Course Program

Keep Ball Close To Hole

Focus on clean contact, for a 35-handicap player, ~30 minutes at Hillsdale

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 359 drills

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

25 to 45

Average HCP

35

Duration (single session)

3 hr 54 min

or

1 drill/day: 9 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Scoring22%
Distance Control20%
Alignment19%
Aim14%
Precision11%
Accuracy6%
Dispersion5%
Trajectory3%

Overview

Program Structure

Keep Ball Close To Hole. Focus on clean contact and use a short swing. Focus on Scoring, Distance Control, Alignment. For a 35-handicap player, in ~30 minutes.

Shot

Bump'n'Run

What you will improve

  • Scoring
  • Distance Control
  • Alignment
  • Aim

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

Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Piles | Bullseye 2x

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls next to the green (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 10 equal perpendicular piles of 4 balls and stop bump-n-run shots inside Bullseye. Count the number of balls in the inner and outer Bullseye.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Piles | Bullseye 2x
1

Make 10 piles of 4 balls (40 balls) in two lines, crossing each other near the green, 1 to 10 yards from the green and 5 to 30 yards from the hole. Keep piles 2 yards apart, lines 5 to 10 yards apart.

2

On the green, use string or tees to mark two circles around the hole: one with a 6-foot radius (inner), the other with a 15-foot radius (outer).

3

Use only 36 balls (9 piles of 4) for this test.

4

Split the 36 shots into two groups of

5

For the first 18 shots, try to land the ball inside the small circle.

6

For the next 18 shots, try to land the ball inside the big circle but outside the small circle.

7

Play bump-and-run shots by hitting from different piles, one after the other, keeping the same setup and order.

8

Count as a success if the ball stops in the correct circle. If not, it is a miss.

9

Count how many balls finished where they should in both circles. Enter your score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285
02

Bump-n-Run | Rough | Uphill/Downhill

Short Game

Hit bump-n-run 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 Bump-n-Run | Rough | Uphill/Downhill
1

Put two markers on the green about 6 feet apart as targets.

2

Place the balls in the downhill rough, 5 to 30 yards from the hole.

3

Hit 18 bump-and-run shots from downhill, aiming for Target 1 for 9 shots, then Target 2 for 9 shots.

4

Move to the uphill rough on the opposite side, same distance from the hole.

5

Hit 18 bump-and-run shots from uphill, aiming for Target 1 for 9 shots, then Target 2 for 9 shots.

6

A shot is successful if the ball stops within 3 feet of the target.

7

Count total successful shots out of 36 and enter that number in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129272318141074
03

Bump-n-Run | Scattered Piles | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Scatter a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) next to the green. Scatter into 8 equal piles of 5 balls and hit-and-land bump-n-run shots inside landing zones. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Scattered Piles | 3 Landing Zones
1

Put 36 golf balls into 3 groups of 12 balls. Spread the groups around the green between 1 and 10 yards from the edge and 5 to 30 yards from the hole.

2

Mark 3 landing zones in a straight line at the edge of the green, each 6 feet (2 meters) apart.

3

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots: 12 to zone 1, 12 to zone 2, 12 to zone

4

Use the first set of 12 balls for zone 1, the second set for zone 2, and the last set for zone

5

Keep ball positions and distances the same for the whole test.

6

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

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285
04

Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Piles | Bullseye 2x

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a bump-n-run 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 Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Piles | Bullseye 2x
1

Set up 10 piles of balls in two lines that cross each other. Put 5 piles in each line. Leave space between all piles and lines.

2

Put the piles 1 to 10 yards/meters from the green and 5 to 30 yards/meters from the hole.

3

On the green, mark two big circles around the hole. Make the first circle 6 feet (2 meters) out from the hole, and the second circle 15 feet (5 meters) out from the hole.

4

There are 36 shots total. Split them into 3 groups of 12 shots.

5

First 12 shots: try to stop the ball inside the small (inner) circle. Next 12: try to stop the ball inside the big (outer) circle but outside the small circle. Last 12: try to keep the ball anywhere on the green.

