Course Program

Thread the gap: bunker shot through a narrow landing zone

Precision from tough lie, for a 13-handicap player, ~15 minutes at Mulligan Springs

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 12.83 drills

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

10 to 25

Average HCP

12.8

Duration (single session)

1 hr 18 min

or

1 drill/day: 3 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Distance Control37%
Precision29%
Trajectory15%
Dispersion8%
Alignment7%
Scoring5%

Overview

Program Structure

Thread the gap: bunker shot through a narrow landing zone. Pinpoint sand shots and precision from tough lie. Focus on Distance Control, Precision, Trajectory. For a 13-handicap player, in ~15 minutes.

Skill

Precision

Shot

Sand

What you will improve

  • Distance Control
  • Precision
  • Trajectory
  • Dispersion

Program details

Sessions
3 focused drills
Recommended
2–3 sessions / week
Total duration
1 hr 18 min
or
1 drill per day
3 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

Sand | Scattered Piles | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to land a sand shot inside the landing zone(s). The player with the most points wins the challenge. One bucket of balls per player is needed.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Sand | Scattered Piles | 3 Landing Zones
1

Make 3 target zones on the green using sticks or clubs. Space them 6 feet apart in a line.

2

Make 6 piles of 6 balls each in the sand, 20 to 40 yards from the hole.

3

Hit 36 sand shots: 12 shots to each zone.

4

Hit from any pile to Zone 1, then move to another pile and hit to Zone 2, then to another pile for Zone

5

Try to land the ball in the correct zone. Each ball that stays in the correct zone is a success.

6

After all shots, count how many balls landed in the correct zones and enter your score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825211612853
02

Sand | Perpendicular Piles | 9 Stop Zones

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a sand 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 Sand | Perpendicular Piles | 9 Stop Zones
1

Set up 10 piles of 4 balls each in two crossing lines of 5 piles each, spaced 3 yards/meters apart, and 20-40 yards from the hole.

2

On the green, mark 9 target zones with buckets, tees, or string in a clear grid or pattern.

3

Split 36 shots into 9 groups of

4

Each group only aims for one target zone.

4

For each group, pick a pile and hit 4 sand shots, trying to stop each ball in the zone.

5

Move to the next zone and repeat until each of the 9 zones has had 4 shots (36 total shots).

6

Each ball that stops in the right zone counts as one success.

7

After all shots, count how many were successful and enter your score in the app out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028252218141074
03

Sand | Parallel Ball Lines | Quadrants

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a sand shot inside the quadrant(s). The player with the most points at the end wins the challenge. 25 balls per player are needed.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Sand | Parallel Ball Lines | Quadrants
1

Lay out 4 lines of 9 balls each, spaced 1 foot apart.

2

Put these lines on grass, 20 to 40 yards from the hole for sand shots.

3

On the green mark 4 equal quadrants, each a 6-foot circle around the hole.

4

Hit 36 sand shots, in 4 groups of

5

For each group of 9 shots, try to stop balls inside one specific quadrant.

6

Start with quadrant 1 and hit 9 shots, then do the same for quadrants 2, 3, and

7

Count how many balls stop inside the planned quadrant.

8

Add the number of successful stops.

9

Enter your total successes out of 36 attempts in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129272318141174

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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