The gents above have given sound advice.

I think Bamboozle's point to consider the taper length is particularly noteworthy. A long front taper will likely work against your need to load the rod at such short distances. I believe the SA Mastery Trout DT has an even shorter taper than the XPS DT.

And, yes, loading a rod satisfactorily at short distances does take some practice and possibly a modification of our casting style. Finding the right rod/line combination just helps us get there sooner.