Course Program

Land 3–4 Feet From Pin

Land 3-4 feet away, for a 18-handicap player, ~15 minutes at Observatory

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 17.53 drills

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

10 to 25

Average HCP

17.5

Duration (single session)

1 hr 18 min

1 drill/day: 3 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Distance Control30%

Accuracy27%

Alignment20%

Scoring15%

Dispersion5%

Precision3%

Overview

Program Structure

Land 3–4 Feet From Pin. Stick flops to green and land 3-4 feet away. Focus on Distance Control, Accuracy, Alignment. For a 18-handicap player, in ~15 minutes.

Shot

Flop

What you will improve

Distance Control
Accuracy
Alignment
Scoring

Program details

Sessions: 3 focused drills
Recommended: 2–3 sessions / week
Total duration: 1 hr 18 min
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.

Drill 1 Drill 2 Drill 3

Flop | Deep Rough and Other | Flat

Short Game

Up to 5 players hit flop shot 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 Flop | Deep Rough and Other | Flat

Set up 3 target zones on the green, spaced about 4 feet apart in a row.

Place all golf balls together in a pile 10 yards from the green, outside the deep rough.

Hit 36 flop shots from the rough, aiming 12 shots at each zone.

Hit 12 shots to Zone

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

Add how many successes out of 36, and enter the score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36

Handicap	+9	+5	+1	5	12	19	27	36	54
Score	31	29	26	22	17	13	9	6	3

Flop | Fairway | Flat

Short Game

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

26 minFocus: Short Game

Set up 3 target zones on the green at 5, 12, and 20 yards from where the balls will be hit. Mark each zone with cones.

Place 36 balls in 3 groups of 12 balls each.

Hit 12 balls to try to land them in the 5 yard zone.

Hit 12 balls to try to land them in the 12 yard zone.

Hit 12 balls to try to land them in the 20 yard zone. Enter your score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Do not change your ball position or stance during the test.

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36

Handicap	+9	+5	+1	5	12	19	27	36	54
Score	30	28	24	20	16	12	9	6	4

Flop | Scattered Piles | 9 Stop Zones

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a flop 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 Flop | Scattered Piles | 9 Stop Zones

Divide 36 balls into 9 piles with 4 balls each. Put each pile in the chipping area, not on the green, between 5 and 20 yards from the hole.

Mark 9 stop zones on the green using tees, string, or buckets, spaced across the green.

Hit 4 flop shots at each stop zone, trying to stop each ball in the zone.

Start at any pile and pick a stop zone. Hit 4 balls from the pile to that zone.

Move to the next pile and new stop zone. Keep going until all 9 zones have 4 shots each (36 shots total).

Count each ball that stops inside the right stop zone.

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36

Handicap	+9	+5	+1	5	12	19	27	36	54
Score	30	28	26	22	17	13	9	6	3

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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

View all programs for Observatory Talk to a coach

Coaching here? Get featured.