Phil Mickelson’s high-pressure practice game will dial in your chipping

Practice is not always the most fun exercise. It’s a tedious process and can be difficult to maintain your focus for hours on end. Once you lose your focus, though, the practice is not nearly as efficient, and your gains are diminished. But if you want to improve, it’s crucial that you spend the time working on your craft.

One of the best ways to keep your mind engaged during a long day of practice is by incorporating some sort of competition into your routine. Not only does this keep you mentally engaged, it also helps simulate some of the pressure that you’ll feel during actual competition.

Phil Mickelson has one of the best short games in the history of golf, and he’s spent countless hours grinding around the practice green. But even for a player of his caliber, there’s still room for games within his training. And in the video below, he explains a high-pressure practice game that’s perfect for dialing in your short game.

Lefty’s chipping game

For Mickelson’s ultimate chipping game, you’ll need a buddy to play against. So grab a friend, head over to the practice green and get started.

To start, one player will select a hole to chip toward. Each player will hit a shot, and the closest player goes “one up.” If either player makes their chip shot, they win two holes — but with a caveat. If the first player makes a chip and then the second player makes it on top of theirs, they get three holes.

“So it’s a five-hole difference,” Mickelson says. “This game could take a while.”

If you’re looking to add some fun to your practice routine, this is a perfect game to play. So next time you’re out on the practice green, try it out.

Zephyr Melton

Golf.com Editor

Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. Prior to joining the team at GOLF, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists on all things instruction and covers amateur and women’s golf. He can be reached at zephyr_melton@golf.com.