Course Program

Keep Ball Close To Hole

Roll the ball low and straight, for a 35-handicap player, ~30 minutes at Penn Oaks Golf Club

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 359 drills72% match to course practice profile

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

25 to 45

Average HCP

35

Duration (single session)

3 hr 54 min

or

1 drill/day: 9 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Scoring27%
Distance Control27%
Alignment11%
Precision11%
Aim10%
Dispersion7%
Trajectory5%
Accuracy2%

Overview

Program Structure

Keep Ball Close To Hole. Focus on clean contact and use a short swing. Focus on Scoring, Distance Control, Alignment. For a 35-handicap player, in ~30 minutes.

Shot

Bump'n'Run

What you will improve

  • Scoring
  • Distance Control
  • Alignment
  • Precision

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

Bump-n-Run | Scattered Piles | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Scatter a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) next to the green. Scatter into 8 equal piles of 5 balls and stop bump-n-run shots close to multiple targets. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Scattered Piles | Multiple Targets
1

Scatter 40 balls into 8 piles of 5 balls each, between 1 and 10 yards from the green and 5 to 30 yards from the hole.

2

Mark 3 targets on the green, about 6 feet apart in a line.

3

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots.

4

Aim 12 shots at each of the 3 targets.

5

Hit 12 shots at the first target, then 12 at the second, then 12 at the third.

6

Count shots that stop inside 10 feet of the target as successful.

7

Add successful shots out of 36 and enter score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285
02

Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Piles | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls next to the green (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 10 equal perpendicular piles of 4 balls and stop bump-n-run shots close to multiple targets. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Piles | Multiple Targets
1

Arrange 40 balls into 10 piles with 4 balls in each pile. Set the piles in two lines that cross each other near the green. The two lines should be 6 yards apart. Each pile in a line is 2 yards from the next pile.

2

Pick 3 target flags on the green. Space the targets 6 feet apart in a line or triangle so each one can be aimed at.

3

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots, in 3 sets of 12 shots. For each set, aim all 12 shots at one of the target flags (Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 3).

4

Start at any pile and try to hit the ball so it lands inside a 10-foot circle around the chosen target. Do this for 12 shots, then move to the next target and do it again, until all 36 shots are done.

5

Use different piles as you like for variety, but always set up the same way for each shot.

6

Count each shot that stops inside the 10-foot circle as a success.

7

After all shots, count total successes and enter score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score312926221713963
03

Bump-n-Run | Rough | Flat

Short Game

Hit bump-n-run shot two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the flat rough grass.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Rough | Flat
1

Place two markers on the green, 15 yards apart.

2

Split 36 shots into two groups of

3

Hit 18 bump-and-run shots from the first rough spot at the first marker, aiming to stop the ball near it.

4

Move to a different nearby rough spot.

5

Hit 18 shots at the second marker from the new spot.

6

Count each shot as a success if the ball stops within 3 feet of the marker.

7

Use the same setup and stance for all shots.

8

Total the number of successful shots out of 36 in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141074
04

Bump-n-Run | Deep Rough and Other | Flat

Short Game

Hit bump-n-run 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 Bump-n-Run | Deep Rough and Other | Flat
1

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

2

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots, 12 to each target.

3

Place the ball in thick grass, 5 to 20 yards from the hole, and keep setup the same for every shot.

4

Hit 12 shots at Target

5

Hit 12 shots at Target

6

Hit 12 shots at Target

7

Count a successful shot if it stops within 3 feet of the target.

8

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028252218141074
05

Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Piles | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a bump-n-run shot inside the landing 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 Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Piles | 3 Landing Zones
1

Set up 10 piles of balls in 2 lines that cross each other, 5 piles in each line. Space the piles about 3 yards or meters apart.

2

Place the piles so they are 1 to 10 yards or meters from the green and 5 to 30 yards or meters from the hole, on any grass.

