each drill you passed at Easy, and stay at Easy on the others. Normal shrinks the targets, so expect lower scores than last week. A pass at Normal means the skill holds up when it counts. The game this week is Points: good shots pay more, and misses that leave the hardest next shot cost a point.
Session A: Short game
About 1 h 12 min| Drill | Level | Time | Goal & scoring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Putting warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Loosen your shoulders, wrists and back for a minute before you pick up the putter. Roll short putts to a tee from 3 ft until the ball starts on line. Finish with long putts to the fringe, for pace only. Nothing is scored. |
| Clock DrillPutting | Normal | 10 min | Hole 5 of the 8 putts to pass. Play it as Points Premium
Add up the points. Pass: 14 points or more. |
| Ladder DrillPutting | Normal | 5 min | Putt once from every tee. Play it as Points Premium
Add up the points. Pass: 9 points or more. |
| Chipping warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Easy chips with one club to a big target, just to feel the contact and the bounce. Pick a landing spot and chip to it with two clubs; watch how far each one runs out. Nothing is scored. Move on when the strike feels clean. |
| Chipping 5 m LadderChipping | Normal | 12 min | Ten landing successes pass the session. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 10 points or more. |
| Bunker warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | A few practice swings that splash a line in the sand, without a ball. Then balls to a big target on the green: out first, close later. Nothing is scored. Rake the bunker before the drill. |
| Line in the SandBunker | Normal | 15 min | Enter the sand on the line on at least 8 of 15 swings to pass the Classic scoring option, and assess divot shape for quality. Play it as Points Premium
Add up the points. Pass: 7 points or more. |
Session B: Full swing
About 54 min| Drill | Level | Time | Goal & scoring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-swing warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Two minutes of mobility: hips, shoulders and back, then a few slow swings holding two clubs. Half swings with a wedge, then a 9-iron and a mid-iron at 70–80 % speed. Build to full speed over the last few balls. Nothing is scored. |
| Divot Board / Towel Contact DrillApproach | Normal | 20 min | Miss the towel on 20 of 30 swings to pass — including at least 10 of the 15 off-the-ground swings. Play it as Binary Clean
Add up the points. Pass: 20 points or more. |
| Iron DispersionApproach | Normal | 8 min | Finish 8 or more of 15 shots inside the 24 yd corridor to pass. Play it as Points Premium
Add up the points. Pass: 7 points or more. |
| Driver warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Coming straight from the irons? You are already warm: go to the next step. Otherwise, two minutes of mobility and a few half swings with a mid-iron. A hybrid or fairway wood at 70–80 % speed, then three drivers at an easy pace. Pick a target for every ball. Nothing is scored. |
| Driver DispersionOff the Tee | Normal | 6 min | Land 5 or more of your 10 driver shots inside the 25-yd corridor to pass (50%). Play it as Points Premium
Add up the points. Pass: 4 points or more. |
Week 5Play your first score: nine holes of Par 18 around the practice green.
Par 18 turns chipping and putting into a score: nine holes, par 2 each, chip then putt out. Play it at Easy after the putting and chipping drills, and write down your total. Repeat the full-swing session at Normal. Points on the drills, and Par 18 is scored in strokes: lower wins.
Session A: Short-game test
About 1 h 22 min| Drill | Level | Time | Goal & scoring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Putting warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Loosen your shoulders, wrists and back for a minute before you pick up the putter. Roll short putts to a tee from 3 ft until the ball starts on line. Finish with long putts to the fringe, for pace only. Nothing is scored. |
| Ladder DrillPutting | Easy | 5 min | Putt once from every tee. Play it as Points Premium
Add up the points. Pass: 9 points or more. |
| Chipping warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Easy chips with one club to a big target, just to feel the contact and the bounce. Pick a landing spot and chip to it with two clubs; watch how far each one runs out. Nothing is scored. Move on when the strike feels clean. |
| Chipping 5 m LadderChipping | Easy | 12 min | Ten landing successes pass the session. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 10 points or more. |
| Par 18 (On-Course Simulation)Course Management | Easy | 45 min | Complete 9 holes in 27 strokes or fewer (9-over par) to pass. Play it as Standard Par 18 Count every stroke over the nine holes, chip and putts. Lower wins: the pass mark is the most strokes you may take. Pass mark: 27. |
Session B: Full swing
About 54 min| Drill | Level | Time | Goal & scoring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-swing warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Two minutes of mobility: hips, shoulders and back, then a few slow swings holding two clubs. Half swings with a wedge, then a 9-iron and a mid-iron at 70–80 % speed. Build to full speed over the last few balls. Nothing is scored. |
| Divot Board / Towel Contact DrillApproach | Normal | 20 min | Miss the towel on 20 of 30 swings to pass — including at least 10 of the 15 off-the-ground swings. Play it as Binary Clean
Add up the points. Pass: 20 points or more. |
| Iron DispersionApproach | Normal | 8 min | Finish 8 or more of 15 shots inside the 24 yd corridor to pass. Play it as Points Premium
Add up the points. Pass: 7 points or more. |
| Driver warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Coming straight from the irons? You are already warm: go to the next step. Otherwise, two minutes of mobility and a few half swings with a mid-iron. A hybrid or fairway wood at 70–80 % speed, then three drivers at an easy pace. Pick a target for every ball. Nothing is scored. |
| Driver DispersionOff the Tee | Normal | 6 min | Land 5 or more of your 10 driver shots inside the 25-yd corridor to pass (50%). Play it as Points Premium
Add up the points. Pass: 4 points or more. |
Week 6Retest: the week 1 sessions at Easy, so you can see how far you have come.
