Thread the needle, for a 29-handicap player, ~20 minutes at Forest Hill Field Club
Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 29.29 drills76% match to course practice profile
Program Snapshot
Handicap range
10 to 45
Average HCP
29.2
Duration (single session)
3 hr 54 min
or
1 drill/day: 9 days · 26 min/day
Ideal tee
All
Skill Distribution
Precision30%
Aim21%
Distance Control15%
Alignment12%
Scoring9%
Dispersion5%
Accuracy5%
Trajectory3%
Overview
Program Structure
Thread Needle: Narrow Landing Zone. Pinpoint mixed shots and thread the needle. Focus on Precision, Aim, Distance Control, Alignment, Scoring, Dispersion, Accuracy, Trajectory. For a 29-handicap player, in ~20 minutes.
Skill
Precision
Shot
Chip
What you will improve
Precision
Aim
Distance Control
Alignment
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.
Up to 5 players compete to stop a chip 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
1
Set up three landing zones on the green in a line, 6 feet apart.
2
Make three piles of 12 balls each at the edge of the green.
3
Use the first pile to chip balls into the first landing zone, 12 shots.
4
Use the second pile to chip balls into the second landing zone, 12 shots.
5
Use the third pile to chip balls into the third landing zone, 12 shots. Count how many balls land and stay in each zone.
6
After all 36 shots, enter the number of successes out of 36 in the app.
Scoring benchmarks
Repetitions36
Handicap
+9
+5
+1
5
12
19
27
36
54
Score
30
28
25
22
18
14
10
7
4
02
Chip | 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 chip shots close to multiple targets. Count the number of successes.
26 minFocus: Short Game
1
Put 36 balls into 6 piles of 6 balls on the grass, between 5 and 30 yards from the hole.
2
Place 3 flags or targets on the green, 6 feet apart in a line.
3
Split the 36 balls into 3 groups of 12 shots.
4
Hit the first 12 balls to the first flag and try to stop each ball within 10 feet of it.
5
Hit the next 12 balls to the second flag, trying to stop them within 10 feet.
6
Hit the last 12 balls to the third flag, again aiming to stop within 10 feet.
7
Switch which pile you use each time to practice different distances and grass.
8
Count every ball that stops within 10 feet of its flag as a successful shot.
9
Add up successful shots out of 36 and enter score in the app.
Scoring benchmarks
Repetitions36
Handicap
+9
+5
+1
5
12
19
27
36
54
Score
30
28
24
20
16
12
9
6
4
03
Chip | Perpendicular Piles | Multiple Targets
Short Game
Align a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 10 equal perpendicular piles of 4 balls and stop chip shots close to multiple targets. Count the number of successes.
26 minFocus: Short Game
1
Make 10 piles of 4 balls each from 40 balls. Arrange the piles in 2 lines with 5 piles in each line. Lines cross each other.
2
Put the piles on grass 5 to 30 yards/meters from the hole. Space lines 5 to 10 yards/meters apart and piles 2 yards/meters apart.
3
On the green, put 3 targets in a line, about 8 feet apart. Call them Target A, Target B, and Target C.
4
Hit 36 chip shots, 12 to each target.
5
Hit 12 shots at Target A, then 12 at Target B, then 12 at Target C. Use any pile for any shot.
6
Count a shot as a success if it stops within 10 feet of the target.
7
After all 36 shots, add how many were successful and enter the score in the app, out of 36 attempts.
Scoring benchmarks
Repetitions36
Handicap
+9
+5
+1
5
12
19
27
36
54
Score
30
28
25
20
16
12
9
6
3
04
Chip | Parallel Piles | 9 Stop Zones
Short Game
Align a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 10 equal parallel piles of 4 balls and stop chip shots inside 9 Stop Zones. Count the number of successful stops.
26 minFocus: Short Game
1
Set up 10 piles of 4 balls each in two rows (5 piles per row), spaced 2 yards/meters apart. Put the rows 5 to 10 yards/meters apart and place the piles 5 to 30 yards/meters from the hole.
2
Mark 9 stop zones on the green using buckets, string, or tees. Space them out so each zone is different.
3
Prepare to hit 36 chip shots, divided into 9 groups of 4 shots. Each group targets a different stop zone.
4
From any pile, hit 4 shots at the first stop zone. Move to the next stop zone and hit 4 shots at it. Keep going until you’ve aimed 4 shots at each of the 9 zones.
5
Count every ball that stops inside the right zone as a success.
6
When done, count up all successful stops out of 36 attempts and enter the score in the app.
Scoring benchmarks
Repetitions36
Handicap
+9
+5
+1
5
12
19
27
36
54
Score
32
30
28
25
20
16
12
8
5
05
Chip | Parallel Piles | Quadrants
Short Game
Align a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 10 equal parallel piles of 4 balls and stop chip shots inside quadrants. Count the number of successes.