3

On the green, make 3 landing zones side by side, each about 6 feet or 2 meters apart, using sticks, clubs, or string.

4

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots total. Aim 12 shots at each landing zone.

5

Pick a pile. Hit balls at the first landing zone until you do 12 shots.

6

Aim at the second landing zone for 12 shots from any piles.

7

Aim at the third landing zone for the last 12 shots.

8

Count how many shots land and stop in the right zone.

9

When all 36 shots are done, record the number of good shots out of 36 in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score312926221713963
06

Bump-n-Run | Scattered Piles | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to land a bump-n-run 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 Bump-n-Run | Scattered Piles | 3 Landing Zones
1

Get 36 balls. Split them into 3 piles of 12 balls.

2

Make 3 zones on the green with sticks or string. Each zone is 6 feet apart in a line.

3

On the grass, put each pile of balls at random spots 1 to 10 yards from the green and 5 to 30 yards from the hole. Each pile matches a zone.

4

Hit 12 shots from the first pile, try to land in the first zone.

5

Hit 12 shots from the second pile, try to land in the second zone.

6

Hit 12 shots from the last pile, try to land in the third zone.

7

Count how many balls land and stop in each zone.

8

Add up your total and enter your score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285
07

Bump-n-Run | Scattered Piles | Quadrants

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop bump-n-run shot inside the quadrant(s). The player with the most points wins the challenge. One bucket of balls per player is needed.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Scattered Piles | Quadrants
1

Prepare 36 balls and make 4 piles of 9 balls each.

2

Put each pile in a different spot, 1 to 10 yards from the green and 5 to 30 yards from the hole.

3

Mark 4 areas on the green using string or tees, each area should be about 6 feet across.

4

Hit 36 bump-n-run shots, trying to land 9 balls in each area.

5

Start from one pile, aim at one area, and hit all 9 balls. Move to the next pile and area.

6

Keep going until all 36 shots are done, 9 shots per area.

7

Count how many balls stopped in the target area each time.

8

After all 36 shots, enter how many successes out of 36 in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129272318141074
08

Bump-n-Run | Scattered Piles | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Scatter a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) next to the green. Scatter into 8 equal piles of 5 balls and hit-and-land bump-n-run shots inside landing zones. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Scattered Piles | 3 Landing Zones
1

Put 36 golf balls into 3 groups of 12 balls. Spread the groups around the green between 1 and 10 yards from the edge and 5 to 30 yards from the hole.

2

Mark 3 landing zones in a straight line at the edge of the green, each 6 feet (2 meters) apart.

3

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots: 12 to zone 1, 12 to zone 2, 12 to zone

4

Use the first set of 12 balls for zone 1, the second set for zone 2, and the last set for zone

5

Keep ball positions and distances the same for the whole test.

6

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

7

Add your total successful shots and enter your score in the app out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285
09

Bump-n-Run | Parallel Ball Lines | 9 Stop Zones

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls next to the green (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 2 parallel lines 20 balls per line and stop bump-n-run shots inside 9 Stop Zones. Count the number of successful stops.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Parallel Ball Lines | 9 Stop Zones
1

Place two parallel lines of balls beside the green. Each line has 18 balls spaced 1 foot apart. The lines are 5 to 10 yards apart.

2

On the green, mark 9 stop zones using tees, string, or buckets. Arrange the zones in 3 rows of 3, spaced evenly.

3

Hit 36 bump-n-run shots. Divide them into 9 groups of 4 shots.

4

Hit 4 shots from one ball line toward Stop Zone

1

Try to stop each ball in that zone.

5

Switch to the other ball line and hit 4 shots toward Stop Zone

6

Keep switching ball lines and hit 4 shots at each stop zone in order (Zone 1 to Zone 9).

7

Count every ball that stops in the right stop zone as a success.

8

Add total successful stops and enter the score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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

Keep Ball Close To Hole | Penn Oaks Golf Club