GAME BOOK PRESENTED BY: THE SCPGA TEACHING & COACHING COMMITTEE
Thank you for attending the 2024 Player Development and Youth Golf Summit and congratulations on receiving The Game Book provided by the Southern California PGA!
The PDYS and The Game Book are near and dear to my heart as all the tools I have learned have improved my work life balance, received more compensation than ever before, and had more fun with my coaching. We hope that you are able to take the information from The Game Book and apply it to your teaching right away. Whether you coach 5 hours a week or 40 hours per week, these games will help you have a good game plan going into your next session. Notice how many players can play in each game whether they are adults or juniors, and the skill level can apply for both beginner players to advanced players.
Make it your own and enjoy the first edition of The Game Book!
Blake Jirges, PGA SCPGA Board Member
CLUMPING
PGA COACH: BLAKE JIRGES, PGA
Skill: Putting
Target Skill: Lag Putting
# of Players: 1-4
Difficulty: Beginner, Intermediate, or Hard
How To Play: Place a tee 2 ft past the hole, 1 ft short of the hole. Starting from 20ft, try and place 5 putts in a row that come to rest between the two tees. Once completed, move back 5ft and repeat the exercise.
Special Notes: To make it easier, start closer, increase size of range near the hole, or limit the number of balls going into the zone. For more difficulty, go further from hole and/or make more putts in a row.
3 STRIKES & YOU’RE OUT
PGA COACH: DR. ALISON CURDT, PGA
Skill: Putting
Target Skill: Speed Control
# of players: 1-4
Difficulty: Intermediate, Advanced
How To Play: Set a marker at 5 feet, 10 feet, and 20 feet from a hole. Place an alignment stick on the ground 1.5 feet behind the hole. Players will hit three putts from 5, 10, and 20 feet. If a ball is left short of the hole, it counts as a strike. If a player finishes the putt even with the hole or past the hole but not touching the alignment rod, it counts as “safe.” If a player hits the alignment rod past the hole it counts as a strike. 3 strikes and you’re out, and must start the game over. If you make three putts in a row from one distance (ex. Make all 3 from 5 feet) you earn a bonus strike (ex. 4 strikes and you’re out). The goal is to successfully hit 3 putts from each distance without “striking out.”
Special Notes: To make the game harder, attempt to hit 3 putts from 5, 10, 20 feet, then 20, 10, 5 feet all without striking out.
FIVE BALL REGRESSION
PGA COACH: GAVIN WITZER, PGA
Skill: Putting
Target Skill: Short Putting
# of players: Unlimited
Difficulty: Intermediate
How To Play: Place 5 tees in a straight line from 3,4,5,6,7,8, feet from the hole. Start with 5 balls at the 3-foot tees. Hit 5 putts. However many you hole out, bring them back to the 4-foot tee. Move onto the next tee or start over (3ft tee) if you run out of balls. See if you can finish.
Special Notes: Finish with multiple balls for more of a challenge.
THREE SPEED
PGA COACH: GAVIN WITZER, PGA
Skill: Putting
Target Skill: Short Putting/Matching speed and line/developing touch
# of players: Unlimited
Difficulty: Intermediate-Advance
How To Play: Start at 6 feet. Hit 9 putts trying to make the putt at 3 different speeds (Slow-just falling over front edge. Mediumnormal speed. Fast- Back of the cup speed (ball would end up 3-4 feet past. If not holed). You should cycle between slow/ fast/medium in that order to help regulate your touch and to better adjust speed and line requirements. Move around the hole ideally Uphill/downhill/left to right and right to left.
Special Notes: You can start on flat putts for beginners or add breaking putts for more difficulty.
DONE PILE
PGA COACH: BOB MADSEN, PGA
Skill: Putting
Target Skill: Speed control
# of players: 1-4
Difficulty: Beginner-Advance
How To Play: Stop balls in a prescribed area whether it’s 1ft-4ft depending on how far the player is from the hole. If they make it into the zone, they go back into the “done pile”. Otherwise, they are sent back to the player to retry. Game is complete once the player gets all the balls into their “done pile”.
Special Notes: Make the game easier by making the putt closer to the hole and make it more difficult by making the putt further away.
PUTTING WATER BALOON TOSS
PGA COACH: ALAN OCHAI, PGA
Skill: Putting
Target Skill: Putting Speed Control
# of players: 1 or more
Difficulty: Beginner-Advance
How To Play: Create target boxes using alignment sticks or strings. Have each player play from their box to the other box. Begin with players standing close to each other, attempting lag putts so they stop rolling within the other’s target box. Gradually move targets farther apart if both players successfully lag their putts into the target box.
