Course Program

Save par with a clutch bunker shot—pressure drill

Up-and-down contest, for a 28-handicap player, ~20 minutes at Asatun

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 27.99 drills

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

3 to 45

Average HCP

27.9

Duration (single session)

3 hr 51 min

or

1 drill/day: 9 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Scoring27%
Distance Control24%
Aim17%
Dispersion8%
Alignment7%
Accuracy5%
Trajectory5%
Precision5%

Overview

Program Structure

Save par with a clutch bunker shot—pressure drill. Turn into par saves and save par clutch. Focus on Scoring, Distance Control, Aim. For a 28-handicap player, in ~20 minutes.

Skill

Scoring

Shot

Sand

What you will improve

  • Scoring
  • Distance Control
  • Aim
  • Dispersion

Program details

Sessions
9 focused drills
Recommended
2–3 sessions / week
Total duration
3 hr 51 min
or
1 drill per day
9 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

Sand | Scattered Ball Lines | Bullseye 2x

Short Game

Scatter a bucket of balls in the sand (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 8 equal lines of 5 balls and stop sand shots inside Bullseye. Count the number of balls in the inner and outer Bullseye.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Sand | Scattered Ball Lines | Bullseye 2x
1

Scatter 40 balls in the sand into 8 lines of 5 balls, with lines about 2 feet apart, anywhere 5 to 60 yards from the hole.

2

On the green, make two bullseye circles around the hole: one with a 6-foot radius, one with a 15-foot radius.

3

Hit 36 sand shots, divided into 3 groups of 12 shots.

4

For the first 12 shots, try to land the ball inside the 6-foot bullseye.

5

For the next 12 shots, try to land the ball between 6 and 15 feet from the hole.

6

For the last 12 shots, try to land the ball within 15 feet of the hole, including the 6-foot bullseye.

7

After all 36 shots, count how many balls stopped in each target area for each group, and enter your score in the app out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score282624201612963
02

Sand | Parallel Ball Lines | Quadrants

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls in the sand (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 2 parallel lines 20 balls per line and stop sand shots inside quadrants. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Sand | Parallel Ball Lines | Quadrants
1

Make two straight lines of 18 balls each in the sand, about 1 foot apart in each line, and place the lines 5 to 10 yards apart.

2

On the green, mark a 10-foot circle around the hole and divide it into 4 equal parts.

3

Hit 36 sand shots, split into 4 groups of

9

For each group, aim all 9 shots at one of the 4 parts.

4

Switch to the other line of balls every 9 shots.

5

Try to make each ball stop in the right part on the green; count only balls that do.

6

After all 36 shots, count how many made it and enter your score in the app out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825221713963
03

Sand - Long

Short Game

Hit two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sand.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Sand - Long
1

Pick two different spots in the bunker, 40 to 60 yards from the hole.

2

Put 3 markers in a straight line on the green, about 6 feet apart near the hole.

3

Hit 36 shots in total: 18 from the first spot and 18 from the second spot.

4

From the first spot, hit 6 balls at each target, any order.

5

Do the same from the second spot: 6 balls at each target.

6

A shot is good if the ball stops near the target.

7

Count how many balls land close to the targets.

8

Add up your good shots out of 36 and enter the score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028252218141074
04

Sand | Scattered Piles | Bullseye 2x

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a sand 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 Sand | Scattered Piles | Bullseye 2x
1

Place two piles of balls in the sand 20-40 yards from the hole.

2

Make two circles around the hole on the green: one with a 6-foot radius and another with a 15-foot radius.

3

Hit 36 shots: 18 aimed for the small circle, 18 aimed for the area between the small and big circles.

4

Hit 18 balls, trying to land them in the small circle.

5

Hit 18 balls, trying to land them in the area between the two circles.

6

A ball in the right area counts as a success.

7

Count the number of balls in the right spots as you go.

