Course Program

Keep Ball Close To Hole

Focus on clean contact, for a 35-handicap player, ~30 minutes at Clayton (Alternate Tees)

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 359 drills

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

25 to 45

Average HCP

35

Duration (single session)

3 hr 54 min

or

1 drill/day: 9 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Distance Control32%
Scoring24%
Accuracy11%
Dispersion10%
Alignment7%
Aim7%
Precision6%
Trajectory3%

Overview

Program Structure

Keep Ball Close To Hole. Roll the ball low and straight and use a short swing. Focus on Distance Control, Scoring, Accuracy. For a 35-handicap player, in ~30 minutes.

Shot

Bump'n'Run

What you will improve

  • Distance Control
  • Scoring
  • Accuracy
  • Dispersion

Program details

Sessions
9 focused drills
Recommended
2–3 sessions / week
Total duration
3 hr 54 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

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
02

Bump-n-Run | Scattered 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 | Scattered Piles | Bullseye 2x
1

Put 36 balls into 6 piles of 6 balls each around the chipping area, between 1 and 10 yards from the green, and 5 to 30 yards from the hole.

2

On the green, make two rings around the hole with string or tees: a small ring with a 6-foot radius and a bigger ring with a 15-foot radius.

3

Split your shots into two groups of

4

For the first 18 shots, try to land the ball inside the small ring (6-foot radius).

5

For the next 18 shots, try to land the ball inside the big ring but outside the small ring.

6

Hit one ball at a time from any pile. Do 18 shots for the first target, then do 18 shots for the second target.

7

Count every ball that stops inside the target ring as a success.

8

After all 36 shots, add up how many landed in the right rings and enter your score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129272318141063
03

Bump-n-Run | Scattered Piles | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a bump-n-run shot closest to the multiple target(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 | Multiple Targets
1

Put 36 balls in 6 piles, each pile has 6 balls. Scatter them around chipping area between 1 to 10 yards from green and 5 to 30 yards from hole.

2

Place 3 targets in a line at the edge of the green, spaced 6 feet apart.

3

Split the 36 shots into 3 groups of 12 shots.

4

Hit first 12 balls as bump-and-run, try to stop them in the first target zone.

5

Hit next 12 balls at the second target zone, try to stop them there.

6

Hit the last 12 balls at the third target zone, try to stop them there.

7

Pick any pile before each group and keep setup simple for every shot.

8

Count balls in the right target zone. Each one is a point. Enter score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141074
04

Bump-n-Run | Parallel Piles | Quadrants

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 quadrants. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Parallel Piles | Quadrants
1

Take 40 balls and make 10 piles with 4 balls each. Put the piles into 2 lines of 5 piles, spaced 5 to 10 yards/meters apart.

2

Place the piles on grass, each 1 to 10 yards/meters from the green and 5 to 30 yards/meters from the hole.

3

On the green, use string or tees to make a circle about 6 feet (2 meters) wide. Mark 4 equal parts in the circle.

4

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots. Make 9 shots for each of the 4 circle parts.

5

Start from any pile, aiming for the first circle part. After 9 shots, go to the second part, then the third, then the fourth.

6

Change piles as wanted to practice from different spots, but keep piles the same.

7

Count a shot as success if it stops in the right part of the circle.

8

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score312926221713963
05

Bump-n-Run | Parallel Ball Lines | 9 Stop Zones

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls next to the green (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 2 parallel lines 20 balls per line and stop bump-n-run shots inside 9 Stop Zones. Count the number of successful stops.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Parallel Ball Lines | 9 Stop Zones
1

Place two parallel lines of balls beside the green. Each line has 18 balls spaced 1 foot apart. The lines are 5 to 10 yards apart.

2

On the green, mark 9 stop zones using tees, string, or buckets. Arrange the zones in 3 rows of 3, spaced evenly.

3

Hit 36 bump-n-run shots. Divide them into 9 groups of 4 shots.

4

Hit 4 shots from one ball line toward Stop Zone

1

Try to stop each ball in that zone.

5

Switch to the other ball line and hit 4 shots toward Stop Zone

6

Keep switching ball lines and hit 4 shots at each stop zone in order (Zone 1 to Zone 9).

7

Count every ball that stops in the right stop zone as a success.

8

Add total successful stops and enter the score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285
06

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
07

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
08

Bump-n-Run | Parallel Ball Lines | 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. Up to 80 balls are needed.

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

Set up 4 lines of 9 balls each, with balls 1 foot apart.

2

Place the lines on grass, 1 to 10 yards from the green, 5 yards between lines.

3

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

4

Hit 36 shots, in two groups of 18 shots.

5

For the first 18 shots, aim for the small circle. For the next 18 shots, aim for the big circle.

6

Hit balls in order from any line, switch lines as wanted.

7

Count each ball that stops in the right circle as a success.

8

After 36 shots, count how many hit their target circles and enter your score in the app out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3331282520161285
09

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

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 inside Bullseye. Count the number of balls in the inner and outer Bullseye.

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

Make 10 piles of 4 balls (40 balls) in two lines, crossing each other near the green, 1 to 10 yards from the green and 5 to 30 yards from the hole. Keep piles 2 yards apart, lines 5 to 10 yards apart.

2

On the green, use string or tees to mark two circles around the hole: one with a 6-foot radius (inner), the other with a 15-foot radius (outer).

3

Use only 36 balls (9 piles of 4) for this test.

4

Split the 36 shots into two groups of

5

For the first 18 shots, try to land the ball inside the small circle.

6

For the next 18 shots, try to land the ball inside the big circle but outside the small circle.

7

Play bump-and-run shots by hitting from different piles, one after the other, keeping the same setup and order.

8

Count as a success if the ball stops in the correct circle. If not, it is a miss.

9

Count how many balls finished where they should in both circles. Enter your score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

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.