Course Program

Up-and-down contest: how many can you save in a row?

Save par clutch, for a 20-handicap player, ~15 minutes at Crystal River

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 19.78 drills

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

4 to 45

Average HCP

19.7

Duration (single session)

3 hr 28 min

or

1 drill/day: 8 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Scoring40%
Accuracy16%
Distance Control10%
Aim10%
Precision7%
Alignment7%
Visualization6%
Dispersion4%

Overview

Program Structure

Up-and-down contest: how many can you save in a row?. Save par clutch and up-and-down contest. Focus on Scoring, Accuracy, Distance Control. For a 20-handicap player, in ~15 minutes.

Skill

Scoring

Shot

Pitch

What you will improve

  • Scoring
  • Accuracy
  • Distance Control
  • Aim

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

Pitch | Fairway | Uphill/Downhill

Short Game

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

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Fairway | Uphill/Downhill
1

Split 36 shots into two groups of 18 shots: one group for uphill, one group for downhill, both on the fairway.

2

Mark three target zones on the green at 30, 45, and 60 yards from the hole.

3

For each slope, hit 6 shots at each zone (6 at 30 yards, 6 at 45 yards, 6 at 60 yards).

4

Do not change the ball setup during the drill.

5

Finish all 18 shots on the uphill slope first, then do all 18 shots on the downhill slope.

6

A shot counts only if it lands and stops inside the zone you aimed for.

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262318141074
02

Pitch | Scattered Piles | 9 Stop Zones

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a pitch shot in the stop 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 Pitch | Scattered Piles | 9 Stop Zones
1

Make 2 piles of balls in 2 different spots, between 30 and 60 yards from the hole.

2

On the green, mark 9 stop zones using buckets, string, or tees.

3

Hit 36 pitch shots. Make 9 groups of 4 shots.

4

Each group of 4 aims for a different stop zone, so you use all 9 zones.

5

Take shots from both piles, switching between them as you aim for different zones.

6

If a shot stops inside the zone you aimed for, count it as a success.

7

Add how many shots stopped in the zones out of 36 attempts and enter your score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285
03

Pitch| Scattered Piles | 9 Stop Zones

Short Game

Scatter a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 8 equal piles of 5 balls and stop pitch shots inside 9 Stop Zones. Count the number of successful stops.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch| Scattered Piles | 9 Stop Zones
1

Separate 36 balls into 9 piles of 4 balls. Put them between 30 and 60 yards/meters from the hole.

2

Mark 9 stop zones on the green with tees, string, or markers. Make sure they are spaced out and about the same size.

3

Hit 36 pitch shots total, with 4 balls aimed at each zone.

4

Start at any pile and aim for the first zone. After 4 shots, aim for the next zone.

5

Keep hitting from different piles until you have aimed 4 shots at each of the 9 zones (36 shots total).

6

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

7

Enter the number of successes in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score292724201612853
04

Pitch| Scattered Piles | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Scatter a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 8 equal piles of 5 balls and stop pitch shots close to multiple targets. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch| Scattered Piles | Multiple Targets
1

Put 36 balls into 6 piles with 6 balls in each pile between 30 and 60 yards from the hole.

2

Place 3 flags on the green far apart and label them A, B, and C.

3

Hit 36 pitch shots, in 3 sets of 12 shots.

4

Hit 12 balls so they stop within 10 feet of flag A.

5

Hit 12 balls so they stop within 10 feet of flag B. Use any pile.

6

Hit 12 balls so they stop within 10 feet of flag C.

7

Hit from any pile and change piles or targets as needed.

8

Count each shot that stops within 10 feet of the target as a success.

9

Count the total successful shots and enter the score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825201612963
05

Pitch | 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 Pitch | Rough | Uphill/Downhill
1

Make 4 piles of 9 balls each, with 2 piles uphill and 2 piles downhill, all 25–40 yards from the hole in the rough.

2

Mark 3 target zones on the green: Zone A (6 feet left), Zone B (6 feet behind), Zone C (6 feet right) of the hole.

3

Hit 36 total shots: 18 from uphill piles, 18 from downhill piles.

4

For each slope (uphill and downhill), split 18 shots into 3 groups of

5

Aim 6 shots at each zone (A, B, C) from the two piles on the same slope.

6

Alternate shots between the two piles on the same slope.

7

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

8

Add up total successes out of 36 tries and enter score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825201512853
06

Pitch | Scattered Ball Lines | Quadrants

Short Game

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

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Scattered Ball Lines | Quadrants
1

Scatter 40 balls in 8 lines of 5 balls each, spaced 1 yard/meter apart, between 30 and 60 yards/meters from the hole.

2

Divide a 15-foot (5-meter) circle around the hole into 4 equal quadrants using string or tees.

3

Hit 36 pitch shots, in 8 groups of 5 balls each, aiming at a specific quadrant for each group.

4

For each group of 5 shots, pick one quadrant as the target and try to stop all 5 balls inside it.

5

Change target quadrant after every group, using all 4 quadrants at least once. The last group can target any quadrant.

6

Count every ball that stops in the chosen quadrant as a success.

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262218141074
07

Pitch | 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 Pitch | Deep Rough and Other | Flat
1

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

2

Place 3 piles of 12 golf balls each, 30 to 60 yards away in deep rough.

3

From the first pile, hit 12 shots at the first target.

4

From the second pile, hit 12 shots at the second target.

5

From the third pile, hit 12 shots at the third target.

6

Use the same setup for all shots.

7

Count each ball that lands in the target as a success.

8

After 36 shots, enter your number of successes in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score282623191512853
08

Pitch | Rough | Flat

Short Game

Hit two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the flat rough grass.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Rough | Flat
1

Set up 3 targets on the green, 6 feet apart in a straight line. These are Target A (closest), Target B (middle), and Target C (farthest).

2

From rough ground 30 to 60 yards away, place the ball and get ready to pitch at the targets.

3

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

4

Aim the first 12 shots at Target A, trying to land and stop the ball inside that area.

5

Aim the next 12 shots at Target B, trying to land and stop the ball inside that area.

6

Aim the last 12 shots at Target C, trying to land and stop the ball inside that area.

7

Keep everything else the same each time, only change which target you aim at.

8

Count a shot as a success if the ball lands and stops inside the correct target area.

9

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825211612963

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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