6

Hit one ball from each pile. Keep moving around the piles any way until all 36 shots are done using the right target for each group.

7

Count how many balls land in the right place for each group: inside the small circle for the first 12, in the big circle but outside the small one for the next 12, and anywhere on the green for the last

2

Enter score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285
05

Bump-n-Run | Rough | Above/Below Feet

Short Game

Hit bump-n-run shot 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 Bump-n-Run | Rough | Above/Below Feet
1

Put the ball in the sloped rough, 5 to 30 yards from the hole, with the ball above your feet.

2

Place three targets evenly spaced left, center, and right of the hole, all about the same distance from your ball.

3

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots: 18 with the ball above your feet and 18 with the ball below your feet.

4

For each lie, split the 18 shots into 3 groups of 6, one group for each target.

5

With the ball above your feet, hit 6 shots to the left target, 6 to center, and 6 to right, in any order.

6

Move the ball below your feet and repeat: 6 shots to left, 6 to center, 6 to right.

7

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

8

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141074
06

Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Ball Lines | Multiple Targets

Short Game

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

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Ball Lines | Multiple Targets
1

Put 36 balls in 2 lines near the green. Each line has 18 balls about 1 foot apart.

2

Place the 2 lines so they cross each other like a plus sign, 5 to 10 yards apart.

3

Put 3 targets about 6 feet apart on the green.

4

Hit 12 shots at each target, for a total of 36 shots.

5

Start with one line and hit 12 shots trying to stop the ball within 10 feet of the first target.

6

Use the other line and hit 12 shots at the second target, same goal.

7

Hit 12 shots at the third target from either line, trying to keep within 10 feet.

8

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

9

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141074
07

Bump-n-Run | Fairway | Above/Below Feet

Short Game

Hit bump-n-run shot two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sloped fairway; one bucket with balls above feet level, one bucket with balls below feet level.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Fairway | Above/Below Feet
1

Gather 36 balls and split them into 2 groups of

2

Stand on a slope where the ball is above your feet for the first 18 shots.

3

Choose one target on the green to aim at.

4

Hit 18 bump-and-run shots, trying to get close to the target from this lie.

5

Move to a slope where the ball is below your feet for the next 18 shots.

6

Hit 18 bump-and-run shots at the same target from this lie.

7

Count how many balls stop close to the pin. Record that number as your score out of 36 in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262218141063
08

Bump-n-Run | Scattered Piles | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to land a bump-n-run shot inside the landing zone(s). The player with the most points wins the challenge. One bucket of balls per player is needed.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Scattered Piles | 3 Landing Zones
1

Get 36 balls. Split them into 3 piles of 12 balls.

2

Make 3 zones on the green with sticks or string. Each zone is 6 feet apart in a line.

3

On the grass, put each pile of balls at random spots 1 to 10 yards from the green and 5 to 30 yards from the hole. Each pile matches a zone.

4

Hit 12 shots from the first pile, try to land in the first zone.

5

Hit 12 shots from the second pile, try to land in the second zone.

6

Hit 12 shots from the last pile, try to land in the third zone.

7

Count how many balls land and stop in each zone.

8

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285
09

Bump-n-Run | Parallel Piles | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a bump-n-run 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 Bump-n-Run | Parallel Piles | Multiple Targets
1

Set up 10 piles of balls in two lines 3 yards/meters apart. Each line has 5 piles spaced 4 yards/meters apart.

2

Put the piles between 1 and 10 yards/meters from the green and 5 to 30 yards/meters from the hole.

3

Pick 3 targets on the green, spaced evenly apart.

4

Split 36 shots into 3 sets of

5

Aim first 12 shots at the left target.

6

Aim next 12 shots at the center target.

7

Aim last 12 shots at the right target.

8

Do not move the ball setup, only change the target.

9

Count how many balls land closest or in the scoring area for the right target, and enter your score out of 36.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262217131074

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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