Wedge Ladder Drill: Control Your Carry from 50 to 100 Yards.
One shot. A new distance. A better feel.
This wedge ladder drill gets you changing carry distance with every shot, working from shorter targets to longer ones and back again.
Hitting the same wedge to the same flag can feel wonderfully reassuring. Then the course presents a completely different yardage. Typical.
This is Wedge Play Card 10, Wedge Ladder: 50 to 100 Yards, in the Golf Practice Made Fun App. Play 18 shots and score one point whenever your ball lands within five yards of its intended distance.
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Your drill at a glance
| Drill detail | Your session |
|---|---|
| Category | Wedge play · Card 10 |
| Benefit | Practise adjusting wedge carry from one target distance to the next. |
| Practice format | 18 shots, moving from nearer targets to farther targets and back down. |
| Scoring | 1 point for landing within five yards of the intended target distance. Maximum 18 points. |
| Equipment | A wedge, practice balls, suitable range targets and a way to judge carry distance. |
Watch the wedge ladder demonstration
In this GolfPass lesson, Devan Bonebrake demonstrates the Wedge Ladder Game to practise wedge distance control from 50 to 100 yards.
Step 1. Choose Your Target Distances
What to do
| Action | What to do |
|---|---|
| Pick the targets | Choose a series of clear carry distances between roughly 50 and 100 yards. For example: 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100 yards. |
| Make the ladder yours | Use shorter distances if needed. Every target should be reachable with a comfortable, controlled wedge swing. |
| Choose your wedge | Start with a wedge you know. If your targets require a change of wedge, decide the club before each shot. |
| Agree how to judge carry | Use known range markers, a launch monitor or clear distance references. Judge where the ball first lands, rather than where it finishes rolling. |
You can use existing range flags, signs or clearly identifiable landing areas. The targets are distance references; you do not need to place six physical flags yourself.
Your cue: “Pick a distance before you swing.”
Step 2. Work Up the Ladder and Back Down
What to do
| Action | What to do |
|---|---|
| Start at the nearest | Hit one ball to the shortest chosen distance, then move to the next target. |
| Keep moving up | Play one shot to each successively farther target until you reach the longest distance. |
| Come back down | Move to the next shorter target and work back towards the nearest. Change target after every shot. |
| Continue to 18 shots | Turn around again at each end of the ladder and stop after your eighteenth shot. A miss still counts; move on to the next target. |
With targets at 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100 yards, one example 18-shot session is:
| Shots | Target distances |
|---|---|
| Shots 1–6 | 50 → 60 → 70 → 80 → 90 → 100 yards |
| Shots 7–12 | 90 → 80 → 70 → 60 → 50 → 60 yards |
| Shots 13–18 | 70 → 80 → 90 → 100 → 90 → 80 yards |
These are example yardages. Keep the same up-and-down pattern if you choose a shorter ladder or different target spacing.
Your cue: “One ball. New target. Reset.”
Step 3. Score Your 18 Shots
What to do
| Action | What to do |
|---|---|
| Score each first landing | Award 1 point if the ball carries to within five yards, short or long, of the intended target distance. Otherwise score 0. |
| Use the distance you chose | For a 70-yard target, a first landing from 65 to 75 yards earns a point. Score against the target you intended before the shot. |
| Count every shot | Keep a running total over all 18 shots. Do not replay misses or add extra attempts to improve the score. |
| Save your result | Record your total points out of 18. Note the target distances, wedge choices and conditions so you can compare a later session fairly. |
The five-yard allowance is carry-distance error: how far short or long the ball lands. It is not a five-yard circle around the flag. Keep aiming on line, but use the distance rule consistently for this card.
| Scoring example | What counts |
|---|---|
| Target distance | 70 yards |
| 1 point | First landing at 65–75 yards, inclusive |
| 0 points | First landing below 65 yards or beyond 75 yards |
| Your total | _____ / 18 |
If you can only estimate the landing distance, mark the score as estimated and use the same judging method next time.
George’s Practice Tip
Give every ball a fresh routine: choose the distance, picture the first bounce, make a rehearsal and play. If one yardage keeps catching you out, note it for a later session. Finish this ladder before giving that awkward number its own investigation.
FAQs
Do the targets have to run from 50 to 100 yards?
Those are the card’s suggested distances. Shorten the ladder to match the controlled carry distances you can reach, and record your chosen yardages.
Do I hit several balls at each target?
Hit one ball, then change target. Work from nearest to farthest and back down, continuing until you have played 18 shots.
Do I have to use the same wedge for every shot?
Start with a wedge you know. You can change wedges if your target distances call for it; choose the club before each shot and note your choices for the next session.
Does the score include the ball’s rollout?
No. Judge carry to the first landing point. A ball that lands short and rolls to the flag has not met the carry target.
Is the five-yard scoring area a circle around the flag?
This card scores distance error, short or long. For example, a 70-yard target earns a point when the ball first lands from 65 to 75 yards. Keep aiming on line, but do not substitute a radius-based rule.
Should I start again when I miss?
No. Score zero, move to the next target and continue. Count all 18 shots, including mishits.
What if the range markers are approximate?
Use the clearest distance references available, mark estimated results as estimates and keep your method consistent when comparing sessions.
What drill do you recommend I do next?
Try the Wedge Clock Drill to build your stock carry numbers, or the £30 Wedge Bank Drill for another distance-control challenge.
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