Course Program

Keep Ball Close To Hole

Use a short swing, for a 35-handicap player, ~30 minutes at Bear/Heron/Eastman/Fox

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 356 drills80% 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

Aim25%
Distance Control23%
Scoring15%
Alignment13%
Dispersion11%
Precision7%
Accuracy4%
Trajectory3%

Overview

Program Structure

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

Shot

Bump'n'Run

What you will improve

  • Aim
  • Distance Control
  • Scoring
  • Alignment

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

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 | Deep Rough and Other | Uphill/Downhill

Short Game

Hit bump-n-run shot two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sloped deep rough and other extreme grass types; one bucket from the uphill slope and one bucket from the downhill slope.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Deep Rough and Other | Uphill/Downhill
1

Prepare 36 balls in two sets of

2

Pick one uphill spot, 5-20 yards from the hole, for 18 tries.

3

Make three target zones on the green around the hole: left, center, right.

4

Hit 6 balls at each target zone in order: left, center, right.

5

Move to a downhill spot, 5-20 yards from the hole, and do the same.

6

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

7

After 36 tries (18 uphill, 18 downhill), add up your successful shots and enter your score in the app, out of 36.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262318141063
03

Bump-n-Run | Parallel 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 at the end wins the challenge. One bucket of balls per player is needed.

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

Set up 10 piles of balls in two lines 3 yards/meters apart. Each line has 5 piles spaced 4 yards/meters apart.

2

Put the piles between 1 and 10 yards/meters from the green and 5 to 30 yards/meters from the hole.

3

Pick 3 targets on the green, spaced evenly apart.

4

Split 36 shots into 3 sets of

5

Aim first 12 shots at the left target.

6

Aim next 12 shots at the center target.

7

Aim last 12 shots at the right target.

8

Do not move the ball setup, only change the target.

9

Count how many balls land closest or in the scoring area for the right target, and enter your score out of 36.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262217131074
04

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
05

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
06

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

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 hit-and-land bump-n-run shots inside landing zones. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Piles | 3 Landing Zones
1

Set up 10 piles of balls with 4 balls in each pile.

2

Make 3 landing zones on the green, 6 feet apart in a straight line.

3

Hit 36 shots, with 12 shots at each landing zone.

4

Start from any pile and try to land 12 balls in the first landing zone.

5

After 12 shots, aim 12 shots at the second zone, then 12 at the third zone.

6

Count each ball that stays in the correct zone as a success.

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262318141074

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 | Bear/Heron/Eastman/Fox