8

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825201612853
05

Sand | Perpendicular Piles | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls in the sand (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 10 equal perpendicular piles of 4 balls and hit-and-land sand shots inside landing zones. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Sand | Perpendicular Piles | 3 Landing Zones
1

Put 36 balls into 10 piles near the sand, each pile with 3 or 4 balls, about 2 yards apart, in two lines between 20 and 40 yards from the hole.

2

On the green, set up three landing zones with sticks or string, each zone 6 feet apart in a straight line.

3

Hit 36 sand shots total: 12 shots for Zone 1, 12 shots for Zone 2, 12 shots for Zone

4

Start hitting balls from any pile, aiming at Zone

1

Do 12 shots, then aim for Zone 2 for 12 shots, then Zone 3 for 12 shots.

5

You can pick balls from any pile, but keep aiming for the same zone until you finish its 12 shots.

6

Count a shot as successful if it lands and stays in the right zone.

7

After all 36 shots, record how many successful shots out of 36 attempts in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825201612964
06

Sand | Scattered Piles | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to land a sand shot inside the landing zone(s). The player with the most points wins the challenge. One bucket of balls per player is needed.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Sand | Scattered Piles | 3 Landing Zones
1

Make 3 target zones on the green using sticks or clubs. Space them 6 feet apart in a line.

2

Make 6 piles of 6 balls each in the sand, 20 to 40 yards from the hole.

3

Hit 36 sand shots: 12 shots to each zone.

4

Hit from any pile to Zone 1, then move to another pile and hit to Zone 2, then to another pile for Zone

5

Try to land the ball in the correct zone. Each ball that stays in the correct zone is a success.

6

After all shots, count how many balls landed in the correct zones and enter your score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825211612853
07

Sand | Scattered Ball Lines | Quadrants

Short Game

Scatter a bucket of balls in the sand (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 8 equal lines of 5 balls and stop sand shots inside quadrants. Count the number of successes.

23 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Sand | Scattered Ball Lines | Quadrants
1

Put 32 balls in 8 lines of 4 balls each, spaced about 2 feet apart, in the sand area 20–40 yards from the hole.

2

On the green, mark a circle with a 10-foot radius around the hole.

3

Divide the circle into 4 equal parts (quadrants) using two lines that cross at the hole.

4

For each line of 4 balls, choose one quadrant and try to hit all 4 balls so they stop inside that quadrant.

5

After finishing one line and quadrant, move to another line and aim at a new quadrant. Do this until all 8 lines and quadrants are done.

6

Count each ball that stops in the chosen quadrant.

7

Add up the number of successful shots out of 32 and enter score in the app, out of 32 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions32
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score2826242016131074
08

Sand | Scattered Piles | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Scatter a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) in the sand. Scatter into 8 equal piles of 5 balls and stop sand shots close to multiple targets. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Sand | Scattered Piles | Multiple Targets
1

Divide 40 golf balls into 8 piles of 5 balls each in the sand between 5 and 60 yards/meters from the hole.

2

On the green, set up 3 flag targets in a straight line, each 6 feet (2 meters) apart. Label them Target A, Target B, and Target C.

3

Hit 36 sand shots in total, with 12 shots aimed at each target.

4

Start from any pile. Hit 12 shots at Target A.

5

Move to Target B, hit 12 shots, then hit the last 12 shots at Target C.

6

Switch between piles after every 2 to 5 shots.

7

Count a shot as a success if it stops within 10 feet (3 meters) of the target.

8

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129272318131074
09

Sand | Scattered Piles | 9 Stop Zones

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a sand 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 Sand | Scattered Piles | 9 Stop Zones
1

Place 36 golf balls in 9 piles, each with 4 balls, in a sand bunker 20–40 yards from the hole.

2

Make 9 stop zones on the green in a 3 by 3 grid using tees, string, or markers.

3

Hit 4 sand shots to each stop zone, for 36 shots total.

4

Start from any pile and aim for the first stop zone.

5

After 4 shots to one zone, move to the next zone and keep going until all 9 zones are done.

6

Count each shot that stops inside the correct stop zone as a success.

7

Add your successful shots out of 36 and enter your score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score282623191511853

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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