Course Program

Up-and-down contest: how many can you save in a row?

Up-and-down contest, for a 18-handicap player, ~15 minutes at Els

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 17.88 drills

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

25 to 45

Average HCP

17.8

Duration (single session)

3 hr 28 min

or

1 drill/day: 8 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Scoring46%
Distance Control31%
Visualization18%
Precision5%

Overview

Program Structure

Up-and-down contest: how many can you save in a row?. Save par clutch and up-and-down contest. Focus on Scoring, Distance Control, Visualization. For a 18-handicap player, in ~15 minutes.

Skill

Scoring

Shot

Mixed

What you will improve

  • Scoring
  • Distance Control
  • Visualization
  • Precision

Program details

Sessions
8 focused drills
Recommended
2–3 sessions / week
Total duration
3 hr 28 min
or
1 drill per day
8 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

DIY Course Easy

Short Game

Make a DIY 9 hole easy-difficulty course. Every hole is PAR 2. Count the score.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for DIY Course  Easy
1

Set up 9 balls around the green, each 20–40 yards from the green in easy spots.

2

Each ball is a separate hole. The goal is 2 shots (par) per hole.

3

Hit one wedge shot to get the ball on the green.

4

Putt the ball until it is in the hole, trying to use 2 shots or fewer.

5

Write down the number of shots for each hole.

6

Finish all 9 holes in order.

7

Do the 9 holes 3 times with new ball spots each round, for 27 total tries.

8

Set up 9 more balls in easy spots and play those, so you have 36 tries total.

9

Count how many holes you finished in 2 shots or less.

0

Enter your score in the app: number of successful holes out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score181818192123252832
02

DIY Course Hard

Short Game

Up to 5 players play hard-difficulty 9 hole ‘PAR 2’ DIY course. Best final score wins.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for DIY Course  Hard
1

Set up 9 hitting spots around the green with balls 20-40 yards away in hard places like sand or rough.

2

At each spot, hit 4 shots to the green using wedges or putters.

3

Finish all 4 shots at one spot, then go to the next. Each spot is like a PAR 2 hole.

4

After all 9 spots, you will have hit 36 shots.

5

Every shot that lands and stays in the target area on the green, or goes in the hole, counts as a success.

6

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262318141064
03

DIY Course Easy

Short Game

Up to 5 players play easy-difficulty 9 hole ‘PAR 2’ DIY course. Best final score wins.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for DIY Course  Easy
1

Set up 9 holes in different easy spots like sand or rough.

2

Hit 4 shots at each hole (total 36 shots).

3

Keep the ball setup the same for each shot.

4

At each hole, use one wedge shot onto the green and finish with putts if needed.

5

Try to finish each hole in 2 shots or less.

6

Count each hole finished in 2 shots or less as a success.

7

After 36 shots, count total successful holes and enter the total out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3029272420161285
04

DIY Course Hard

Short Game

Make a DIY 9 hole hard-difficulty course. Every hole is PAR 2. Count the score.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for DIY Course  Hard
1

Put 9 balls in hard spots around the chipping green, like sand, slopes, rough, or uneven ground.

2

Each ball is a PAR 2 hole. Chip onto the green and putt in, aiming for 2 strokes per hole.

3

Play all 9 balls, counting strokes for each.

4

Do the 9 balls two more times in new spots if possible, for a total of 36 shots.

5

Add up all your strokes for 36 shots. Fewer strokes is better.

6

Count how many holes you finished in 2 strokes or less.

7

Enter the number of holes finished in 2 strokes or less out of 36 attempts in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score161718212427303336
05

DIY Course Easy

Short Game

Make a DIY 9 hole easy-difficulty course. Every hole is PAR 2. Count the score.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for DIY Course  Easy
1

Set up a 9-hole short game course around the green. Each hole is PAR

2

Put 9 balls in easy spots around the green, like in sand or rough.

3

For each hole, hit a wedge onto the green and then putt the ball in.

4

Finish each hole (chip and putt) before going to the next ball spot.

5

Do the whole 9-hole course 4 times, moving balls for variety if possible.

6

This gives 36 total tries (9 holes × 4 rounds).

7

After all 36 tries, count your total strokes and compare to PAR 72 (36 holes × PAR 2).

8

See how many strokes over or under par you got.

9

Write down how many holes you finished at or under par, out of 36 tries, in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score141516182022242628
06

DIY Course Hard

Short Game

Make a DIY 9 hole hard-difficulty course. Every hole is PAR 2. Count the score.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for DIY Course  Hard
1

Place 9 balls in hard spots around the green like bunkers, rough, or tight lies.

2

Each ball is like a hole on a 9-hole course. Par for each hole is 2 shots.

3

For each ball, hit onto the green with a wedge or chip.

4

Once on the green, putt until finished.

5

Count shots for each hole and track your total score for all 9 holes.

6

Do the 9-hole course 4 times, moving balls to new tough spots each round.

7

You will hit 36 shots (4 rounds × 9 holes). At the end, add up how many holes you finished in 2 or fewer shots (par or better). Enter your score out of 36 tries in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score262421181411853
07

DIY Course Hard

Short Game

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for DIY Course  Hard
1

Place 9 balls in tough spots around the chipping green, like sand or deep rough.

2

Treat each ball as a PAR 2 hole.

3

Hit your wedge shot onto the green and putt to finish the hole.

4

Do all 9 shots, then repeat this two more times with balls in new hard spots each time.

5

You play 36 shots total.

6

Count every time you get the ball in the hole in 2 shots or less.

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262218141063
08

DIY Course Easy

Short Game

Up to 5 players play easy-difficulty 9 hole ‘PAR 2’ DIY course. Best final score wins.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for DIY Course  Easy
1

Set up 9 holes around the chipping area in different spots like sand, sloped rough, or deep rough.

2

Put 4 balls at each hole.

3

At each hole, chip or pitch the ball onto the green, then putt the ball into the hole.

4

Finish one hole before going to the next.

5

Count how many shots it takes to finish each hole. Each hole should take 2 shots or less.

6

Add up how many holes were finished in 2 shots or less.

7

Enter your total for holes finished in 2 shots or less out of 36 tries in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score232119171411853

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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