Play exactly what you played in week 1, at Easy, and compare every score. Most beginners see the biggest jump in contact: fewer fat and thin shots in the Divot Board and Three Flights. The drill that improved least is the one to keep in your practice. Classic again, exactly as in week 1, so the scores compare.
Session A: Short game retest
About 1 h 10 min| Drill | Level | Time | Goal & scoring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Putting warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Loosen your shoulders, wrists and back for a minute before you pick up the putter. Roll short putts to a tee from 3 ft until the ball starts on line. Finish with long putts to the fringe, for pace only. Nothing is scored. |
| Clock DrillPutting | Easy | 10 min | Hole 3 of the 4 putts to pass. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 3 points or more. |
| Ladder DrillPutting | Easy | 5 min | Putt once from every tee. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 3 points or more. |
| Chipping warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Easy chips with one club to a big target, just to feel the contact and the bounce. Pick a landing spot and chip to it with two clubs; watch how far each one runs out. Nothing is scored. Move on when the strike feels clean. |
| Three FlightsChipping | Easy | 10 min | Record strike quality and target result for all 15 balls. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 5 points or more. |
| Bunker warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | A few practice swings that splash a line in the sand, without a ball. Then balls to a big target on the green: out first, close later. Nothing is scored. Rake the bunker before the drill. |
| Line in the SandBunker | Easy | 15 min | Enter the sand on the line on at least 5 of 15 swings to pass the Classic scoring option. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 5 points or more. |
Session B: Full swing retest
About 54 min| Drill | Level | Time | Goal & scoring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-swing warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Two minutes of mobility: hips, shoulders and back, then a few slow swings holding two clubs. Half swings with a wedge, then a 9-iron and a mid-iron at 70–80 % speed. Build to full speed over the last few balls. Nothing is scored. |
| Divot Board / Towel Contact DrillApproach | Easy | 20 min | Miss the towel on 15 of 20 swings to pass. Play it as Binary Clean
Add up the points. Pass: 15 points or more. |
| Iron DispersionApproach | Easy | 8 min | Finish 7 or more of 15 shots inside the 30 yd corridor to pass. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 7 points or more. |
| Driver warm-upNot scored | – | 10 min | Coming straight from the irons? You are already warm: go to the next step. Otherwise, two minutes of mobility and a few half swings with a mid-iron. A hybrid or fairway wood at 70–80 % speed, then three drivers at an easy pace. Pick a target for every ball. Nothing is scored. |
| Driver DispersionOff the Tee | Easy | 6 min | Land 4 or more of your 10 driver shots inside the 30-yd corridor to pass. Play it as Classic
Add up the points. Pass: 4 points or more. |
Click a level or a scoring option to open the drill at that level: the setup, the target and every game. Pass a drill at its level before you move up; if you miss it twice, stay at that level for another week. Premium drills, levels and scoring options need a paid plan in the app; their setup and scoring are free to read and play on paper.
Why these drills
- Clock Drill
- Short putts from every side of the hole, the putts a new golfer faces on almost every green.
- Ladder Drill
- Distance control on the green: one putt from each tee, from short to long.
- Three Flights
- Teaches three ways to chip to the same target, so you learn early that a chip is not one shot.
- Line in the Sand
- Fixes the cause of most failed bunker shots: the club entering the sand in the wrong place.
- Divot Board / Towel Contact Drill
- For fat and thin iron shots: it trains a low point in front of the ball.
- Iron Dispersion
- Shows how many iron shots finish inside a corridor and to which side you miss.
- Driver Dispersion
- The same check with the driver: how often your tee shot stays in play.
- Chipping 5 m Ladder
- Records strike, landing spot and finish on every chip, so you see which one goes wrong.
- Par 18 (On-Course Simulation)
- Turns chipping and putting into a score you can compare from week to week.
How to measure your progress
- Compare week 1 and week 6: the same drills at the same level. A higher score is progress you can trust.
- Write down your Par 18 score in week 5. Play it again a month after the plan; fewer strokes means your up-and-downs improved.
- Count how many drills you passed each week. Moving from Easy to Normal on most of them is a good result for six weeks.