When the days get shorter and the air turns crisp, it’s the perfect time to sharpen the part of your game that truly matters — your short game. Fall golf gives you quieter courses, firmer turf, and an opportunity to turn focused practice into lower scores before next spring.  Being the Director of Golf at Fripp Island, SC allowed me to take advantage of a little longer fall season and is where I developed this approach.

Here’s how to build an effective Fall Short Game Practice Schedule that’s realistic, efficient, and designed to help you score better all year long.

🍂 1. Start with Structure, Not Volume

It’s easy to think you need endless hours of chipping and putting to get better — but consistency beats volume every time.
Plan for three focused sessions per week, even if they’re only 30–45 minutes each. One for putting, one for chipping/pitching, and one that blends both in a “game simulation.”

Tip: Keep your sessions shorter and more specific — that’s how pros build consistency without burnout.

🏌️ 2. Work in Shot “Themes” Each Week

Fall is about rhythm, not reinvention. Each week, pick a simple theme to guide your practice.

Week 1: Contact & Setup – Focus on crisp contact with 10–20 yard chips.
Week 2: Distance Control – Ladder drills with wedges (10, 20, 30 yards).
Week 3: Trajectory & Spin – Hit low runners, standard pitches, and high soft shots.
Week 4: Pressure Putting – Mix short putt confidence drills with lag putting from 30–40 feet.

Repeat this four-week cycle through the season — by the end, you’ll have a complete short game foundation heading into winter.

🎯 3. Practice “Real Golf” Situations

Fall practice should feel like the course, not a clinic.
Set up stations that simulate the shots you actually face in a round — uphill chips, buried lies, downhill putts, and awkward stances.

If your course allows, drop balls in short-game areas that mirror your toughest greenside conditions. Then, keep score— how many up-and-downs can you save in 10 attempts?

That adds pressure, accountability, and purpose to your practice.

🧠 4. Track Your Progress Like a Player

Keep a small notebook or phone note to track how many “saves” you make during practice. Record:

• Up-and-down percentage (from 10 random chips)

• 3-putt avoidance

• Distance you consistently hit your wedges

It’s not about perfection — it’s about progress. Seeing improvement builds confidence, and confidence turns into scoring.

⛳ 5. Use the Right Tools

Fall turf and cool air change ball reaction and spin, so it’s the perfect time to evaluate your wedges.
The Edison 2.0 lineup — and especially the new A•S•L Scoring Set (49°, 55°, 59°) — gives you the control and versatility you need as greens firm up and lies get tighter.

Pro Tip: Rotate your practice between wedges so you can trust all three inside 100 yards.

🗓️ Sample Fall Practice Week

🔑 Key Takeaway

Fall is the perfect time to build your short game identity. Keep it structured, purposeful, and fun — focus on saving strokes, not swinging harder.
By winter, you’ll have the kind of wedge and putting confidence that carries straight into next season.

🏆 Next Week in Inside the Scoring Zone

We'll take a look at some great golf trips that you can take in November!