Top 3 Drills to Improve Your Short Game Ft. Jeeno Thitikul

If you have ever watched Jeeno Thitikul play, especially around the greens, you’d notice there are no unnecessary theatrics involved. No matter which situation her ball lies in, you’d notice her approaching every shot with the same calm, deliberate rhythm. And that consistency? It doesn’t come from luck, but from the way she trains.

Thitikul is known for her incredible scoring ability, and while numbers like her 2.68 Strokes Gained Total and 69.30 scoring average often dominate the headlines, they only tell part of the story. Her true edge lies in the short game, especially in moments that demand touch, feel, and creativity. At the KPMG PGA Championship, for example, she ranked 3rd in scrambling and got up and down 73% of the time, an elite performance that kept her in contention and ultimately earned her a top-5 finish.

What’s most impressive, though, is that there’s nothing mystical about her technique. Her short-game success is built on habits and drills that are simple, repeatable, and effective—no matter your handicap. So if you’re serious about saving strokes, especially from around the green, here are three tips inspired by Jeeno Thitikul’s short game to work on that can elevate your practice and your scorecard.

1. Commit to Conservative Targets 

First and foremost, no matter which drill you pick to work on your short game, the most important thing is this: pick a target and stick to it. That’s something Jeeno Thitikul does without fail. She never steps up to a chip or pitch, just hoping to get it close. Every shot has a purpose, and every purpose has a precise landing spot.

Practicing aimlessly—just tossing balls down and swinging without a clear intention—might feel productive, but it won’t translate to real improvement. Thitikul’s success is rooted in her ability to commit to conservative, smart targets, and not aggressive or unrealistic ones. Many a time, we practice the most difficult shots on the range, often forgetting that simply practising simple and basic shots can also go a long way in producing a stellar scorecard.

Jeeno Thitikul’s goal isn’t to hole every chip or every putt, but it’s to give herself the next easiest possible shot. And before expecting the kind of results on the course, it’s important that that kind of discipline starts on the practice green.

2. Build a Pre-Shot Routine for Pressure Situations

One of Jeeno Thitikul’s greatest strengths is her ability to perform under pressure, and a big part of that is her pre-shot routine. Watch her closely around the greens and you’ll notice something remarkable — her approach to every shot, whether it’s a routine chip or a clutch putt, never changes. That’s the power of a well-practiced pre-shot routine.

Many people think that practising a certain number of hours on the range or doing a certain number of drills will immediately produce results on the course. But no matter how many drills you do, doing them without a purpose or without the intent of replicating course conditions will only leave you frustrated. So, even when you’re just doing drills on the range, it’s important to have a checklist or a few points that you follow religiously before hitting a shot.

For most players, this includes visualizing the shot, choosing a landing spot, making one or two purposeful practice swings, setting your feet, and taking a deep breath before committing to the swing. A solid pre-shot routine like this, even when you’re just doing drills, acts like a mental anchor and will help you stay grounded, even during nervous situations. Without a routine, your short game decisions and execution can feel rushed or reactive, and once you build a strong pre-shot routine, you’ll see yourself making fewer mistakes during drills and even on the course.

3. Prioritize Distance Control Over Direction

Another one of Thitikul’s most effective habits, especially for putting, is that she works on her speed before the line. In other words, distance control is her foundation, and it’s something that should be yours, too. Why? Because even a perfectly read putt won’t drop if your speed is off.

But this mindset isn’t just for putting. It applies equally to short chips and pitches, where controlling how far the ball rolls out can make the difference between a tap-in and a nerve-wracking five-footer. Thitikul’s ability to consistently land the ball in her chosen zone and get it to stop where she wants is what keeps her scrambling stats at the elite level. So, no matter what drill you do, remember to focus on your distance control first, and automatically, your direction will fall in place too.

With these tips, you must have realised that the World No.1, Jeeno Thitikul, doesn’t rely on magic but on just simple tips to get the results. Her elite short game is the product of intentional, disciplined practice, and the good news is, you can practice the same way. By committing to smart targets, mastering your distance control, and following a good pre-shot routine, you’ll start turning bogeys into pars and pars into birdies, just like the world No. 1.