Course Program

Land 3–4 Feet From Hole

Vary landing spot, for a 16-handicap player, ~15 minutes at Lincoln Park Golf Course

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 16.39 drills70% match to course practice profile

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

6 to 25

Average HCP

16.3

Duration (single session)

3 hr 54 min

or

1 drill/day: 9 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Distance Control24%
Scoring19%
Accuracy18%
Alignment12%
Dispersion11%
Precision7%
Visualization3%
Aim3%
Trajectory2%

Overview

Program Structure

Land 3–4 Feet From Hole. Stop on a dime and vary landing spot. Focus on Distance Control, Scoring, Accuracy, Alignment, Dispersion, Precision, Visualization, Aim, Trajectory. For a 16-handicap player, in ~15 minutes.

Shot

Pitch

What you will improve

  • Distance Control
  • Scoring
  • Accuracy
  • Alignment

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

Pitch | Rough | Above/Below Feet

Short Game

Hit two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sloped rough grass; one bucket with balls above feet level, and one bucket with balls below feet level.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Rough | Above/Below Feet
1

Find a rough, sloped area near the green where golf balls can sit above or below foot level.

2

Place two piles of 18 balls each: one pile on a slope above foot level, one pile below foot level, both 30-40 yards from the hole.

3

Mark three zones on the green in a line, 6 feet apart. These show where to land and stop the ball.

4

Hit 18 shots from above your feet and 18 shots from below your feet.

5

From above your feet, hit 6 shots at each zone in order.

6

From below your feet, hit 6 shots at each zone in order.

7

Count the shots that land and stop in the correct zone.

8

Use the same stance and ball position each time.

9

After all 36 shots, count how many successes, and enter the score in the app out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302724201612963
02

Pitch | Deep Rough and Other | Flat

Short Game

Up to 5 players hit two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the flat deep rough and other extreme grass types.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Deep Rough and Other | Flat
1

Put 3 target zones on the green: left, center, right. Each 5 feet apart.

2

Put 12 balls in a pile, 30-60 yards from the hole, in deep rough.

3

Hit 12 shots trying to land in Zone A.

4

Hit 12 shots trying to land in Zone B.

5

Hit 12 shots trying to land in Zone C.

6

Keep balls in the same spot and rough for all shots.

7

Count each ball that lands and stays in the right zone.

8

After 36 shots, enter your number of successes into the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825221713964
03

Pitch | Parallel Ball Lines | Bullseye 2x

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a pitch shot in the bullseye. The best final score relative to PAR wins the challenge. Up to 80 balls are needed.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Parallel Ball Lines | Bullseye 2x
1

Put 4 straight lines of 9 balls each on the ground. Space balls 1 foot apart. Space each line 5 yards apart.

2

Set up these lines between 30 and 60 yards from the hole, on grass but not on the green.

3

On the green, make two circles around the hole: one with a 6-foot radius and one with a 15-foot radius.

4

Hit all 36 balls (9 from each line).

5

Hit every ball in a line before going to the next line. Any order.

6

Try to land each shot in the small or big circle around the hole.

7

If the ball stops inside the small circle, count as birdie. If the ball stops in the big circle but not the small, count as par.

8

Count how many balls finished in the big circle (including the small circle).

9

Enter this number in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825211612853
04

Pitch | Scattered Piles | Quadrants

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a pitch 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 Pitch | Scattered Piles | Quadrants
1

Make 4 piles of 9 balls each, with piles placed randomly 30–60 yards from the hole.

2

Mark 4 quadrants on the green around the hole using string or tees, each about 9 feet wide.

3

Hit 36 pitch shots, 9 to each quadrant.

4

From any pile, hit 9 balls trying to stop them in the first quadrant.

5

Move to a new pile and hit 9 balls to the second quadrant. Repeat for all quadrants.

6

Count balls that stop inside the target quadrant.

7

Count total balls in the correct quadrant and enter the number out of 36 attempts in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825201612853
05

Pitch | Deep Rough and Other | Flat

Short Game

Hit two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the flat deep rough and other extreme grass types.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Deep Rough and Other | Flat
1

Set up 3 targets on the green or fringe, in a straight line, 6 feet apart.

2

Place 3 piles of 12 golf balls each, 30 to 60 yards away in deep rough.

3

From the first pile, hit 12 shots at the first target.

4

From the second pile, hit 12 shots at the second target.

5

From the third pile, hit 12 shots at the third target.

6

Use the same setup for all shots.

7

Count each ball that lands in the target as a success.

8

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score282623191512853
06

Pitch | Perpendicular Piles | 9 Stop Zones

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a pitch 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 Pitch | Perpendicular Piles | 9 Stop Zones
1

Place 10 piles of balls in two lines that cross each other, with 5 piles in each line, spaced 3 yards apart.

2

Put these piles on grass, 30 to 60 yards from the hole.

3

On the green, mark 9 clear stop zones using buckets, string, or tees, spaced evenly.

4

Hit 36 pitch shots, aiming 4 shots at each of the 9 stop zones.

5

From any pile, hit 4 balls trying to stop them in the first zone.

6

After 4 shots, aim at the next zone and hit 4 more shots, repeating for each zone.

7

Keep hitting 4 shots per stop zone until all 9 zones are done (total 36 shots).

8

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

9

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262218141074
07

Pitch | 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 pitch shots inside landing zones. Count the number of successes.

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

Arrange 36 balls in 2 lines of 18 balls each. Keep the lines 5-10 yards apart. Each ball in a line should be about 1 foot apart.

2

On the green, use markers to make 3 landing zones in a straight line. Each zone should be about 9 feet apart.

3

Divide the 36 shots so there are 12 shots for each landing zone.

4

Hit 6 balls from the first line to the first landing zone, then hit 6 balls from the second line to the same zone.

5

Do the same for the second and third landing zones. Hit 6 balls from each line to each zone.

6

Count every ball that stops in the landing zone as a successful shot.

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262218141074
08

Pitch | Perpendicular Piles | Quadrants

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 10 equal perpendicular piles of 4 balls and stop pitch shots inside quadrants. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Perpendicular Piles | Quadrants
1

Set up 2 lines of 5 piles, each with 4 balls. Lines should be 5 to 10 yards/meters apart, piles 2 yards/meters apart.

2

Place lines 30 to 60 yards/meters from the hole, on grass, any slope.

3

On the green, use string or tees to make a circle with a 15-foot (5 meter) radius around the hole. Divide this circle into 4 equal parts.

4

Hit 36 pitch shots from the piles to the green, 9 shots for each of the 4 parts.

5

Hit from different piles, aiming for the current part. Finish all 9 shots in one part before switching.

6

Count each shot that stops in the right part.

7

Add up total successful shots. Enter score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141074
09

Pitch | Deep Rough and Other | Uphill/Downhill

Short Game

Up to 5 players hit two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sloped deep rough and other extreme grass types; one bucket from the uphill slope and one bucket from the downhill slope.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Deep Rough and Other | Uphill/Downhill
1

Prepare 36 balls in 6 groups of

2

Set up 2 target zones on the green: one uphill and one downhill, with markers 6 feet apart.

3

Hit 18 balls to the uphill zone and 18 to the downhill zone.

4

Hit 6 balls from the tough uphill spot to the uphill zone.

5

Hit 6 balls from the tough downhill spot to the downhill zone.

6

Do steps 4 and 5 two more times for all 36 shots.

7

Count each ball that stays in the right zone.

8

After 36 shots, enter your number of successes out of 36 in the app.

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.