Course Program

Keep Ball Close To Hole

Roll the ball low and straight, for a 35-handicap player, ~30 minutes at Longcliffe

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 359 drills64% match to course practice profile

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

Scoring34%
Distance Control24%
Alignment22%
Aim8%
Accuracy7%
Dispersion4%
Trajectory2%

Overview

Program Structure

Keep Ball Close To Hole. Roll the ball low and straight 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

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
02

Bump-n-Run | Deep Rough and Other | Uphill/Downhill

Short Game

Hit bump-n-run shot 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 Bump-n-Run | Deep Rough and Other | Uphill/Downhill
1

Prepare 36 balls in two sets of

2

Pick one uphill spot, 5-20 yards from the hole, for 18 tries.

3

Make three target zones on the green around the hole: left, center, right.

4

Hit 6 balls at each target zone in order: left, center, right.

5

Move to a downhill spot, 5-20 yards from the hole, and do the same.

6

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

7

After 36 tries (18 uphill, 18 downhill), add up your successful shots and enter your score in the app, out of 36.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262318141063
03

Bump-n-Run | Scattered Piles | Quadrants

Short Game

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

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Scattered Piles | Quadrants
1

Put 40 balls into 8 piles of 5 balls each. Place the piles between 1 and 10 yards from the green and 5 to 30 yards from the hole.

2

On the green, use string or tees to make 4 equal sections inside a circle with a 6-foot radius around the hole.

3

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots, split into 4 groups of 9 shots. Each group tries to stop the ball in a different section.

4

Choose any pile and hit 9 shots at the first section. Then do 9 shots for the next section, and repeat for all 4 sections.

5

For each set of 9 shots, use any pile, but keep the same setup for all shots.

6

Count each shot that stops in the correct section as a success.

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262318141174
04

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
05

Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Ball Lines | Bullseye 2x

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 inside Bullseye. Count the number of balls in the inner and outer Bullseye.

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

Place a bucket of balls next to the green with 2 straight lines of 20 balls arranged perpendicular to each other.

2

Space the lines 5 to 10 yards/meters apart, with each ball about 1 foot (30 cm) apart in each line.

3

Mark two circles on the green: an inner circle with a 6-foot (2 m) radius and an outer circle with a 15-foot (5 m) radius around the hole.

4

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots in 2 sets of 18 shots, switching between the two lines.

5

Hit 3 to 5 shots from one line, then switch to the other line, until all 36 balls are played.

6

Try to land balls in the circles: inside the inner circle is best, inside the outer circle is okay.

7

Count how many balls stopped inside the outer circle (including the inner circle), and enter your score in the app out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825201512964
06

Bump-n-Run | Scattered 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 wins the challenge. One bucket of balls per player is needed.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Scattered Piles | Multiple Targets
1

Put 36 balls in 6 piles, each pile has 6 balls. Scatter them around chipping area between 1 to 10 yards from green and 5 to 30 yards from hole.

2

Place 3 targets in a line at the edge of the green, spaced 6 feet apart.

3

Split the 36 shots into 3 groups of 12 shots.

4

Hit first 12 balls as bump-and-run, try to stop them in the first target zone.

5

Hit next 12 balls at the second target zone, try to stop them there.

6

Hit the last 12 balls at the third target zone, try to stop them there.

7

Pick any pile before each group and keep setup simple for every shot.

8

Count balls in the right target zone. Each one is a point. Enter score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141074
07

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
08

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

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 hit-and-land bump-n-run shots inside landing zones. Count the number of successes.

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

Set up 10 piles of balls with 4 balls in each pile.

2

Make 3 landing zones on the green, 6 feet apart in a straight line.

3

Hit 36 shots, with 12 shots at each landing zone.

4

Start from any pile and try to land 12 balls in the first landing zone.

5

After 12 shots, aim 12 shots at the second zone, then 12 at the third zone.

6

Count each ball that stays in the correct 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
Score3129262318141074
09

Bump-n-Run | Deep Rough and Other | Above/Below Feet

Short Game

Hit bump-n-run shot two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sloped deep rough and other extreme grass types; one bucket with balls above feet level, one bucket with balls below feet level.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Deep Rough and Other | Above/Below Feet
1

Place 36 balls into 6 groups of 6 balls.

2

Mark 3 target pins on the green, 6 feet apart in a line or arc.

3

From above feet, hit 18 shots, 6 at each pin in order.

4

From below feet, hit 18 shots, 6 at each pin in order.

5

Keep the same ball setup and lie each time. Only change slope.

6

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

7

After 36 shots, add up successes out of 36 and enter score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282420161285

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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

Keep Ball Close To Hole | Longcliffe