Course Program

Can you avoid the bunker from 100-140 yards?

Avoid bunkers with short irons, for a 1-handicap player, ~10 minutes at Pitch & Putt

Driving RangeAll teesProgram HCP 0.53 drills

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

0 to 10

Average HCP

0.5

Duration (single session)

1 hr 33 min

or

1 drill/day: 3 days · 31 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Scoring28%
Dispersion23%
Accuracy20%
Distance Control15%
Aim13%

Overview

Program Structure

Can you avoid the bunker from 100-140 yards?. Hit greens with short irons and stick to short iron line. Focus on Scoring, Dispersion, Accuracy. For a 1-handicap player, in ~10 minutes.

Skill

Accuracy

Club

Short irons (9,8)

What you will improve

  • Scoring
  • Dispersion
  • Accuracy
  • Distance Control

Program details

Sessions
3 focused drills
Recommended
2–3 sessions / week
Total duration
1 hr 33 min
or
1 drill per day
3 days · 31 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

Short irons (9,8) | Birdie-Par-Bogey Radius

Driving Range

Use short irons only to land the ball inside the radius. Hit one bucket of ~50 balls. Keep the score relative to PAR.

31 minFocus: Driving Range
Diagram for Short irons (9,8) | Birdie-Par-Bogey Radius
1

Pick one flag or target for short irons (9 or 8 iron) on the driving range.

2

Mark a 4-yard circle (birdie zone) and a 7-yard circle (par zone) around the flag with cones or markers.

3

Hit 36 shots using only a 9 or 8 iron.

4

For 12 shots, aim for the inner 4-yard zone. For 12 shots, aim for the outer 7-yard zone but outside the inner circle. For 12 shots, aim anywhere in both zones trying to be consistent.

5

Use the same ball setup each shot. Only change the zone you’re aiming for.

6

Count a shot as successful if it lands and stays in the correct zone for that set.

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3331292520161285
02

Short irons (9,8) | L-R and R-L 9 Targets

Driving Range

Hit 5 balls to each randomly selected target while producing left-to-right and right-to-left shots, using short irons only. Hit one bucket of ~50 balls.

31 minFocus: Driving Range
Diagram for Short irons (9,8) | L-R and R-L  9 Targets
1

Set up 9 targets around the flag on the green using cones, buckets, or markers. Space them evenly around the flag, about 5% of the total distance from your hitting spot to the flag.

2

Prepare 36 balls. Hit 4 shots at each target – 2 curving left-to-right and 2 curving right-to-left.

3

Use your 8- and 9-irons for all shots. Keep your setup and ball position the same.

4

Start at any target and hit 2 left-to-right and 2 right-to-left shots, trying to land the ball between the two markers at that target.

5

Move to the next target and repeat until all 9 targets have 4 shots.

6

Count each ball that stops between the two markers at a target as a success.

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302826221713964
03

Short irons (9,8) | PAR 3 Challenge

Driving Range

Complete the PAR 3 Challenge using short irons only. Hit one bucket of ~50 balls.

31 minFocus: Driving Range
Diagram for Short irons (9,8) | PAR 3 Challenge
1

Set up 3 flags or targets at different short iron distances; each flag is a 'hole'.

2

Mark two zones around each flag: inner zone (within 4 yards/meters) and an outer zone (within 8 yards/meters).

3

Hit 36 shots total: 12 shots at each flag.

4

Use only 8 or 9 iron. Try to hit each shot as close as possible to the flag, first aiming for the inner zone, then for the outer zone.

5

For each shot: 1 point if the ball lands in the inner zone, 0.5 points if in the outer zone, 0 points if outside both zones.

6

After 12 shots at one flag, move to the next and repeat for all flags.

7

Add the points from all shots for a score out of 36 and enter this score 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.

Can you avoid the bunker from 100-140 yards? | Pitch & Putt