THE CONE ZONE
PGA COACH: HEIDI RICHARDSON, PGA
Skill: Putting
Target Skill: Green Reading and Visualization
# of players: 1 or more
Level of Difficulty: Beginner-Advance
How to Play: Set up a 15-20ft putt with a slope/break. Use a putting arc tool to assist with accurate stroke line. Set up 6-8 cones to set a visual path for the ball to roll through – about 2ft from each other. Set up one target cone pin high to visualize the target line including break vs aiming at the cup. Roll the ball through 5x ending in a desired location and then find a new breaking putt and repeat.
Special Notes: Players may find a bigger break, longer or shorter putt. Have the player repeat the game multiple times from different locations.
SPEED PUTTING CHALLENGE
PGA COACH: JOSH ALPERT, PGA
Skill: Putting
Target Skill: Making Putts with Speed Awareness
Level of Difficulty: Beginner-Advance
# of Players: 1-4
How To Play: Players hit one putt (or 2 putts) from each marker. 2 Points for a hole in one and 1 point if past the hole inside scoring area (2’ past the hole). Add points for a total score. 18 points max for a 9 hole game with 1 ball.
Special notes: Ideally use 6-9 markers between 3’ and 15’. Add layers of creative and competitive to game. Use right hand only, use left hand only, keep eyes on target when putting. -1 point if short of hole etc. Play as an individual or in teams, for prizes or for consequences.
RING OF FIRE
PGA COACH: JORDAN KING-THOMAS, PGA
Skill: Putting
Target Skill: 10ft and in putting
# of Players: 2
Difficulty: Easy to Hard
How to Play: Place 2 tees around the hole at North, South, East and West. Place the tees at 3ft, 6ft. Give 2 balls to each player. Start them on opposite sides of the hole. They must hole a ball from each tee and then move to their right. The student who catches the other is the winner.
Special Notes: If you would like to make the game easier you can move the tees to 2ft and 4ft. If you would like to make the game harder add a third tee at 9ft and an extra ball.
AROUND THE GREEN
PROXIMITY CHALLENGE
PGA COACH: BLAKE JIRGES, PGA
Skill: Around the Green
Target Skill: Improve proximity to the hole from around the green
# of players: 1-8
Difficulty: Intermediate-Hard
How To Play: From around the green, place 10 cones from all different areas including bunker shots, lob shots, long chips, long pitches, rough shots, and fairway shots. Using only 1 ball, have the player hit the shot from the cone to the designated assigned hole. The player will mark on their scorecard the number of feet they are from the hole. Add the total number and divide by 10 to get the proximity to the hole.
Special Notes: Increase the difficulty by making more challenging shots. Make the challenge unique to your group/player to get the most out of their skill. You can subtract 15ft from the score if they hole the ball and add 50ft if player misses the green.
MONEYBALL
PGA COACH: GAVIN WITZER, PGA
Target Skill: Chipping into high Make % range
# of players: 1-6
Difficulty: Beginner-Advance
How To Play: Place 6-9 cones around the chipping green with each cone having 5 balls for chipping. Each station will have a money ball (5th ball). Place a box/circle at desired proximity(3-6 feet generally) for your players. Move through each location. Each ball chipped in the circle is worth 1 point. Money ball is worth 2 points into the circle. 2x points for making into the hole.
See how many points you can score
Special Notes: It is helpful to set a score goal per the skill of the player. Make the bonus ball make worth 4 points. Lastly, change up locations from easy to hard locations.
BREADCRUMB
PGA COACH: GAVIN WITZER, PGA
Skill: Around the Green
Target Skill: Distance control (specifically landing spot) on partial wedges within 85 yards
# of players: Unlimited
Difficulty: Intermediate-Advance
How To Play: Address a ball like you are going to hit it with a wedge. Start with a ball one club length in front of you. Land the ball you addressed as close to the ball that is in front of you. Wherever it ENDS up, hit another ball to that new ball’s location (leapfrogging the previous ball). Repeat to desired location and visibility.
Special Notes: Adjust challenge level with different wedges and trajectories and or can make players restart if the ball lands short of the target ball.
PGA COACH: BRYANA NGUYEN, PGA
Target Skill: Short Game and Pressure Situations
# of players: Any number of players
Difficulty: Beginner-Advance
How To Play: Set up 9 tee boxes that start different short game situations/“holes.” These situations could be a 6-foot 1 putt, to a 25 yard up and down, to a 40-foot twoputt, to an up and down from a green side bunker, etc. Players have to complete each situation before moving on to the next one. The goal is to complete all “holes.”
