Course Program

Feel the distance: pitch to different targets and control your rollout

Feel the distance, for a 18-handicap player, ~15 minutes at Manzanita Links

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 18.39 drills70% match to course practice profile

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

10 to 45

Average HCP

18.3

Duration (single session)

3 hr 54 min

or

1 drill/day: 9 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Distance Control32%
Accuracy16%
Precision14%
Alignment13%
Trajectory8%
Aim8%
Dispersion4%
Scoring4%

Overview

Program Structure

Feel the distance: pitch to different targets and control your rollout. Stop close from 30 yards and vary landing spot. Focus on Distance Control, Accuracy, Precision, Alignment, Trajectory, Aim, Dispersion, Scoring. For a 18-handicap player, in ~15 minutes.

Skill

Distance Control

Shot

Pitch

What you will improve

  • Distance Control
  • Accuracy
  • Precision
  • 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 | Fairway | Above/Below Feet

Short Game

Up to 5 players hit two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sloped fairway; one bucket with balls above feet level, and one bucket with balls below feet level.

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

Put 36 balls into 3 piles of 12 balls each.

2

Put 3 target zones on the green in a straight line, about 6 feet apart.

3

Pick one sloped fairway spot to shoot from (above feet or below feet).

4

Hit 12 shots to the first target zone.

5

Hit 12 shots to the second zone.

6

Hit 12 shots to the third zone. For each shot, count how many balls land and stay in the correct target zone. When done, count successful shots out of 36 and enter the score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285
02

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
03

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

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Parallel Ball Lines | 9 Stop Zones
1

Set up 9 stop zones on the green using markers, buckets, tees, or string.

2

Place 4 lines of 9 balls off the green, with each ball 1 foot apart. Keep each line 5 yards apart and between 30 and 60 yards from the hole.

3

Hit 36 pitch shots total, 4 shots for each of the 9 stop zones.

4

Start at any ball line. Hit 4 balls toward the first stop zone. Repeat for each stop zone, hitting 4 balls per zone.

5

After each shot, see if the ball stopped in the right zone. Count balls that stopped inside the correct zone.

6

Keep ball positions and distance the same. Only change your target zone after every 4 shots.

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262218141063
04

Pitch | Parallel Ball Lines | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a pitch 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 Pitch | Parallel Ball Lines | Multiple Targets
1

Set up 4 lines of balls, 5 yards apart. Each line has 9 balls, 1 foot apart.

2

Place the lines 30 to 60 yards from the hole, not on the green.

3

Put 3 target flags on the green, spaced evenly.

4

Make 3 groups of 12 shots from the 36 balls.

5

First 12 shots: aim for the left flag.

6

Next 12 shots: aim for the middle flag.

7

Last 12 shots: aim for the right flag.

8

Always use the same ball setup; only change which flag you aim for.

9

Count a point when the ball stops closest to the flag you aimed for.

0

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141074
05

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
06

Pitch | Perpendicular Ball Lines | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 2 perpendicular lines 20 balls per line and stop pitch shots close to multiple targets. Count the number of successes.</p>

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Perpendicular Ball Lines | Multiple Targets
1

Arrange 40 golf balls in 2 lines that cross at right angles. Each line should have 20 balls, about 1 foot apart.

2

Put this setup on grass 30–60 yards from the hole.

3

Pick 3 targets on the green or near the hole, at least 10 feet apart.

4

Split 36 shots into 3 groups of

5

Stand behind one line and hit 12 pitch shots at the first target, trying to land within 10 feet of it.

6

Move to the other line and hit 12 shots at the second target.

7

Go back to the first line and hit 12 shots at the third target.

8

Count how many balls stop inside 10 feet of the target.

9

After all 36 shots, record the number of successes in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141074
07

Pitch | Parallel 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 | Parallel Piles | 9 Stop Zones
1

Set up 10 piles of balls in two lines, each line has 5 piles, piles in a line are 4 yards/meters apart, and lines are 5 to 10 yards/meters apart.

2

Put these piles on grass between 30 and 60 yards/meters from the hole, not on the green.

3

Mark 9 stop zones on the green with buckets, string, or tees. Space the zones evenly.

4

Use 36 balls. Make 9 groups of 4 balls for each stop zone.

5

For each stop zone, hit 4 balls trying to stop them inside it. Do this for all 9 zones.

6

Count how many balls stop inside the right zone.

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141063
08

Pitch | Fairway | Uphill/Downhill

Short Game

Up to 5 players hit two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sloped fairway; one bucket from the uphill slope and one bucket from the downhill slope.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Fairway | Uphill/Downhill
1

Set up two target zones on the green: one uphill, one downhill. Use cones, clubs, or string to mark each zone about 6 feet wide.

2

From the fairway slope, 30 to 60 yards away, hit 36 pitch shots.

3

Split the 36 shots: 18 shots to the uphill zone, 18 shots to the downhill zone.

4

Keep your stance and ball setup the same for all shots.

5

First, hit 18 shots to the uphill zone. Then, hit 18 shots to the downhill zone.

6

Count a success if the ball lands and stays in the target zone.

7

When finished, add up the number of successful shots, and enter that number out of 36 attempts in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141074
09

Pitch | Perpendicular Piles | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a pitch shot inside the landing 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 | 3 Landing Zones
1

Put 10 piles of balls in two lines that meet at a right angle, 5 to 10 yards apart, with each pile 3 yards apart.

2

Place the piles 30 to 60 yards from the hole on grass but not on the green.

3

Mark 3 landing zones on the green with sticks or string, each 6 feet apart in a line.

4

Hit 36 pitch shots in total, 12 at each landing zone.

5

For the first 12 shots aim at Landing Zone 1, for the next 12 aim at Zone 2, for the last 12 aim at Zone

6

Start from any pile and switch piles between shots.

7

Count a success if the ball lands and stops in the correct zone.

8

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score2927252218141174

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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