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DRILL OVERVIEW · LONG GAME CARD 81
Towel-behind-ball low point
Your drill at a glance
This drill is Long Game card 81 of the Golf Practice Made Fun App.
A towel gives you a simple reference for the ground behind the ball. The aim is to strike the ball first with a short iron while leaving the towel untouched. Start with a small, controlled swing and use each result to check your contact.
Missing the towel is only half the test: a thin or topped shot does not earn a point. You are looking for a clean, ball-first strike as well as clearance.
Jump to placing the towel, making the strike or scoring 18 shots.
Watch the drill.
This is the demonstration linked from card 81 in the app. Watch the towel position and controlled swing before setting up your own practice.
Step 1. Place the towel.
| Action | What to do |
|---|---|
| Choose your station | Use a suitable grass practice area or driving-range mat, with room for the club and a clear target. Choose a short iron. |
| Set the towel | Lay a small folded towel flat about one grip length behind the ball, on the side opposite your target. Measure the gap using your club’s grip, then return the club to your hands. |
| Check clearance | Make a few slow rehearsals without a ball. If the club catches the towel, pause and move it farther back while you establish control. Keep the final gap consistent for the scoring round. |
A small, flat towel gives a clearer reference than a bulky pile. Set it down rather than tying it to your club or securing it with hard objects.
Step 2. Strike the ball first.
| Action | What to do |
|---|---|
| Start small | Hit controlled short-iron shots. Keep the swing size comfortable instead of trying to hit a full-distance shot. |
| Check contact | Aim to strike the ball before the ground, leaving the towel untouched. On grass, inspect where the divot begins; on a mat, pay attention to contact rather than judging the shot by distance alone. |
| Pause and reset | Check that the towel has not shifted. Notice the strike and where the ball finishes before starting the next shot. |
Quick practice checks
| What happens | What to try |
|---|---|
| You catch the towel | Return to slow rehearsals and a shorter swing. Give yourself more clearance if necessary and focus on a clean, ball-first strike. |
| You miss the towel but thin the ball | Count it as a miss. The goal is clean, ball-first contact, not simply lifting the club over the towel. |
| The mat makes every shot feel acceptable | Keep the same controlled swing and note any ground-first contact. If feedback is unclear, try a strike-feedback mat or a suitable grass practice area. |
| You start swinging harder | Return to the original short swing. Compare like-for-like attempts before adding speed. |
Step 3. Score 18 shots.
Play two sets of nine shots with the same short iron, towel gap and swing size. Pause after the first nine to note one useful observation.
| Score | When to award it |
|---|---|
| 1 point | A clean, ball-first strike that leaves the towel untouched. |
| 0 points | You touch the towel, strike the ground first, or thin, top or otherwise mishit the ball. |
Add both sets for one total out of 18. In the app, open the card from My Cards, choose Score your practice, enter your total and select Save result. Your result opens in My Progress → Your scored results, where you can compare it with previous attempts and your personal best.
Compare scores using the same setup. Keep grass and mat sessions separate if the contact feedback differs.
George’s Practice Tip.
Keep the challenge honest: clearing the towel with a thin shot is still a zero. Choose a swing you can repeat, give yourself time between balls and record the contact you actually made. A useful note might be “cleaner strike with the shorter swing”—something specific you can test again next time.
For another way to check where the club meets the ground, try the Ball Striking Coin Drill. You can also explore the three-drill ball-striking guide.
MAKE THE NEXT BUCKET COUNT
Pick a card. Practise with purpose.
