Course Program

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

Up-and-down contest, for a 23-handicap player, ~20 minutes at Pendleton Golf Club

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 23.29 drills52% match to course practice profile

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

8 to 45

Average HCP

23.2

Duration (single session)

3 hr 54 min

or

1 drill/day: 9 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Scoring44%
Distance Control33%
Visualization24%

Overview

Program Structure

Up-and-down contest: how many can you save in a row?. Up-and-down contest and turn into birdies. Focus on Scoring, Distance Control, Visualization. For a 23-handicap player, in ~20 minutes.

Skill

Scoring

Shot

Mixed

What you will improve

  • Scoring
  • Distance Control
  • Visualization

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

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
02

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
03

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 in easy spots around the green like sand, sloped rough, and deep rough. Each ball is a hole. Par is

2

Hit your chip or pitch shot, then putt to finish each hole.

3

Play all 9 holes once (18 shots total).

4

Do the 9 holes two more times, change ball spots each round (36 shots total).

5

Count the strokes for each hole. Try to stay at or below 18 strokes per round.

6

Count how many holes you did at par 2 or better.

7

Enter the number of successful holes (par or better) out of 36 attempts in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129272318141074
04

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 holes in difficult spots about 20 to 40 yards from the green.

2

Put one ball for each player at every hole.

3

Each player hits 4 shots at each hole, for 36 shots total.

4

Players hit to the green and putt to finish each hole.

5

After finishing a hole, move to the next one. Repeat for all 9 holes.

6

Count total shots for each hole. Compare to par (2 shots per hole, 18 total).

7

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

8

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141074
05

DIY Course Medium

Short Game

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

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for DIY Course  Medium
1

Make 9 holes around the chipping area using things like sand, sloped rough, and deep rough to make each hole different.

2

Put one ball for each player at every hole spot. If there are 5 players, put 5 balls at every hole.

3

Each ball spot is its own 'PAR 2' hole to finish.

4

At each hole, players chip or wedge from 20-40 yards onto the green, then putt to finish.

5

Finish the hole (chip and putts) before going to the next one.

6

Do this for all 9 holes to make one round of 18 tries (about 2 shots per hole).

7

To get 36 tries, play two rounds of the 9 holes, using new ball spots each time.

8

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

9

Enter the total number of successful holes out of 36 tries as your score.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141064
06

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 places around the chipping area, like sand, sloped ground, rough, or deep rough.

2

Put 4 balls at each hole, one for each player.

3

Each ball spot is a PAR 2 hole. Chip or pitch the ball onto the green, then putt until the ball goes in.

4

Play all 9 holes, hitting one shot to the green and putting until you finish the hole.

5

Repeat the 9-hole course 4 times for a total of 36 shots.

6

Count how many shots were used for each hole, compare to PAR 2, and keep score (lower score is better).

7

When finished, enter how many times you completed holes at or below the expected score out of 36 attempts in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141064
07

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
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
09

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 tricky spots around the short game area, like sand, sloped rough, and deep rough, 20-40 yards from the green.

2

Each ball is a mini hole with par 2 shots (chip plus putt).

3

For each ball, chip onto the green and then putt until it goes in, counting strokes (max 2).

4

Move to the next ball and do the same until all 9 balls are played.

5

Play the 9 balls again two more times from different spots for a total of 36 attempts.

6

After 36 tries, add up all the strokes.

7

Compare your total strokes to the par (72) to see how you did. Lower scores are better.

8

Enter the number of holes finished in 2 shots out of 36 tries in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score161718212427303335

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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