Often, blank golf towels are an afterthought on golf equipment lists. But after reading these short-game drills that use blank golf towels, you may change your mind. The two drills will sharpen your chipping and pitching skills. You know the shots. The holes in sight, you pull out a club, take a swing and watch helplessly as the ball either sails over the green or flops a foot away. To alter the ending of that scenario into a positive one, try these drills.

Blank Golf Towel Pitching Drill

    The pitching drill comes from Paul Schempp and Peter Mattsson in their book Golf: Steps to Success. You'll need three blank golf towels, 30 golf balls and your pitching wedge. Lay out the golf towels at twenty-yard intervals starting at 20 yards. So, you'll have blank golf towels at 20, 40 and 60 yards. Then, try to pitch 10 balls at each of the towels. The goal is to get as many of your balls as possible to land and stop on the golf towels. To do that you'll need to not only improve your distance control, but also work on creating backspin. During the drill focus on changing the length of your backswing rather than the speed you swing when aiming for different distances. That will help you swing consistently. Once you can land the majority of shots onto the blank golf towels, try hitting from the rough to make the shots more difficult.

Blank Golf Towel Chipping Drill

    For some chipping practice, try Denise St. Pierre's "towel-to-towel" drill from her book Golf Fundamentals. The setup for this drill is even easier than the pitching drill. You'll only need two blank golf towels, several balls and your clubs. You will, however, need to be at a practice facility or golf course to use a green. Place one blank golf towel about one yard onto the green and another towel right in front of the hole. Then, standing about five feet off the green, try to chip the ball so that it lands on the first towel and rolls onto the second towel. Using the blank golf towels as targets instead of the hole allows you to focus on your swing and technique rather than on making the shots. If you want to practice chipping with different clubs, leave the towels in the same position and move farther back. The farther you are away from the first towel, the more loft you'll need in your clubs. So, a 7 iron may work from five feet off the green, but an 8 iron should be used 10 feet off the green. If you can land the majority of your chips onto both of the towels with different clubs, you'll certainly take a few strokes off your next scorecard.


*Why use blank golf towels instead of other types of golf towels?

    Blank golf towels cost less money than other types of golf towels. So, as they get dirty and beat up, you won't have to worry about it. Your money is much better spent on extra rounds of golf and balls at the driving range than on golf towels with fancy logos.