Course Program

Open up and let it fly: alignment for flop shots

Open up and fly, for a 22-handicap player, ~20 minutes at Sandyhills

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 21.94 drills57% match to course practice profile

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

10 to 45

Average HCP

21.9

Duration (single session)

1 hr 44 min

1 drill/day: 4 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Alignment33%

Accuracy30%

Distance Control23%

Aim8%

Scoring8%

Overview

Program Structure

Open up and let it fly: alignment for flop shots. Set up for high shot and open up and fly. Focus on Alignment, Accuracy, Distance Control. For a 22-handicap player, in ~20 minutes.

Skill

Alignment

Shot

Flop

What you will improve

Alignment
Accuracy
Distance Control
Aim

Program details

Sessions: 4 focused drills
Recommended: 2–3 sessions / week
Total duration: 1 hr 44 min
1 drill per day: 4 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 Drill 4

Flop | Deep Rough and Other | Uphill/Downhill

Short Game

Up to 5 players hit flop 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 Flop | Deep Rough and Other | Uphill/Downhill

Split 36 balls into two groups of

Make two target zones on the green, each about 5 feet wide: Zone A (left), Zone B (right).

For the first 18 balls, hit from uphill rough and try to land in Zone A.

For the next 18 balls, hit from downhill rough and try to land in Zone B.

All shots should be from the same spot in deep rough, 10 to 15 yards from the green.

Count balls that land and stay in the correct zone.

After 36 shots, enter the number of successes (out of 36) in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36

Handicap	+9	+5	+1	5	12	19	27	36	54
Score	30	28	26	22	18	14	10	7	4

Flop | Fairway | Flat

Short Game

Hit flop shot two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the flat fairway.

26 minFocus: Short Game

Place two pins on the green about 8 feet apart to mark target zones.

Set up 5 to 20 yards from the hole on flat ground.

Hit 36 flop shots in 3 sets of

Aim all first 12 shots at the left target.

Aim all next 12 shots at the right target.

For the last 12 shots, switch target every 3 shots: 3 left, 3 right, then repeat.

Keep the same ball setup for every shot.

Count a shot as success if ball stops within 3 feet of target.

After all 36 shots, enter your number of successful shots out of 36 attempts 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 | Fairway | Above/Below Feet

Short Game

Up to 5 players hit flop shot two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sloped fairway; one bucket with balls above feet level, and one bucket with balls below feet level.

26 minFocus: Short Game

Diagram for Flop | Fairway | Above/Below Feet

Get 36 golf balls. Split them into 2 groups of

Make 3 target zones on the green. Each zone should be 4 feet wide and lined up in a row.

Hit 18 flop shots from above your feet. Aim for 6 shots at each target zone. Use the same setup and stance for every shot.

Move to below your feet. Hit 18 flop shots again, 6 shots at each of the same target zones.

Count the shots that stop inside the correct target zone as success.

Add up the successful shots from both above and below feet, out of 36 tries. Enter your score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36

Handicap	+9	+5	+1	5	12	19	27	36	54
Score	30	28	25	21	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 Sandyhills Talk to a coach

Coaching here? Get featured.