Course Program

Thread the gap: flop through a narrow landing zone

Thread the gap, for a 14-handicap player, ~15 minutes at Lakeside

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 13.97 drills

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

7 to 25

Average HCP

13.9

Duration (single session)

3 hr 2 min

or

1 drill/day: 7 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Precision26%
Aim21%
Distance Control21%
Scoring12%
Dispersion12%
Trajectory6%
Alignment1%

Overview

Program Structure

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

Skill

Precision

Shot

Flop

What you will improve

  • Precision
  • Aim
  • Distance Control
  • Scoring

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 | Parallel Ball Lines | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 2 parallel lines 20 balls per line and hit-and-land flop shots inside landing zones. Count the number of successes.

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

Place 40 balls in two lines of 20 balls. The balls in each line are 1 foot apart. The two lines are 5 to 10 yards apart.

2

On the green use sticks or string to make 3 landing zones in a straight line. Each zone is 6 feet apart.

3

Hit 36 flop shots from the ball lines to the landing zones.

4

Make 3 groups of 12 shots.

5

For each group aim for only one landing zone.

6

After each group of 12 shots, switch to the other ball line.

7

Count every shot that stops in the right landing zone.

8

When all 36 shots are done, add up your successful shots out of 36 attempts and enter your score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028252218141074
02

Flop | Parallel Piles | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 10 equal parallel piles of 4 balls and hit-and-land flop shots inside landing zones. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Flop | Parallel Piles | 3 Landing Zones
1

Set up 36 balls in 9 piles of 4 balls each, in two lines, 5–20 yards from the hole.

2

Put markers on the green to make 3 landing zones, each zone 6 feet apart in a line.

3

Hit 36 flop shots total, 12 to each landing zone.

4

Hit from any pile at the first zone for 12 shots, then move to the next zone for the next 12, then the third zone for the last 12 shots.

5

Switch piles after each shot, but keep the set up and distances the same.

6

Count shots that land and stay in the correct zone.

7

Enter the number of successful shots in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825211713963
03

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

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

Put 40 balls into 8 piles of 5 balls, spaced between 5 and 40 yards from the hole on the grass or slope.

2

Place 3 flags as targets around the green at different distances, each with a 10-foot circle marked.

3

Hit 36 flop shots; make 3 groups of 12 shots for the 3 target zones.

4

First 12 shots go at the first target, next 12 at the second, last 12 at the third.

5

Hit 2-5 shots from each pile, switching piles each time, keep ball setup the same.

6

Count any shot that stops inside the 10-foot circle as a success.

7

After 36 shots, add up how many stopped in the circle and enter score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score282622181410742
04

Flop | Scattered 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 | Scattered Piles | 9 Stop Zones
1

Divide 36 balls into 9 piles with 4 balls each. Put each pile in the chipping area, not on the green, between 5 and 20 yards from the hole.

2

Mark 9 stop zones on the green using tees, string, or buckets, spaced across the green.

3

Hit 4 flop shots at each stop zone, trying to stop each ball in the zone.

4

Start at any pile and pick a stop zone. Hit 4 balls from the pile to that zone.

5

Move to the next pile and new stop zone. Keep going until all 9 zones have 4 shots each (36 shots total).

6

Count each ball that stops inside the right stop zone.

7

Enter the number of successful shots in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302826221713963
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 | 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
07

Flop | Perpendicular Ball Lines | 9 Stop Zones

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 2 perpendicular lines 20 balls per line and stop flop shots inside 9 Stop Zones. Count the number of successful stops.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Flop | Perpendicular Ball Lines | 9 Stop Zones
1

Put 36 balls in two crossing lines with 18 balls in each line. Balls are 1 foot apart.

2

Make 9 stop zones on the green using tees, strings, or markers. Keep them spaced out and easy to see.

3

Hit 4 flop shots to each stop zone. This makes 36 shots total (4 shots for each of the 9 zones).

4

From the first line of balls, hit 4 shots, one to each of the first 4 stop zones.

5

From the second line, hit 4 shots, one to each of the next 4 stop zones.

6

Use the rest of the balls to hit 4 shots to the 9th stop zone, then enter score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

7

Count a shot a success only if the ball stops inside the right stop zone.

8

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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