Course Program

Land 3–4 Feet From Hole

Stick approaches, for a 16-handicap player, ~15 minutes at Nashua Country Club

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 16.29 drills67% match to course practice profile

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

6 to 25

Average HCP

16.2

Duration (single session)

3 hr 54 min

or

1 drill/day: 9 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Accuracy26%
Scoring23%
Distance Control21%
Alignment16%
Aim6%
Visualization3%
Precision3%
Trajectory2%

Overview

Program Structure

Land 3–4 Feet From Hole. Stick approaches and land 3-4 feet away. Focus on Accuracy, Scoring, Distance Control, Alignment, Aim, Visualization, Precision, Trajectory. For a 16-handicap player, in ~15 minutes.

Shot

Pitch

What you will improve

  • Accuracy
  • Scoring
  • Distance Control
  • 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 | 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
02

Pitch | Deep Rough and Other | Above/Below Feet

Short Game

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 Pitch | Deep Rough and Other | Above/Below Feet
1

Put 4 piles of 9 balls on a slope, 2 piles above feet, 2 piles below feet, 30 to 60 yards from the hole.

2

Mark 3 target zones on the green: left, center, right, each about 6 feet wide.

3

Hit 36 pitch shots, 18 from above feet piles, 18 from below feet piles.

4

For each area (above and below feet), hit 6 shots to each zone.

5

Switch between piles of the same area as you hit, aiming for the target zone.

6

A shot counts if the ball stops in the right zone.

7

Count how many shots went in the target zones and enter score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score292724201612964
03

Pitch | Rough | Flat

Short Game

Hit two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the flat rough.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Rough | Flat
1

Make 3 piles of 12 golf balls each, spaced between 30 and 60 yards from the hole in the rough.

2

On the green, mark 3 zones at different distances from the hole: Zone A at 5 feet, Zone B at 10 feet, Zone C at 15 feet.

3

Hit 36 pitch shots in total, 12 shots for each zone.

4

From the first pile, try to land and stop 12 balls in Zone A.

5

From the second pile, try to land and stop 12 balls in Zone B.

6

From the third pile, try to land and stop 12 balls in Zone C.

7

Count a shot as a success if it stops in the right zone.

8

Set up the ball the same way every time.

9

When done, enter your number of successful shots into the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score282623191511853
04

Pitch | Deep Rough and Other | Flat

Short Game

Hit two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the flat deep rough and other extreme grass types.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Deep Rough and Other | Flat
1

Set up 3 targets on the green or fringe, in a straight line, 6 feet apart.

2

Place 3 piles of 12 golf balls each, 30 to 60 yards away in deep rough.

3

From the first pile, hit 12 shots at the first target.

4

From the second pile, hit 12 shots at the second target.

5

From the third pile, hit 12 shots at the third target.

6

Use the same setup for all shots.

7

Count each ball that lands in the target as a success.

8

After 36 shots, enter your number of successes in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score282623191512853
05

Pitch | Scattered Ball Lines | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Scatter a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 8 equal lines of 5 balls and hit-and-land pitch shots inside landing zones. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Scattered Ball Lines | 3 Landing Zones
1

Put 36 balls on the grass in 6 lines. Each line has 6 balls. Keep balls 1 yard apart.

2

Make 3 landing zones on the green using sticks, clubs, or string. Each zone should be 9 feet from the others in a straight line.

3

Split your shots into 3 groups of

2

Each group is for one landing zone.

4

Hit 6 balls from one line to the first zone. Move to another line and hit 6 balls to the same zone. Now you have 12 shots for the first zone.

5

Do the same for the second and third zones, using 2 lines for each (6 shots per line).

6

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

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129272318141074
06

Pitch | Scattered Piles | 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 wins the challenge. One bucket of balls per player is needed.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Scattered Piles | Multiple Targets
1

Pick 3 targets on the green at least 6 feet apart.

2

Put 36 balls into 6 piles of 6 balls, between 20 and 40 yards from the hole, on different slopes and grass types.

3

Split shots into 3 sets of

4

For the first 12 shots, aim to stop the ball close to target

5

For the next 12 shots, aim to stop close to target

6

For the last 12 shots, aim to stop close to target

7

A shot counts if the ball stops within 3 feet of the correct target.

8

Keep the ball setup the same for every shot.

9

Count how many balls ended close to the proper target, and enter your score out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825221713963
07

Pitch | Rough | Flat

Short Game

Up to 5 players hit two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the flat rough grass.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Rough | Flat
1

Make 3 piles of 12 balls each (36 balls total) between 30 and 60 yards from the hole on flat rough grass.

2

On the green, set up 3 target areas at different distances around the hole.

3

Hit 12 balls toward each target area (36 shots total, 12 for each zone).

4

Hit the first 12 balls to Zone 1, the next 12 to Zone 2, and the last 12 to Zone

5

Leave the balls in the same position; only change which target zone you aim at.

6

Count each ball that lands and stops inside the target zone as a success.

7

When all 36 shots are finished, count the number of successes and enter your score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score312926221713963
08

Pitch | Fairway | Flat

Short Game

Up to 5 players hit two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the flat fairway surface.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Fairway | Flat
1

Make 3 piles with 12 golf balls in each pile.

2

Mark 3 target zones on the green, each about 6 feet apart and about 2 feet wide.

3

Pitch all shots from 30 to 40 yards away on flat grass.

4

Use the first pile and hit balls at the first target zone.

5

Use the second pile and hit balls at the second target zone.

6

Use the last pile and hit balls at the third target zone.

7

Count the balls that land and stop in the target zone.

8

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825201612964
09

Pitch | Rough | Uphill/Downhill

Short Game

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

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

Set up two target zones on the green, one uphill and one downhill, each marked with flags or cones about 3–5 feet apart.

2

From the rough slope, 20 to 40 yards away, players hit pitch shots trying to land balls in the uphill or downhill target zone.

3

Take 36 shots total: 18 to the uphill zone and 18 to the downhill zone.

4

Hit all 18 shots to the uphill zone first, then to the downhill zone, or switch back and forth if preferred.

5

Count every ball that stays inside the target zone as a success.

6

Always set up the ball the same way from the rough slope at 20–40 yards.

7

After 36 shots, enter the number of successful shots in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028252218141074

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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