Course Program

Avoid Three-Putts

Practice at Birkdale Golf Club

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 356 drills63% match to course practice profile

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

25 to 45

Average HCP

35

Duration (single session)

2 hr 36 min

or

1 drill/day: 6 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Alignment31%
Distance Control21%
Aim18%
Scoring17%
Accuracy5%
Dispersion4%
Trajectory3%
Precision2%

Overview

Program Structure

This short game helps you lock in scoring patterns, executing chip shots, and make faster decisions that translate straight to scoring opportunities. Each drill mirrors on-course scenarios before you stitch everything together in finale sessions.

Shot

Chip

What you will improve

  • Alignment
  • Distance Control
  • Aim
  • Scoring

Program details

Sessions
6 focused drills
Recommended
2–3 sessions / week
Total duration
2 hr 36 min
or
1 drill per day
6 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

Chip | Perpendicular Piles | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a chip shot inside the landing 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 Chip | Perpendicular Piles | 3 Landing Zones
1

Put 10 piles of balls in two straight lines that cross. Each pile has 3 or 4 balls. Keep each pile between 5 and 30 yards from the hole.

2

Mark 3 landing zones on the green in a row. Make them 6 feet apart using sticks or string.

3

Hit 36 chip shots total. Aim for each landing zone 12 times.

4

Pick any pile to start. Hit 12 chips to the first zone, then 12 to the second zone, then 12 to the third zone.

5

Count how many balls land and stop inside the target zone for each shot.

6

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score312926221713963
02

Chip | Deep Rough and Other | Flat

Short Game

Hit two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the flat deep rough and other extreme grass types.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Chip | Deep Rough and Other | Flat
1

Find a flat spot in deep rough or thick grass, 5 to 30 yards from the hole.

2

Place three targets on the green in a line, about 4 feet apart.

3

Hit 36 chip shots in total, split into 3 groups of 12 shots.

4

For the first 12 shots, aim for Target

5

For the next 12 shots, aim for Target

6

For the last 12 shots, aim for Target

7

Use the same setup for every shot.

8

Count a success if the ball stops within 2 feet of the target.

9

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262218141063
03

Chip | Rough | Uphill/Downhill

Short Game

Hit two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sloped rough grass; one bucket from the uphill slope and one bucket from the downhill slope.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Chip | Rough | Uphill/Downhill
1

Pick a spot in the rough, on an uphill slope, 5–30 yards from the hole.

2

Put a target at the hole.

3

Hit 18 chip shots uphill, trying to stop the ball close to the hole.

4

Move to a downhill spot in the rough, also 5–30 yards from the hole.

5

Hit 18 chip shots downhill at the same target.

6

Every 4 shots, check the results and adjust if needed.

7

Count a success for every ball that finishes close to the hole (like within 3 feet).

8

Use the same setup for every shot.

9

After 36 shots, add up your total successes. Enter score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141174
04

Chip | Perpendicular Piles | Bullseye 2x

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a chip 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 Chip | Perpendicular Piles | Bullseye 2x
1

Set up 10 piles of balls in two lines that cross each other. Each line has 5 piles, spaced 3 yards apart, with the lines 5 to 10 yards apart. Place the piles on grass 5 to 30 yards from the hole.

2

On the green around the hole, make two circles using string or tees: one small circle with a 6 foot radius and one big circle with a 15 foot radius.

3

Hit 36 chip shots, in 3 sets of 12 shots. - Set 1 (12 shots): Try to stop the ball in the small circle. - Set 2 (12 shots): Try to stop the ball in the big circle but outside the small circle. - Set 3 (12 shots): Try to stop the ball just outside the big circle but close to the hole.

4

Start at any pile and hit the type of shot for that set. After finishing 12 shots for one set, move to the next set and repeat.

5

For each shot, if the ball lands in the target zone for that set, count it as a success.

6

Keep going until all 36 shots are done. At the end, add up your successful shots out of 36 attempts and enter your score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825221713964
05

Chip | Perpendicular Ball Lines | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 2 perpendicular lines 20 balls per line and hit-and-land chip shots inside landing zones. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Chip | Perpendicular Ball Lines | 3 Landing Zones
1

Set up two lines of 18 balls each so they cross each other. Place balls 1 foot apart.

2

On the green, mark 3 landing zones spaced 6 feet apart in a row using sticks or string.

3

Hit 36 chip shots total: 18 from each ball line.

4

From the first line, hit 6 shots to each landing zone (18 shots).

5

From the second line, hit 6 shots to each landing zone (18 shots).

6

Count each ball that lands and stays inside the right landing zone.

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129272318141174
06

Chip | Scattered Piles | Quadrants

Short Game

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

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Chip | Scattered Piles | Quadrants
1

Scatter 40 balls into 8 piles of 5 balls each between 5 and 30 yards from the hole.

2

On the green, use markers to make a 6-foot circle around the hole and divide it into 4 quadrants.

3

Hit 36 chip shots.

4

Hit 9 shots at each of the 4 quadrants.

5

Hit each shot from a different pile and try to land it in the right quadrant.

6

Count a shot as a success if it stops in the correct quadrant.

7

Enter number of successful shots out of 36 attempts in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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