Course Program

Keep Ball Close To Hole

Focus on clean contact, for a 35-handicap player, ~30 minutes at Challenger

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 355 drills

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

25 to 45

Average HCP

35

Duration (single session)

2 hr 10 min

or

1 drill/day: 5 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Scoring28%
Distance Control21%
Alignment15%
Precision15%
Dispersion9%
Accuracy7%
Aim6%

Overview

Program Structure

Keep Ball Close To Hole. Focus on clean contact and roll the ball low and straight. Focus on Scoring, Distance Control, Alignment. For a 35-handicap player, in ~30 minutes.

Shot

Bump'n'Run

What you will improve

  • Scoring
  • Distance Control
  • Alignment
  • Precision

Program details

Sessions
5 focused drills
Recommended
2–3 sessions / week
Total duration
2 hr 10 min
or
1 drill per day
5 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

Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Piles | Bullseye 2x

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a bump-n-run 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 Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Piles | Bullseye 2x
1

Set up 10 piles of balls in two lines that cross each other. Put 5 piles in each line. Leave space between all piles and lines.

2

Put the piles 1 to 10 yards/meters from the green and 5 to 30 yards/meters from the hole.

3

On the green, mark two big circles around the hole. Make the first circle 6 feet (2 meters) out from the hole, and the second circle 15 feet (5 meters) out from the hole.

4

There are 36 shots total. Split them into 3 groups of 12 shots.

5

First 12 shots: try to stop the ball inside the small (inner) circle. Next 12: try to stop the ball inside the big (outer) circle but outside the small circle. Last 12: try to keep the ball anywhere on the green.

6

Hit one ball from each pile. Keep moving around the piles any way until all 36 shots are done using the right target for each group.

7

Count how many balls land in the right place for each group: inside the small circle for the first 12, in the big circle but outside the small one for the next 12, and anywhere on the green for the last

2

Enter score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285
02

Bump-n-Run | Scattered Piles | Quadrants

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop bump-n-run 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 Bump-n-Run | Scattered Piles | Quadrants
1

Prepare 36 balls and make 4 piles of 9 balls each.

2

Put each pile in a different spot, 1 to 10 yards from the green and 5 to 30 yards from the hole.

3

Mark 4 areas on the green using string or tees, each area should be about 6 feet across.

4

Hit 36 bump-n-run shots, trying to land 9 balls in each area.

5

Start from one pile, aim at one area, and hit all 9 balls. Move to the next pile and area.

6

Keep going until all 36 shots are done, 9 shots per area.

7

Count how many balls stopped in the target area each time.

8

After all 36 shots, enter how many successes out of 36 in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129272318141074
03

Bump-n-Run | Parallel Piles | Bullseye 2x

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 10 equal parallel piles of 4 balls next to the green and stop bump-n-run shots inside Bullseye. Count the number of balls in the inner and outer Bullseye.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Parallel Piles | Bullseye 2x
1

Arrange 40 balls into 10 piles of 4 balls each. Place the piles in two parallel lines, 5 to 10 yards apart, with each pile in a line about 2 yards apart.

2

On the green, mark two target zones: an inner circle with a 6-foot radius and an outer circle with a 15-foot radius.

3

Hit 36 shots: 18 to the inner circle, 18 to the outer circle.

4

Hit shots from any pile, switch between piles and lines.

5

Count a shot as a success if it stops in the target zone.

6

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285
04

Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Piles | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls next to the green (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 10 equal perpendicular piles of 4 balls and stop bump-n-run shots close to multiple targets. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Piles | Multiple Targets
1

Arrange 40 balls into 10 piles with 4 balls in each pile. Set the piles in two lines that cross each other near the green. The two lines should be 6 yards apart. Each pile in a line is 2 yards from the next pile.

2

Pick 3 target flags on the green. Space the targets 6 feet apart in a line or triangle so each one can be aimed at.

3

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots, in 3 sets of 12 shots. For each set, aim all 12 shots at one of the target flags (Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 3).

4

Start at any pile and try to hit the ball so it lands inside a 10-foot circle around the chosen target. Do this for 12 shots, then move to the next target and do it again, until all 36 shots are done.

5

Use different piles as you like for variety, but always set up the same way for each shot.

6

Count each shot that stops inside the 10-foot circle as a success.

7

After all shots, count total successes and enter score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score312926221713963
05

Bump-n-Run | Deep Rough and Other | Above/Below Feet

Short Game

Hit bump-n-run 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, one bucket with balls below feet level.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Deep Rough and Other | Above/Below Feet
1

Place 36 balls into 6 groups of 6 balls.

2

Mark 3 target pins on the green, 6 feet apart in a line or arc.

3

From above feet, hit 18 shots, 6 at each pin in order.

4

From below feet, hit 18 shots, 6 at each pin in order.

5

Keep the same ball setup and lie each time. Only change slope.

6

Count each ball that stops within 3 feet of the target pin as a success.

7

After 36 shots, add up successes out of 36 and enter score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282420161285

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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

Keep Ball Close To Hole | Challenger