Course Program

Open up and let it fly: alignment for flop shots

Open up and fly, for a 26-handicap player, ~20 minutes at Eagle Blau

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 25.96 drills

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

8 to 45

Average HCP

25.9

Duration (single session)

2 hr 36 min

or

1 drill/day: 6 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Alignment28%
Distance Control21%
Accuracy17%
Scoring15%
Precision10%
Aim5%
Dispersion4%

Overview

Program Structure

Open up and let it fly: alignment for flop shots. Check clubface and set up for high shot. Focus on Alignment, Distance Control, Accuracy. For a 26-handicap player, in ~20 minutes.

Skill

Alignment

Shot

Flop

What you will improve

  • Alignment
  • Distance Control
  • Accuracy
  • Scoring

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

Flop | Perpendicular Ball Lines | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 2 perpendicular lines 20 balls per line and stop flop shots close to multiple targets. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Flop | Perpendicular Ball Lines | Multiple Targets
1

Set up two lines of 18 balls each. The lines should cross at a right angle. Each ball is 1 foot apart.

2

Put two targets on the green, 5 to 10 yards apart. The targets are set 5 to 20 yards away from the ball lines.

3

Hit 36 flop shots: 18 shots from the first line, 18 shots from the second line.

4

For each line, split the 18 shots into 3 groups of 6 balls.

5

For each set of 6 balls, aim at one target. Try to land the ball within 10 feet of the target.

6

Take turns aiming each set at a different target.

7

Count each ball that lands within 10 feet of the target as a success.

8

After all 36 shots, add up successes and enter score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262218141074
02

Flop | Perpendicular Piles | Bullseye 2x

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a flop shot in the bullseye. The best final score relative to PAR wins the challenge. One bucket of balls per player is needed.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Flop | Perpendicular Piles | Bullseye 2x
1

Set up 10 piles of balls in two lines that cross at a right angle. Each pile has enough balls for 3 shots. Place piles 5-40 yards from the hole on grass.

2

On the green, mark two circles around the hole: a 6-foot circle (bullseye) and a 15-foot circle.

3

Hit 36 flop shots total. From each pile, hit 3 shots trying to land near the hole.

4

Split the 36 shots into 2 rounds of

8

In each round, hit 1 shot from each of the 10 piles, then hit 1 more shot from the first 8 piles.

5

Score: inside 6 feet = birdie, inside 15 feet = par, outside 15 feet = bogey.

6

Count how many shots land inside each circle.

7

Add up your total birdies and pars after 36 shots. Enter your score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141074
03

Flop | Fairway | Flat

Short Game

Hit flop shot two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the flat fairway.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Flop | Fairway | Flat
1

Place two pins on the green about 8 feet apart to mark target zones.

2

Set up 5 to 20 yards from the hole on flat ground.

3

Hit 36 flop shots in 3 sets of

4

Aim all first 12 shots at the left target.

5

Aim all next 12 shots at the right target.

6

For the last 12 shots, switch target every 3 shots: 3 left, 3 right, then repeat.

7

Keep the same ball setup for every shot.

8

Count a shot as success if ball stops within 3 feet of target.

9

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score312926221713963
04

Flop | Rough | Uphill/Downhill

Short Game

Up to 5 players hit flop shot 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 Flop | Rough | Uphill/Downhill
1

Set up 2 target zones on the green: one uphill, one downhill, about 10 feet apart.

2

Put 18 balls in the uphill rough, and 18 in the downhill rough.

3

Hit 18 flop shots from the uphill rough and try to land each ball in the uphill target zone.

4

Hit 18 flop shots from the downhill rough and try to land each ball in the downhill target zone.

5

If the ball lands and stays in the target zone, it counts as a success.

6

Always keep the way you set up each ball the same; only the target zone changes.

7

After all 36 shots, count how many were successful out of 36 and enter your score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825211612853
05

Flop | 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 flop shots close to multiple targets. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Flop | Perpendicular Piles | Multiple Targets
1

Place 40 balls into 10 piles of 4 balls each. Arrange them in two lines of 5 piles each, lines must cross each other.

2

Make sure the lines are 7 yards apart. In a line, make sure each pile is 2 yards apart.

3

Set up 3 flags in a row, 10 feet apart. Each flag is a target for hitting the balls.

4

Hit 36 balls in total. Hit 12 balls at each target.

5

Hit the balls by switching between piles in the two lines.

6

If a ball lands within 10 feet of the target, count it as a success.

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141074
06

Flop | Fairway | Flat

Short Game

Hit flop shot two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the flat fairway.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Flop | Fairway | Flat
1

Make 3 target areas on the green: Left, Center, and Right. Each should be about 4 feet wide.

2

Put 3 piles of balls on a flat fairway, 15 to 20 yards from the hole. Space them so shots come from different angles.

3

Hit 36 flop shots: 12 at the Left zone, 12 at the Center zone, 12 at the Right zone.

4

Take shots from different piles, but set up the ball the same way each time.

5

Check if the ball stops inside the zone aimed for.

6

Count how many balls stop inside the correct zone.

7

When done, add up the number of balls in the zones and enter your score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141074

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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