Course Program

Up-and-down contest: how many can you save in a row?

Save par clutch, for a 14-handicap player, ~15 minutes at Mori Onsen

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 14.37 drills

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

6 to 45

Average HCP

14.3

Duration (single session)

3 hr 2 min

or

1 drill/day: 7 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Scoring27%
Alignment17%
Accuracy14%
Aim14%
Precision10%
Distance Control9%
Dispersion6%
Visualization3%

Overview

Program Structure

Up-and-down contest: how many can you save in a row?. Up-and-down contest and turn into par saves. Focus on Scoring, Alignment, Accuracy. For a 14-handicap player, in ~15 minutes.

Skill

Scoring

Shot

Flop

What you will improve

  • Scoring
  • Alignment
  • Accuracy
  • Aim

Program details

Sessions
7 focused drills
Recommended
2–3 sessions / week
Total duration
3 hr 2 min
or
1 drill per day
7 days · 26 min/day

Drill Framework

Program breakdown

Each drill is designed to prepare you for the course. Follow the program or repeat the drills to improve key areas of your game.

01

Flop | Perpendicular Piles | Bullseye 2x

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a flop shot in the bullseye. The best final score relative to PAR wins the challenge. One bucket of balls per player is needed.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Flop | Perpendicular Piles | Bullseye 2x
1

Set up 10 piles of balls in two lines that cross at a right angle. Each pile has enough balls for 3 shots. Place piles 5-40 yards from the hole on grass.

2

On the green, mark two circles around the hole: a 6-foot circle (bullseye) and a 15-foot circle.

3

Hit 36 flop shots total. From each pile, hit 3 shots trying to land near the hole.

4

Split the 36 shots into 2 rounds of

8

In each round, hit 1 shot from each of the 10 piles, then hit 1 more shot from the first 8 piles.

5

Score: inside 6 feet = birdie, inside 15 feet = par, outside 15 feet = bogey.

6

Count how many shots land inside each circle.

7

Add up your total birdies and pars after 36 shots. Enter your score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141074
02

Flop | Deep Rough and Other | Above/Below Feet

Short Game

Hit flop shot two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sloped deep rough and other extreme grass types; one bucket with balls above feet level, and one bucket with balls below feet level.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Flop | Deep Rough and Other | Above/Below Feet
1

Make two target zones on the green, Zone A (front) and Zone B (back), both about the same size, using cones or markers.

2

Place 18 balls in 3 piles of 6 balls each in deep rough above your feet, at different distances between 5 and 20 yards from the hole.

3

Place another 18 balls the same way in deep rough below your feet.

4

Hit 18 flop shots from above feet towards Zone A, in any order, until finished.

5

Hit 18 flop shots from below feet towards Zone B, in any order, until finished.

6

Count each ball that lands and stops in the target zone as a success.

7

Add up total successful shots out of 36 attempts and enter score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score292725211612853
03

Flop | Deep Rough and Other | Uphill/Downhill

Short Game

Hit flop shot two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sloped deep rough and other extreme grass types; one bucket from the uphill slope and one bucket from the downhill slope.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Flop | Deep Rough and Other | Uphill/Downhill
1

Split 36 balls into two groups of

8

Put one group at the uphill slope, and one group at the downhill slope, both in deep rough 5 to 20 yards from the hole.

2

On the green, make three target zones side by side, each about 3 feet wide and within 10 feet of the hole. Label them Zone 1 (left), Zone 2 (center), Zone 3 (right).

3

From the uphill position, hit 18 flop shots. Aim 6 balls in Zone 1, 6 in Zone 2, and 6 in Zone

4

From the downhill position, hit 18 flop shots. Aim 6 balls in Zone 1, 6 in Zone 2, and 6 in Zone

5

Count each shot that stops in the right zone as a success.

6

Enter the number of successes in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825211713963
04

Flop | Parallel Piles | Quadrants

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a flop shot inside the quadrant(s). The player with the most points wins the challenge. One bucket of balls per player is needed.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Flop | Parallel Piles | Quadrants
1

Set up 10 piles of balls in 2 lines with 5 piles in each line. Keep lines 6 yards apart and piles 4 yards apart.

2

Place the piles on grass, 5 to 40 yards from the hole.

3

On the green, mark 4 equal sections inside a 9-foot circle using string or tees.

4

Hit 36 flop shots, with 9 shots to each section.

5

For each shot, pick a pile and try to stop the ball inside the target section.

6

Count balls that stop fully inside the section as a success.

7

Make sure to aim 9 shots at each section, either in order or randomly.

8

After all 36 shots, add your number of successful shots and enter score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825221713963
05

Flop | Parallel Ball Lines | 9 Stop Zones

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 2 parallel lines 20 balls per line and stop flop shots inside 9 Stop Zones. Count the number of successful stops.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Flop | Parallel Ball Lines | 9 Stop Zones
1

Place two lines of 18 balls each about 5-10 yards apart, with balls 1 foot apart.

2

Mark 9 stop zones on the green with tees, string, or buckets, making sure they are easy to see.

3

Hit 36 flop shots, with 2 shots at each stop zone from each line.

4

Start with the first line and hit 2 shots to the first stop zone.

5

Switch to the second line and hit 2 shots to the second stop zone.

6

Keep switching lines and aiming at the next stop zone, 2 shots each, until all 9 zones are targeted.

7

Count each shot that stops in the right zone as a success.

8

Add up how many successes out of 36 attempts and enter score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score312926221713963
06

Flop | Rough | Flat

Short Game

Hit flop shot two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the flat rough grass.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Flop | Rough | Flat
1

Make two piles of 18 balls on rough grass, 5-40 yards from the hole.

2

Mark three equal target zones on the green about 5 feet apart: Zone A (closest), Zone B (middle), Zone C (farthest).

3

Hit 36 flop shots in three sets: 12 shots to Zone A, then 12 to Zone B, then 12 to Zone C.

4

Switch between the two piles when hitting your shots.

5

Try to land and stop the ball inside the correct zone. Count each ball in the right zone as a success.

6

Count your successes out of 36 shots and enter the score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302826221713963
07

Flop | Perpendicular Piles | 9 Stop Zones

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a flop shot in the stop zone(s). The player with the most points at the end wins the challenge. One bucket of balls per player is needed.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Flop | Perpendicular Piles | 9 Stop Zones
1

Set up 10 piles of balls in two lines that cross each other, 5 piles in each line. The piles are 3 yards/meters apart. The two lines are 5 to 10 yards/meters apart.

2

Put the piles 5 to 40 yards/meters away from the hole, not on the green.

3

Mark 9 target zones on the green using tees, string, or small buckets. Make them easy to see.

4

Hit 36 flop shots total, 9 to each target zone.

5

Pick a pile and hit 9 flop shots to target zone

6

Then hit 9 shots to target zone 2, using any pile.

7

Do the same for zones 3 through 9, hitting 9 shots at each for 36 total tries. Enter score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825211612853

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

Start the drills at your own pace or work with a coach to inside drills.golf.