Special Notes: To enhance the pressure situation, have group members stop and watch a player that is about to complete the last “hole.” To make it more difficult, players have to move back a “hole” if they do not complete it, or even start over from “hole” 1.
How To Play: Groups can play from random starting points, including challenging or trouble situations chosen by the player with the honor. Hole out while playing by the rules and keeping score..
WEDGE CHALLENGE
PGA COACH: JARED BUTTS, PGA
Skill: Around the Green
Target Skill: Wedge Proximity
# of players: Unlimited Difficulty: Intermediate
How To Play: Set up targets at 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 yards. Put cones around each yardage in a 10-yard radius for big circle 5 yard radius for small circle. Each player will hit 5 balls to each target. The scoring is 1-point for large circles and 5-points for small circles. Points are scored where the ball lands, not where the ball ends up. Total scores for each distance and overall total score for all distances.
Special Notes: Partner up and have them switch off after each shot, simulates actual play better than having one player hit 5 balls consecutively.
LANDING ZONE DRILL
PGA COACH: JORDAN KING-THOMAS, PGA
Skill: Around the Green
Target Skill: 5yd – 25yds
# of Players: 1-6
Difficulty: Easy to Hard
How to Play:
Take 5 different color hula-hoop (or other objects) and stagger them at 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 yards. Place and alignment stick in the center of the hoop and a cone on top. The student who lands a ball on the fly in each hoop in order is the winner. (The coach can set the order). The student who finishes first is the winner and can be played out form there.
Special Notes: To make it easier, bring hoops closer, take hoops away and or make landing targets larger. To make it harder, add hoops and give a certain number of golf balls in which to complete the task.
5, 5 & 5
PGA COACH: JACKIE RIEGLE, PGA
Skill: Around the Green
Target Skill: Figure out which short game club you prefer
# of players: 1-6
Difficulty: Intermediate
How To Play: A player will grab 3 different clubs, preferably a sand wedge, pitching wedge and 8 iron or hybrid. The player will hit 5 shots with each club between 10-25 yards off the green. See which club has more balls come to rest within 5 feet from the hole or the best average of the 5.
FULL SWING
GUESS THE SPOT
PGA COACH: BLAKE JIRGES, PGA
Skill: Full Swing
Target Skill: Face Control/Awareness
# of players: Unlimited
Difficulty: Beginner-Intermediate
How To Play: With Dr. Scholls Foot Spray, spray the student’s driver. After the student strikes the golf ball and holds their finish, have them guess the spot where the ball struck the face. Have the student be specific such as high toe, low center, etc. See how many in a row they can guess correctly.
Special Notes: Great awareness drill that you can create a points game out of it. If they strike the center, you can give them more points than if they guess the edges of the club face.
3 1
THREE SHOT CHALLENGE
PGA COACH: JOSH ALPERT, PGA
Skill: Full Swing
Target Skill: Hitting Shots to Targets with Consequences
Game Difficulty: Beginner-Advance
# of Players: 1-4 players
How to Play: Players hit 3 shots and the goal is to get 5 points. Create a situation to a green where there is hazard on one side. If a player hits into the hazard, player gets -5 points, hazard to flag worth one point, flagstick to edge of green 3 points, edge of green +10 yards 1 point, and further away would be 0. This is a situational game that will help the player transfer the challenges on the range out onto the golf course.
Special Notes: You may do the same thing with a fairway situation and utilizing tee shots.
GOOD SWING = GOOD TEMPO
PGA COACH: HEIDI RICHARDSON, PGA
Skill: Full Swing
Target Skill: Tempo and timing
Level of Difficulty: Beginner
# of players: Unlimited
How to play: Set up a row of hitting stations with the players in ready position to hit a golf ball. The game begins as the first student on the right side begins their swing. Each player begins their backswing as the player next to them strikes the golf ball. Goal is to create a smooth Domino type hitting pattern as one after another student hits.
Special Notes: Players get into ready position and the goal is to hit the ball at the same exact time. Goal is to make just one sound of impact as a group.
ON COURSE
MISS THE GREEN
PGA COACH: BLAKE JIRGES, PGA
Skill: On Course
Game Name: Miss the Green
Target Skill: Approach Play, Course Management, Short Game
# of players: 1-4
Difficulty: Intermediate-Advance
How To Play: Players will play in a group and intentionally miss the green. They will proceed to do their best to get up and down or a low score. If a player hits the green, another player has a chance to move the opponent’s ball into a challenging location.
