Course Program

Keep Ball Close To Hole

Focus on clean contact, for a 35-handicap player, ~30 minutes at Cottonwood Golf Club

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 358 drills82% match to course practice profile

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

25 to 45

Average HCP

35

Duration (single session)

3 hr 28 min

or

1 drill/day: 8 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Scoring23%
Distance Control21%
Aim19%
Alignment12%
Accuracy9%
Dispersion7%
Trajectory6%
Precision4%

Overview

Program Structure

Keep Ball Close To Hole. Focus on clean contact and use a short swing. Focus on Scoring, Distance Control, Aim. For a 35-handicap player, in ~30 minutes.

Shot

Bump'n'Run

What you will improve

  • Scoring
  • Distance Control
  • Aim
  • Alignment

Program details

Sessions
8 focused drills
Recommended
2–3 sessions / week
Total duration
3 hr 28 min
or
1 drill per day
8 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 | Scattered Ball Lines | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Scatter a bucket of balls next to the green (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 8 equal lines of 5 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 | Scattered Ball Lines | Multiple Targets
1

Scatter 36 balls into 6 lines of 6 balls each on grass near the green. Put each line 1 to 10 yards or meters from the green and 5 to 30 yards or meters from the hole.

2

At the edge of the green, set up 3 targets spaced about 6 feet (2 meters) apart in a straight line. Name them Target 1, Target 2, and Target

3

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots. Aim 12 shots at Target 1, 12 at Target 2, and 12 at Target

4

From each line, hit all 6 balls at the chosen target for that group of 12 shots. Switch targets after every 12 shots.

5

A shot is a success if the ball stops within 10 feet (3 meters) of the target.

6

Record how many shots land inside the 10-foot zone, out of 36 attempts, and enter the score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score312926221713963
02

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
03

Bump-n-Run | Parallel Piles | Multiple Targets

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 close to multiple targets. Count the number of successes.

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

Set up 10 piles of 4 balls each (40 balls) in two lines next to the green. Keep piles about 2 yards apart and lines 5 to 10 yards apart.

2

Place three flags on the green for landing zones.

3

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots, 12 for each target flag.

4

Hit shots from the first line, aiming for the first target. Alternate piles.

5

After 12 shots, switch to the second target and use the second line for the next 12 shots.

6

Hit the last 12 shots at the third target (use any line or alternate piles). After all shots are done, count balls within 10 feet of the target as successful and enter your number of successes out of 36 in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285
04

Bump-n-Run | Fairway | Above/Below Feet

Short Game

Hit bump-n-run shot two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sloped fairway; one bucket with balls above feet level, one bucket with balls below feet level.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Fairway | Above/Below Feet
1

Gather 36 balls and split them into 2 groups of

2

Stand on a slope where the ball is above your feet for the first 18 shots.

3

Choose one target on the green to aim at.

4

Hit 18 bump-and-run shots, trying to get close to the target from this lie.

5

Move to a slope where the ball is below your feet for the next 18 shots.

6

Hit 18 bump-and-run shots at the same target from this lie.

7

Count how many balls stop close to the pin. Record that number as your score out of 36 in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262218141063
05

Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Piles | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a bump-n-run 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 Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Piles | 3 Landing Zones
1

Set up 10 piles of balls in 2 lines that cross each other, 5 piles in each line. Space the piles about 3 yards or meters apart.

2

Place the piles so they are 1 to 10 yards or meters from the green and 5 to 30 yards or meters from the hole, on any grass.

3

On the green, make 3 landing zones side by side, each about 6 feet or 2 meters apart, using sticks, clubs, or string.

4

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots total. Aim 12 shots at each landing zone.

5

Pick a pile. Hit balls at the first landing zone until you do 12 shots.

6

Aim at the second landing zone for 12 shots from any piles.

7

Aim at the third landing zone for the last 12 shots.

8

Count how many shots land and stop in the right zone.

9

When all 36 shots are done, record the number of good shots out of 36 in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score312926221713963
06

Bump-n-Run | Scattered Piles | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Scatter a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) next to the green. Scatter into 8 equal piles of 5 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 | Scattered Piles | Multiple Targets
1

Scatter 40 balls into 8 piles of 5 balls each, between 1 and 10 yards from the green and 5 to 30 yards from the hole.

2

Mark 3 targets on the green, about 6 feet apart in a line.

3

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots.

4

Aim 12 shots at each of the 3 targets.

5

Hit 12 shots at the first target, then 12 at the second, then 12 at the third.

6

Count shots that stop inside 10 feet of the target as successful.

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285
07

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
08

Bump-n-Run | Deep Rough and Other | Flat

Short Game

Hit bump-n-run shot 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 Bump-n-Run | Deep Rough and Other | Flat
1

Set up 3 targets on the green in a straight line, about 6 feet apart.

2

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots, 12 to each target.

3

Place the ball in thick grass, 5 to 20 yards from the hole, and keep setup the same for every shot.

4

Hit 12 shots at Target

5

Hit 12 shots at Target

6

Hit 12 shots at Target

7

Count a successful shot if it stops within 3 feet of the target.

8

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028252218141074

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 | Cottonwood Golf Club