Course Program

Up-and-Down Contest

Turn into birdies, for a 27-handicap player, ~20 minutes at Forest Hills Golf Club

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 27.19 drills64% match to course practice profile

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

9 to 45

Average HCP

27.1

Duration (single session)

3 hr 54 min

or

1 drill/day: 9 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Scoring34%
Aim19%
Alignment16%
Accuracy12%
Distance Control7%
Dispersion7%
Visualization3%
Precision2%

Overview

Program Structure

Up-and-Down Contest. Turn into birdies and up-and-down contest. Focus on Scoring, Aim, Alignment, Accuracy, Distance Control, Dispersion, Visualization, Precision. For a 27-handicap player, in ~20 minutes.

Skill

Scoring

Shot

Chip

What you will improve

  • Scoring
  • Aim
  • Alignment
  • Accuracy

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

Chip | Scattered Piles | Bullseye 2x

Short Game

Scatter a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 8 equal piles of 5 balls and stop chip shots inside the Bullseye. Count the number of balls in the inner and outer Bullseye.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Chip | Scattered Piles | Bullseye 2x
1

Scatter 36 balls into 8 piles of about 4 or 5 balls each on grass between 5 and 30 yards or meters from the hole.

2

Mark two circles on the green around the hole: a small one with a 6-foot (2-meter) radius and a bigger one with a 15-foot (5-meter) radius.

3

Hit 36 chip shots, split into two groups of

4

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

5

For the last 18 shots, try to land the ball inside the area between the small and big circle (6- to 15-foot radius).

6

Take turns hitting shots from different piles for variety.

7

Count how many balls stop in the right circle for each group.

8

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825211612852
02

Chip | Rough | Above/Below Feet

Short Game

Hit two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sloped rough grass; one bucket with balls above feet level, one bucket with balls below feet level.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Chip | Rough | Above/Below Feet
1

Gather 36 balls and split into 2 groups of 18 balls.

2

Pick one target (pin) on the green.

3

For the first 18 shots, place the ball above your feet in the rough 5–20 yards from the hole.

4

Chip all 18 balls, trying to get close to the target.

5

Move to the other slope so the ball is below your feet, same distance.

6

Chip the last 18 balls at the target.

7

Count each shot that stops within 3 feet of the hole as a success.

8

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262218141063
03

Chip | Scattered Piles | Quadrants

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a chip 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 Chip | Scattered Piles | Quadrants
1

Mark 4 areas on the green with string or tees. Each area should be a circle about 6 feet wide.

2

Put 36 balls into 4 piles of 9 balls. Place the piles between 5 and 30 yards from the hole.

3

Hit 9 balls from each pile. Aim every group of 9 at a different circle.

4

Try to land each ball into the correct circle. Move to the next pile and repeat until all 36 balls are hit.

5

Count the balls that stop inside the correct circle.

6

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141174
04

Chip | 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 chip shots inside 9 Stop Zones. Count the number of successful stops.

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

Make 8 piles with 5 balls in each pile. Put them on grass, 5 to 30 yards from the hole.

2

Use tees, string, or markers to make 9 zones on the green in a simple pattern.

3

Take 36 chip shots in total.

4

Aim 4 balls at each of the 9 zones.

5

Hit each shot from a different pile and aim at the next zone.

6

Try to stop each ball in the right zone.

7

Count one success for each ball that stops in the correct zone.

8

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028252218141074
05

Chip | 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 Chip | Fairway | Uphill/Downhill
1

Set up two target zones on the green: one uphill, one downhill, about 10 feet apart.

2

Hit 18 chip shots from the uphill slope at the uphill target zone.

3

Hit 18 chip shots from the downhill slope at the downhill target zone.

4

Keep ball setup the same for all shots. Only change your target for the slope.

5

Count shots that stop inside or within 3 feet of the target zone as a success.

6

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129272318141063
06

Chip | 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 Chip | Deep Rough and Other | Flat
1

Find a flat spot in deep rough or thick grass, 5 to 30 yards from the hole.

2

Place three targets on the green in a line, about 4 feet apart.

3

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

4

For the first 12 shots, aim for Target

5

For the next 12 shots, aim for Target

6

For the last 12 shots, aim for Target

7

Use the same setup for every shot.

8

Count a success if the ball stops within 2 feet of the target.

9

Add up how many successes were made out of 36 and enter the score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262218141063
07

Chip | 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 Chip | Deep Rough and Other | Flat
1

Place 3 piles of 12 balls each in deep rough or thick grass between 5 and 30 yards from the hole.

2

Mark 3 target zones on the green, each zone spaced 6 feet apart, in a straight line from your spot.

3

Hit 36 chip shots in total, in 3 sets of 12 shots.

4

For the first 12 shots, aim for Target Zone

1

Then aim for Target Zone 2 for the next 12 shots.

5

Aim for Target Zone 3 for the last 12 shots. Enter number of successes in the app, out of 36 attempts.

6

Alternate between the 3 piles for your shots, keeping the balls in deep rough or thick grass.

7

Count each shot that stops inside the target zone as a success.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score292724201612964
08

Chip | Deep Rough and Other | Uphill/Downhill

Short Game

Hit 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 Chip | Deep Rough and Other | Uphill/Downhill
1

Divide 36 golf balls into 6 piles of 6 balls each.

2

Set up 3 target areas around the hole: left, center, and right, about 4 feet apart.

3

Place 3 piles on the uphill side and 3 piles on the downhill side, between 5 and 30 yards away.

4

Hit 12 balls toward each target area: 12 for left, 12 for center, 12 for right.

5

Switch between piles on the same slope, but finish all shots for one target before moving to the next.

6

Count balls that land and stay in the target area as successful.

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028252218141074
09

Chip | Parallel Ball Lines | Quadrants

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 2 parallel lines 20 balls per line and stop chip shots inside quadrants. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Chip | Parallel Ball Lines | Quadrants
1

Arrange 36 balls in 2 lines of 18 balls each. Keep the lines 5 to 10 yards apart. Place balls 1 foot apart.

2

Mark a 6-foot circle around the hole. Divide the circle into 4 sections using markers.

3

Split the 36 chips into 4 sets of 9 shots.

4

From the first line, hit 9 chips at Quadrant

1

From the second line, hit 9 chips at Quadrant

5

From the first line, hit 9 chips at Quadrant

3

From the second line, hit 9 chips at Quadrant

6

Count each ball that stops in the correct quadrant.

7

Add up all successful shots and enter your score, out of 36, in the app.

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.

Up-and-Down Contest | Forest Hills Golf Club