Course Program

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

Turn into birdies, for a 26-handicap player, ~20 minutes at Northern Pines Golf Club

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 266 drills49% match to course practice profile

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

8 to 45

Average HCP

26

Duration (single session)

2 hr 36 min

or

1 drill/day: 6 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Scoring45%
Distance Control34%
Visualization21%

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 26-handicap player, in ~20 minutes.

Skill

Scoring

Shot

Mixed

What you will improve

  • Scoring
  • Distance Control
  • Visualization

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

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
02

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
03

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
04

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 short holes around the practice area. Put one ball per player on different lies like sand, rough, and slopes.

2

Each hole is a PAR 2 challenge.

3

Play the 9 holes two times. Take 2 shots per hole each time. This means 36 shots total.

4

At each hole, hit your wedge or short shot to the green, then putt until you finish the hole.

5

Go to the next hole when you finish. Do this for all 9 holes, two times.

6

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

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141074
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 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
06

DIY Course Medium

Short Game

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

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for DIY Course  Medium
1

Place 9 balls in different spots around the chipping green.

2

Hit each ball onto the green with one shot.

3

Putt each ball to finish that hole, counting total strokes (max 2 is PAR).

4

Do this for all 9 balls to finish 1 round.

5

Repeat the 9-hole round 4 times, changing ball positions each time, for 36 holes.

6

Count how many holes you finished in 2 strokes or less. Enter the total out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score2928262319141185

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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

Up-and-down contest: how many can you save in a row? | Northern Pines Golf Club