Course Program

Keep Ball Close To Hole

Focus on clean contact, for a 35-handicap player, ~30 minutes at Petaluma Gcc

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 359 drills61% 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

Scoring38%
Distance Control24%
Alignment15%
Aim8%
Trajectory5%
Dispersion5%
Precision3%
Accuracy2%

Overview

Program Structure

Keep Ball Close To Hole. Roll the ball low and straight 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
  • Aim

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 | Fairway | Uphill/Downhill

Short Game

Hit bump-n-run shot two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sloped fairway; one bucket from the uphill slope and one bucket from the downhill slope.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Fairway | Uphill/Downhill
1

Place 18 balls on the uphill slope and 18 balls on the downhill slope between 5 and 30 yards from the hole.

2

Set up 3 targets on the green, spaced evenly in a 10-foot wide area, labeled Target A, Target B, and Target C.

3

Hit 18 shots from the uphill slope and 18 shots from the downhill slope, for a total of 36 shots.

4

For each slope, hit 6 shots at Target A, then 6 shots at Target B, then 6 shots at Target C.

5

Keep the ball setup the same and do not move from your spot on the slope while hitting each group of shots.

6

Count each shot that lands and stops in the target zone as a success.

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129272318141074
02

Bump-n-Run | Deep Rough and Other | Uphill/Downhill

Short Game

Hit bump-n-run shot two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sloped deep rough and other extreme grass types; one bucket from the uphill slope and one bucket from the downhill slope.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Deep Rough and Other | Uphill/Downhill
1

Prepare 36 balls in two sets of

2

Pick one uphill spot, 5-20 yards from the hole, for 18 tries.

3

Make three target zones on the green around the hole: left, center, right.

4

Hit 6 balls at each target zone in order: left, center, right.

5

Move to a downhill spot, 5-20 yards from the hole, and do the same.

6

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

7

After 36 tries (18 uphill, 18 downhill), add up your successful shots and enter your score in the app, out of 36.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262318141063
03

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
04

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
05

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
06

Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Piles | Bullseye 2x

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 inside Bullseye. Count the number of balls in the inner and outer Bullseye.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Piles | Bullseye 2x
1

Make 10 piles of 4 balls (40 balls) in two lines, crossing each other near the green, 1 to 10 yards from the green and 5 to 30 yards from the hole. Keep piles 2 yards apart, lines 5 to 10 yards apart.

2

On the green, use string or tees to mark two circles around the hole: one with a 6-foot radius (inner), the other with a 15-foot radius (outer).

3

Use only 36 balls (9 piles of 4) for this test.

4

Split the 36 shots into two groups of

5

For the first 18 shots, try to land the ball inside the small circle.

6

For the next 18 shots, try to land the ball inside the big circle but outside the small circle.

7

Play bump-and-run shots by hitting from different piles, one after the other, keeping the same setup and order.

8

Count as a success if the ball stops in the correct circle. If not, it is a miss.

9

Count how many balls finished where they should in both circles. 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 | Quadrants

Short Game

Scatter a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 8 equal piles of 5 balls and stop bump-n-run shots inside quadrants. Count the number of successes.

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

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

2

On the green, use string or tees to make 4 equal sections inside a circle with a 6-foot radius around the hole.

3

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots, split into 4 groups of 9 shots. Each group tries to stop the ball in a different section.

4

Choose any pile and hit 9 shots at the first section. Then do 9 shots for the next section, and repeat for all 4 sections.

5

For each set of 9 shots, use any pile, but keep the same setup for all shots.

6

Count each shot that stops in the correct section as a success.

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262318141174
09

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

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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