Course Program

Can you stop the ball close from a tight lie?

Vary landing spot soft, for a 15-handicap player, ~15 minutes at Howell Park

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 14.87 drills

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

7 to 25

Average HCP

14.8

Duration (single session)

3 hr 2 min

or

1 drill/day: 7 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Distance Control31%
Trajectory17%
Alignment11%
Scoring11%
Precision10%
Aim8%
Dispersion6%
Accuracy4%

Overview

Program Structure

Can you stop the ball close from a tight lie?. Feel the distance and stop close from tight lie. Focus on Distance Control, Trajectory, Alignment. For a 15-handicap player, in ~15 minutes.

Skill

Distance Control

Shot

Flop

What you will improve

  • Distance Control
  • Trajectory
  • Alignment
  • 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 | Perpendicular Ball Lines | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 2 perpendicular 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 | Perpendicular Ball Lines | 3 Landing Zones
1

Arrange 36 balls in two lines of 18 balls each. Lines cross each other and are 5 to 10 yards apart. Balls are 1 foot apart in each line.

2

Put three landing zones in a row on the green, 6 feet apart.

3

There are 36 shots. Aim 12 shots at each landing zone.

4

From one line, hit 6 shots at the first landing zone.

5

From the other line, hit 6 shots at the second landing zone.

6

Go back to the first line and hit 6 shots at the third landing zone.

7

Switch lines and keep repeating until all 36 shots are done, with 12 shots at each landing zone.

8

Count each shot that lands and stops in the right zone as successful.

9

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262218141074
02

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
03

Flop | Parallel Ball Lines | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a flop shot inside the landing zone(s). The player with the most points at the end wins the challenge. Up to 80 balls are needed.

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

Set up 4 lines of 9 balls each, spaced 1 foot apart. Place the lines between 5 and 20 yards from the hole on grass.

2

Mark 3 landing zones on the green, 3 feet apart in a straight line. Each zone is 3 feet wide.

3

Hit 12 flop shots to each zone for a total of 36 shots.

4

Start at any line of balls and hit 12 shots to Zone

1

Change lines and hit 12 shots to Zone

2

Change lines again and hit 12 shots to Zone

5

Count a success when the ball lands and stops in the right zone.

6

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score282623191511853
04

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
05

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
06

Flop | Perpendicular 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 | Perpendicular Piles | 9 Stop Zones
1

Set up 10 piles of balls in two lines that cross each other, 5 piles in each line. The piles are 3 yards/meters apart. The two lines are 5 to 10 yards/meters apart.

2

Put the piles 5 to 40 yards/meters away from the hole, not on the green.

3

Mark 9 target zones on the green using tees, string, or small buckets. Make them easy to see.

4

Hit 36 flop shots total, 9 to each target zone.

5

Pick a pile and hit 9 flop shots to target zone

6

Then hit 9 shots to target zone 2, using any pile.

7

Do the same for zones 3 through 9, hitting 9 shots at each for 36 total tries. Enter score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825211612853
07

Flop | Parallel Ball Lines | 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. Up to 80 balls are needed.

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

Make 4 straight lines of 9 balls each on the grass. Keep each line 5 yards or meters apart.

2

Put the balls in each line about 1 foot apart.

3

Pick 3 targets (like flags or markers) in different spots around the green.

4

Hit 36 shots, in 3 groups of 12 shots.

5

Hit all balls in the first group to Target 1, then switch to Target 2 for the next group, and Target 3 for the last group.

6

Hit each ball trying to stop it close to the target for that group.

7

Count every ball that stops within 3 feet of the target as a success.

8

Add up the number of successful shots, out of 36 attempts, and enter 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.