The 155-Yard Three-Ball Target Game

American Golf describes a match-play challenge built around a 155-yard target: each player gets three attempts, and the ball finishing closest to the pin wins the hole. That compact format can be adapted into a simple target game in a designated practice area. It is not, by itself, a complete training program.

Choose a permitted, clearly visible target from your bay. If 155 yards does not suit the facility or a club you can use comfortably, choose an appropriate distance; the key parts are one defined target and three deliberate attempts.

Before the first ball, choose the club and target line you intend to use. Hit three balls with the same goal. Do not add a fourth “redo” ball to the set; the fixed limit makes each round easy to compare.

After the third shot, record only what you can observe: which ball finished closest, whether the misses shared a direction, and whether the target was realistic. Three shots cannot diagnose swing technique or establish an exact club distance.

With a friend, compare the closest ball and award one point for the set. When practising alone, compare each new three-ball set with the previous one. Change the target only after the set is complete.

Use the game only in a designated practice area and follow the facility’s safety rules. Treat the score as a snapshot of three attempts, not proof that your swing, confidence, or course management has improved.