26 minFocus: Short Game
1
Put 40 balls into 10 piles with 4 balls in each pile. Arrange in two lines, 5 piles per line.
2
Space piles 2 yards or meters apart side to side. Space the two lines 5 to 10 yards or meters apart front to back.
3
Mark 4 sections (quadrants) in a circle of 6 feet or 2 meters radius around the hole on the green using string or tees.
4
Hit 36 chip shots total, 9 shots into each quadrant.
5
Start at any pile and chip balls to land in the first quadrant. After 9 shots, switch to the next quadrant.
6
Switch piles after each shot for variety, but always keep the same chipping setup and distance.
7
Count each ball that stops inside the correct quadrant as a success.
8
After all 36 shots, enter number of successful shots made out of 36 attempts.
Scoring benchmarks
Repetitions36
Handicap
+9
+5
+1
5
12
19
27
36
54
Score
28
26
23
19
15
12
9
6
3
06
Chip | Parallel Piles | Bullseye 2x
Short Game
Align a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 10 equal parallel piles of 4 balls and stop chip shots inside the Bullseye. Count the number of balls in the inner and outer Bullseye.
26 minFocus: Short Game
1
Set up 10 piles of 4 balls each in two rows. Each row has 5 piles.
2
Keep piles about 2 meters apart, rows 5–10 meters apart.
3
Place piles 5–30 meters from the hole, not on the green.
4
Mark two circles around the hole on the green: a small one (2 meters out) and a big one (5 meters out).
5
Take turns hitting balls from different piles, trying to stop balls in the circles.
6
Hit 36 balls total: 18 try for the small circle, 18 for the big circle.
7
Count how many balls finished in each circle.
8
Add these for a score and enter your total out of 36 tries.
Scoring benchmarks
Repetitions36
Handicap
+9
+5
+1
5
12
19
27
36
54
Score
28
26
23
20
16
12
8
5
3
07
Chip | Parallel Piles | Multiple Targets
Short Game
Up to 5 players compete to stop a chip 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
1
Set up 10 piles of balls in two lines of 5 piles, 6 yards/meters between lines, 4 yards/meters between piles.
2
Put the piles on grass, not on the green, between 5 and 30 yards/meters from the hole.
3
Mark 3 clear target zones around the hole, spaced evenly.
4
Hit 36 chip shots: 12 to Target Zone 1, 12 to Target Zone 2, and 12 to Target Zone
5
Always chip from the piles; for each set of 12 shots, pick any piles but only aim at the assigned zone.
6
After each shot, check if the ball stops inside the right target zone; count as success if it does.
7
Finish all 36 shots, then count total successes inside the right zones out of 36 attempts and enter this score in the app.
Scoring benchmarks
Repetitions36
Handicap
+9
+5
+1
5
12
19
27
36
54
Score
31
29
26
22
18
14
10
7
4
08
Chip | Perpendicular Ball Lines | Bullseye 2x
Short Game
Align a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 2 perpendicular lines 20 balls per line and stop chip shots inside the Bullseye. Count the number of balls in the inner and outer Bullseye.
26 minFocus: Short Game
1
Arrange 36 balls in 2 lines of 18 each to form an L shape.
2
Keep each ball 1 foot apart in each line. Keep 5-10 yards between the two lines.
3
Place two circles around the hole on the green: one with a 6-foot radius, and one with a 15-foot radius.
4
From 5–30 yards away, chip 18 balls from the first line, aiming for the circles.
5
Chip the other 18 balls from the second line, aiming for the circles.
6
Alternate hitting 3 to 5 shots between the two lines.
7
Shots inside the small circle = full success. Shots inside the big circle only = partial success.
8
Count how many balls stopped in each circle and get your score. Enter your total successful shots out of 36 attempts.
Scoring benchmarks
Repetitions36
Handicap
+9
+5
+1
5
12
19
27
36
54
Score
28
26
24
20
16
12
9
6
3
09
Chip | Perpendicular Piles | 3 Landing Zones
Short Game
Up to 5 players compete to stop a chip 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
1
Put 10 piles of balls in two straight lines that cross. Each pile has 3 or 4 balls. Keep each pile between 5 and 30 yards from the hole.
2
Mark 3 landing zones on the green in a row. Make them 6 feet apart using sticks or string.
3
Hit 36 chip shots total. Aim for each landing zone 12 times.
4
Pick any pile to start. Hit 12 chips to the first zone, then 12 to the second zone, then 12 to the third zone.
5
Count how many balls land and stop inside the target zone for each shot.
6
Add up the number of successful shots and enter your score in the app, out of 36 attempts.
Scoring benchmarks
Repetitions36
Handicap
+9
+5
+1
5
12
19
27
36
54
Score
31
29
26
22
17
13
9
6
3
Next Step
Ready to start this program?
Start the drills at your own pace or work with a resident professional on this course.