Special Notes: Goal is to get more up and downs. Also, make sure the ball is in a good spot to get up and down. So can show where to miss the ball and get the easiest shot on the hole.
RATE YOUR COMMITMENT
PGA COACH: BLAKE JIRGES, PGA
Skill: On Course
Target Skill: Pre-Shot Routine
# of players: 1-4
Difficulty: Beginner-Advance
How To Play: Players will play in a group and after each shot, must rate their commitment to the golf shot. Players may rate 1-5, being not committed and 5 being the most committed to the shot.
Special Notes: Goal is to see more 5’s than any other number on the scorecard and really get a committed pre-shot routine.
BLIND GOLF
PGA COACH: BRYANA NGUYEN, PGA
Skill: On Course
Target Skill: Choosing Targets with Approach Shots
# of players: Any number of players
Difficulty: Beginner-Advance
How To Play: Before the players start the hole, the coach takes out the flag stick. The players play the hole and have to hit their approach shots without the pin. As a result, players will have to trust playing to the center of the green. Players play out the hole and see what they can score.
Special Notes: This game is great for players that attack pins with a “non-scoring” club, or a club they are not as confident with. Players will notice greens are not too big, and they can two-putt to any flag from the center of the green.
MATCH PLAY MADNESS
PGA COACH: BRYANA NGUYEN, PGA
Skill: On Course
Target Skill: Approach Shots and Birdie Opportunities
# of players: 2
Difficulty: Advance
How To Play: Golfers play match play for 9 or 18 holes. If a player hits their approach shot on the green, anywhere on the green, they get to move their putt to 10 feet. They play until someone wins the match.
Special Notes: This drill emphasizes the importance of hitting the green in a competitive setting. If both players hit the green, there will be more of a focus on draining a 10-foot putt for the win.
UNEVEN LIE LOOKOUT
PGA COACH: TASHA BOHLIG, PGA
Skill: On Course
# of Players: Unlimited
Difficulty: Intermediate-Advance
How to Play: Make a “scorecard” that has four uneven lies - downhill, sidehill - above, sidehill - below, and uphill. Look for each of these lies, whether on the course, range, and/or short game areas. Give yourself points for executing each shot as intended in both contact and outcome (curved the appropriate way, went high (or low), and/ or ended at the target). 2 points possible for each shot from an uneven lie - 1 point for contact and 1 point for outcome - with a possible 8 points total.
Special Notes: Use this game to help identify uneven lie situation, gain confidence in execution, and as an additional focus to your practice. This should be executed in all pertinent areas including on-course shots, bunkers, and chipping/pitching.
COUNT YOUR POINTS
PGA COACH: JACKIE RIEGLE, PGA
Skill: On Course
Target Skill: Focusing on Targets verses overall score
# of players: 1-4
Difficulty: Intermediate-Advance
How To Play: A player will go out on the golf course and receive a certain number of points for different skills. Person with the most points wins. One point for hitting fairway, One point for green, One point for 2 putts, Two points for 1 putting, Two points for up and down.
Special Notes: The game is intended for those who currently play who are so focused on overall score that they can’t be in the moment and focus on a one shot at a time approach.
SCRAMBLE WITH A TWIST
PGA COACH: SARAH DANT, PGA
Target Skill: Team Challenge
# of players: 2
Difficulty: Intermediate-Advance
How To Play: This is a partner game where you Player A will tee off on the first hole
Special Notes: The game is intended for those who currently play who are so focused on overall score that they can’t be in the moment and focus on a one shot at a time approach. Worst ball partner scramble. Alternate drive off the tee. Worst Ball scramble onto the green. Best ball scramble on the putting green. This game can be played with up to six people in a group. Play low score. Working on pressure, course management, and concentration on the second shot.
PAR THREE
PGA COACH: JARED BUTTS, PGA
Target Skill: Scoring clubs
# of players: Unlimited
Difficulty: Intermediate
How To Play: On the golf course have the players start 25 yards from the pin on hole 1. If they score 3 (“par”) or better, they will play the next hole from 25 yards farther away. If they score 4 (“bogey”) or worse, they will play the next hole from the same yardage. Goal is to see how far they can get back by the time they finish 9 holes or however many holes can be played in time allowed for class.
Special Notes: Example: player scores 3 on hole 1, on hole 2 they will play from 50 yards. On hole 2 they score a 4, they will play hole 3 from 50 yards still. We also allow the players to hit drives on the holes and then track the number of fairways, they will then pick up their ball and go to “their yardage” for that hole. Also, we do yardage to pin and not middle of green so they can get accurate distances to pin and also track proximity to hole after their 1st shot.
