Course Program

Keep Ball Close To Hole

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

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

Scoring30%
Distance Control22%
Aim16%
Alignment13%
Dispersion8%
Accuracy6%
Trajectory5%

Overview

Program Structure

Keep Ball Close To Hole. Focus on clean contact and use a short swing. Focus on Scoring, Distance Control, Aim. For a 35-handicap player, in ~30 minutes.

Shot

Bump'n'Run

What you will improve

  • Scoring
  • Distance Control
  • Aim
  • 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

Bump-n-Run | Scattered Ball Lines | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Scatter a bucket of balls next to the green (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 8 equal lines of 5 balls and stop bump-n-run shots close to multiple targets. Count the number of successes.

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

Scatter 36 balls into 6 lines of 6 balls each on grass near the green. Put each line 1 to 10 yards or meters from the green and 5 to 30 yards or meters from the hole.

2

At the edge of the green, set up 3 targets spaced about 6 feet (2 meters) apart in a straight line. Name them Target 1, Target 2, and Target

3

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots. Aim 12 shots at Target 1, 12 at Target 2, and 12 at Target

4

From each line, hit all 6 balls at the chosen target for that group of 12 shots. Switch targets after every 12 shots.

5

A shot is a success if the ball stops within 10 feet (3 meters) of the target.

6

Record how many shots land inside the 10-foot zone, out of 36 attempts, and enter the score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score312926221713963
02

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

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a bump-n-run 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 Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Piles | 3 Landing Zones
1

Set up 10 piles of balls in 2 lines that cross each other, 5 piles in each line. Space the piles about 3 yards or meters apart.

2

Place the piles so they are 1 to 10 yards or meters from the green and 5 to 30 yards or meters from the hole, on any grass.

3

On the green, make 3 landing zones side by side, each about 6 feet or 2 meters apart, using sticks, clubs, or string.

4

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots total. Aim 12 shots at each landing zone.

5

Pick a pile. Hit balls at the first landing zone until you do 12 shots.

6

Aim at the second landing zone for 12 shots from any piles.

7

Aim at the third landing zone for the last 12 shots.

8

Count how many shots land and stop in the right zone.

9

When all 36 shots are done, record the number of good shots out of 36 in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score312926221713963
03

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
04

Bump-n-Run | Scattered Piles | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Scatter a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) next to the green. Scatter into 8 equal piles of 5 balls and stop bump-n-run shots close to multiple targets. Count the number of successes.

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

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

2

Mark 3 targets on the green, about 6 feet apart in a line.

3

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots.

4

Aim 12 shots at each of the 3 targets.

5

Hit 12 shots at the first target, then 12 at the second, then 12 at the third.

6

Count shots that stop inside 10 feet of the target as successful.

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285
05

Bump-n-Run | Rough | Above/Below Feet

Short Game

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

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

Put the ball in the sloped rough, 5 to 30 yards from the hole, with the ball above your feet.

2

Place three targets evenly spaced left, center, and right of the hole, all about the same distance from your ball.

3

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots: 18 with the ball above your feet and 18 with the ball below your feet.

4

For each lie, split the 18 shots into 3 groups of 6, one group for each target.

5

With the ball above your feet, hit 6 shots to the left target, 6 to center, and 6 to right, in any order.

6

Move the ball below your feet and repeat: 6 shots to left, 6 to center, 6 to right.

7

Count each shot that stops inside the target area as a success.

8

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141074
06

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
07

Bump-n-Run | Parallel Ball Lines | 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. Up to 80 balls are needed.

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

Set up 4 lines of 9 balls each, with balls 1 foot apart.

2

Place the lines on grass, 1 to 10 yards from the green, 5 yards between lines.

3

Mark two circles on the green around the hole: one with a 6-foot radius, another with a 15-foot radius.

4

Hit 36 shots, in two groups of 18 shots.

5

For the first 18 shots, aim for the small circle. For the next 18 shots, aim for the big circle.

6

Hit balls in order from any line, switch lines as wanted.

7

Count each ball that stops in the right circle as a success.

8

After 36 shots, count how many hit their target circles and enter your score in the app out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3331282520161285
08

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
09

Bump-n-Run | Parallel Piles | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 10 equal parallel piles of 4 balls next to the green and stop bump-n-run shots close to multiple targets. Count the number of successes.

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

Set up 10 piles of 4 balls each (40 balls) in two lines next to the green. Keep piles about 2 yards apart and lines 5 to 10 yards apart.

2

Place three flags on the green for landing zones.

3

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots, 12 for each target flag.

4

Hit shots from the first line, aiming for the first target. Alternate piles.

5

After 12 shots, switch to the second target and use the second line for the next 12 shots.

6

Hit the last 12 shots at the third target (use any line or alternate piles). After all shots are done, count balls within 10 feet of the target as successful and enter your number of successes out of 36 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.