Course Program

Thread the gap: flop through a narrow landing zone

Precision from tough lie, for a 14-handicap player, ~15 minutes at Knigsbrunn

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 13.87 drills

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

8 to 45

Average HCP

13.8

Duration (single session)

3 hr 2 min

or

1 drill/day: 7 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Precision29%
Dispersion23%
Aim19%
Distance Control13%
Alignment8%
Scoring6%
Trajectory2%

Overview

Program Structure

Thread the gap: flop through a narrow landing zone. Pinpoint flops and precision from tough lie. Focus on Precision, Dispersion, Aim. For a 14-handicap player, in ~15 minutes.

Skill

Precision

Shot

Flop

What you will improve

  • Precision
  • Dispersion
  • Aim
  • Distance Control

Program details

Sessions
7 focused drills
Recommended
2–3 sessions / week
Total duration
3 hr 2 min
or
1 drill per day
7 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 | Scattered Piles | Quadrants

Short Game

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

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Flop | Scattered Piles | Quadrants
1

Make 8 piles of 5 balls each (40 balls total) between 5 and 40 yards from the green.

2

On the green, use markers to make 4 equal parts inside a 10 ft circle around the hole.

3

Hit 36 flop shots in total, split into 4 groups of 9 shots for each part of the circle.

4

Aim 9 shots for the first part, then 9 for the second, the third, and last the fourth part.

5

Change which pile to hit from each time to get different angles and lies.

6

Count only shots that stop in the right part as a success.

7

When finished, write how many you got out of 36 in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825201612853
02

Flop | Parallel Piles | 9 Stop Zones

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a flop 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 Flop | Parallel Piles | 9 Stop Zones
1

Set up two lines of 5 piles of balls (10 piles total), each pile with 3 or 4 balls. Lines should be 5 to 10 yards/meters apart and piles in each line 4 yards/meters apart.

2

Place piles between 5 and 40 yards/meters from the hole, on grass around the green, not on the green.

3

On the green, mark 9 stop zones in a 3x3 grid using buckets, string lines, or tees.

4

Hit 36 flop shots total, 4 shots for each stop zone.

5

For each shot, choose any pile and hit to the assigned stop zone. After 4 shots to one zone, move to the next zone.

6

A successful shot is when the ball stops inside the intended stop zone.

7

Use the same setup for every shot.

8

Finish all 36 shots, 4 to each stop zone.

9

Count how many balls stopped in each zone and add them up. Enter the total number of successful shots out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825201612853
03

Flop | Parallel Ball Lines | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 2 parallel 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 | Parallel Ball Lines | Multiple Targets
1

Put down two lines of 18 balls each, spaced 1 foot apart. Place the lines 5 to 10 yards apart.

2

Set up three targets on the green, at least 6 feet apart.

3

Hit 12 flop shots to each target, for 36 shots total.

4

Hit 6 flop shots from the first ball line to the first target, then 6 from the second line to the same target.

5

Do the same for the second and third targets, always switching lines.

6

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

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825201512964
04

Flop | Scattered Ball Lines | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Scatter a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 8 equal lines of 5 balls and hit-and-land flop shots inside landing zones. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Flop | Scattered Ball Lines | 3 Landing Zones
1

Make 8 lines of 5 balls each. Space out the lines and balls on grass, not on the green, anywhere from 5 to 40 yards/metres away from the hole.

2

On the green, put down 3 landing zones in a straight line with 6 feet (2 metres) between them, using sticks, clubs, or string.

3

Take 36 shots, split into 3 sets of 12 shots.

4

Aim each set of 12 shots at one landing zone. Start with Zone 1, then Zone 2, then Zone

5

Hit all 5 balls from each line toward the target zone. After each line, move to another line.

6

Count a shot as good if the ball stays in the correct zone.

7

Add up how many good shots you made and enter the score in the app out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141074
05

Flop | Parallel Piles | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a flop 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 Flop | Parallel Piles | Multiple Targets
1

Make 2 lines of 5 ball piles each (10 piles total). Keep lines 6 yards apart and piles 4 yards apart.

2

Put all piles on short grass 5-20 yards from the hole, not on the green.

3

Place 3 target markers in a line on the green. Space them 6 feet apart. Call them Target A, Target B, and Target C.

4

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

5

First 12 shots go to Target A. Next 12 to Target B. Last 12 to Target C.

6

Pick any pile for each shot. Hit the ball at the current target.

7

Count each shot that stops closest to or inside the target area. This is a "success."

8

Add up all successful shots for each target.

9

Record the score out of 36 attempts in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028252218141174
06

Flop | Perpendicular Piles | Quadrants

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a flop 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 Flop | Perpendicular Piles | Quadrants
1

Arrange 10 piles of balls in two lines that cross each other. Each line has 5 piles, placed 3 yards apart. The lines are 6 yards apart.

2

Put all piles between 5 and 40 yards from the hole. Keep all piles on the same type of grass.

3

On the green, mark 4 equal quadrants. Each quadrant is a circle with a 3-meter radius around the hole.

4

Hit 36 flop shots: 9 shots to each quadrant.

5

Start at one pile. Hit 9 shots at Quadrant 1, move to another pile and hit 9 shots at Quadrant 2, then 9 shots at Quadrant 3, then 9 shots at Quadrant

6

A shot that stops inside the target quadrant counts as a success.

7

Count all successes for each quadrant and add them up.

8

After all 36 shots, write down your total number of successful shots in the app, out of 36.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262218141063
07

Flop | Perpendicular Piles | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a flop 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 Flop | Perpendicular Piles | Multiple Targets
1

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

2

Put these piles on grass, 5 to 20 yards or meters from the hole, but not on the green.

3

Mark 3 targets near the green, spaced around the hole (left, center, right).

4

Hit 36 flop shots in total. Make 3 groups of 12 shots.

5

For the first group, aim at the left target. For the second group, aim at the center target. For the third group, aim at the right target.

6

Pick any pile to start each group. Hit each ball at the assigned target.

7

A successful shot is when the ball stops closest to the right target area.

8

After all 36 shots, count the shots that stopped closest to each target.

9

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028252218141074

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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