Course Program

Vary Landing Spot

Stop on a dime, for a 26-handicap player, ~20 minutes at Merrimack Valley Golf Club

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 25.96 drills60% match to course practice profile

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

8 to 45

Average HCP

25.9

Duration (single session)

2 hr 36 min

or

1 drill/day: 6 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Distance Control32%
Precision20%
Alignment10%
Dispersion9%
Accuracy9%
Aim9%
Trajectory8%
Scoring3%

Overview

Program Structure

Vary Landing Spot. Vary landing spot and stop on a dime. Focus on Distance Control, Precision, Alignment, Dispersion, Accuracy, Aim, Trajectory, Scoring. For a 26-handicap player, in ~20 minutes.

Skill

Distance Control

Shot

Chip

What you will improve

  • Distance Control
  • Precision
  • Alignment
  • Dispersion

Program details

Sessions
6 focused drills
Recommended
2–3 sessions / week
Total duration
2 hr 36 min
or
1 drill per day
6 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

Chip | Parallel Ball Lines | 9 Stop Zones

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a chip 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 Chip | Parallel Ball Lines | 9 Stop Zones
1

Make 9 stop zones on the green. Mark them with tees, string, or buckets. Line up or put them in a grid.

2

Put 36 balls in 4 rows. Each row has 9 balls, spaced 1 foot apart. Put the rows about 5 yards apart on the grass, between 5 and 20 yards from the green.

3

Plan to hit 4 balls at each of the 9 stop zones. That is 36 shots.

4

Start at any row of balls. Hit balls, trying to stop each one in the first stop zone.

5

After 4 tries at the first zone, go to the next zone and do the same. Keep going until you try all 9 zones.

6

Count a shot as a success if the ball stops completely inside the target zone.

7

When all shots are done, count the number of successful shots and enter the score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129272318141074
02

Chip | Deep Rough and Other | Above/Below Feet

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 with balls above feet level, and one bucket with balls below feet level.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Chip | Deep Rough and Other | Above/Below Feet
1

Make two target zones on the green, Zone A on the left and Zone B on the right, 8 feet apart.

2

Put 18 balls in the deep rough above feet, at distances from 5 to 20 yards, in a straight line.

3

Chip the 18 balls to land and stop in Zone A from the uphill position.

4

Move to deep rough below feet, set up 18 balls the same way.

5

Chip these balls to land and stop in Zone B from the downhill position.

6

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

7

When finished, enter the total number of successes out of 36 attempts in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score2927252218141174
03

Chip | 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 chip shots close to multiple targets. Count the number of successes.

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

Make two crossing lines with 18 balls in each line.

2

Put the balls 1 foot (30 cm) apart on grass, 5 to 20 yards/meters from the hole.

3

Place 2 flags on the green. The flags should be 5 to 10 yards/meters apart.

4

Hit 18 balls from the first line. Try to land each ball within 10 feet (3 meters) of the first flag.

5

Move to the second line. Hit 18 balls trying to land each within 10 feet (3 meters) of the second flag.

6

Count how many balls stop inside the 10-foot (3-meter) circle near each flag. Enter the score in the app out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285
04

Chip | Parallel Ball Lines | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a chip 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 Chip | Parallel Ball Lines | Multiple Targets
1

Set up 4 rows of balls. Each row has 9 balls, 1 foot apart.

2

Space the rows 5 yards apart on grass, between 5 and 30 yards from the hole.

3

Put 3 targets by the hole: A at 12 o'clock, B at 4 o'clock, C at 8 o'clock, each 3 feet from the hole.

4

Split the 36 shots into 3 groups of

2

First 12 shots go to Target A, next 12 to Target B, last 12 to Target C.

5

From each row, chip the ball to try to stop it close to the chosen target. Ball setup does not change.

6

After 12 shots at one target, switch to the next target. Repeat until all 36 shots are finished.

7

Each ball that stops within 2 feet of the target is a success.

8

Count how many successes you had and enter your score in the app out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262318141074
05

Chip | Scattered Ball Lines | Bullseye 2x

Short Game

Scatter a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 8 equal lines of 5 balls and stop chip shots inside the Bullseye. Count the number of balls in the inner and outer Bullseye.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Chip | Scattered Ball Lines | Bullseye 2x
1

Scatter 40 balls into 8 lines of 5 balls each, spaced 1 yard or meter apart, placed anywhere from 5 to 30 yards from the hole.

2

On the green, make two circles around the hole: one with a 6-foot (2-meter) radius, and one with a 15-foot (5-meter) radius, using string or tees.

3

Chip 36 balls during the test, divided into 3 sets of 12 balls.

4

Chip the first 12 balls, trying to make them land inside the small circle.

5

Chip the next 12 balls, trying to make them land inside the big circle but outside the small circle.

6

Chip the last 12 balls, trying to make them land anywhere inside the big circle.

7

Start from any line and move around as needed, but use only 36 balls.

8

Count each ball that stops where it is supposed to for each set.

9

Enter your score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score312926221713963
06

Chip | Parallel Piles | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 10 equal parallel piles of 4 balls and hit-and-land chip shots inside landing zones. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Chip | Parallel Piles | 3 Landing Zones
1

Place 36 balls into 9 piles of 4 balls each. Arrange piles in two lines, with 4 in one line and 5 in the other, 5-10 yards apart and 2 yards between piles.

2

On the green, set up 3 landing zones side by side, 6 feet apart, using sticks, clubs, or string.

3

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

4

Hit 12 chip shots at the first landing zone from any piles.

5

Hit 12 chip shots at the second landing zone. Change piles if wanted.

6

Hit 12 chip shots at the third landing zone. Change piles if wanted.

7

Count a success each time the ball stays in the correct landing zone.

8

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

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.