Course Program

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

Turn into par saves, for a 20-handicap player, ~20 minutes at Sturminster Marshall (Alternate Tees)

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 20.36 drills

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

1 to 45

Average HCP

20.3

Duration (single session)

2 hr 36 min

or

1 drill/day: 6 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Scoring30%
Accuracy15%
Distance Control15%
Precision13%
Alignment11%
Visualization7%
Aim5%
Dispersion3%
Trajectory2%

Overview

Program Structure

Up-and-down contest: how many can you save in a row?. Save par clutch and up-and-down contest. Focus on Scoring, Accuracy, Distance Control. For a 20-handicap player, in ~20 minutes.

Skill

Scoring

Shot

Sand

What you will improve

  • Scoring
  • Accuracy
  • Distance Control
  • Precision

Program details

Sessions
6 focused drills
Recommended
2–3 sessions / week
Total duration
2 hr 36 min
or
1 drill per day
6 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

Sand Mid

Short Game

Hit two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sand.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Sand  Mid
1

Pick two different bunker spots, each 20 to 40 yards from the hole.

2

Put Target A on the left and Target B on the right on the green, about 10 feet apart.

3

Hit 36 shots total: 18 from one spot, 18 from the other spot.

4

From each spot, hit 9 shots to Target A and 9 shots to Target B. Alternate every 3 shots.

5

Use the same setup and swing for all shots. Only change where you aim.

6

Count a shot as good if it stops within 3 feet of the target you aimed for.

7

Add up your good shots out of 36 and enter the score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score282623191512963
02

Sand Short

Short Game

Hit two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sand.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Sand  Short
1

Place 3 piles of 12 golf balls in the bunker, each pile in a different spot between 5 and 20 yards from the hole.

2

Mark 3 target zones on the green around the hole, each zone about 3 feet wide.

3

Hit balls from each pile and try to land them in each target zone, 12 shots per zone.

4

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

5

After all shots, enter the number of successful balls out of 36 in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score282623201612963
03

Sand Long

Short Game

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

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Sand  Long
1

Set up two sand piles 5 yards apart, 40 to 60 yards from the hole.

2

Hit 18 shots from the first pile, then 18 shots from the second pile.

3

Mark three landing zones around the hole, each 3 to 5 feet wide.

4

Try to land 12 shots in each different zone.

5

Hit 12 shots at the first zone.

6

Hit 12 shots at the second zone.

7

Hit 12 shots at the third zone. After all 36 shots, count how many landed and stopped in the right zone for each stage. Enter your total successful shots out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302824201612853
04

Sand | Perpendicular Ball Lines | Bullseye 2x

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls in the sand (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 2 perpendicular lines 20 balls per line and stop sand shots inside Bullseye. Count the number of balls in the inner and outer Bullseye.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Sand | Perpendicular Ball Lines | Bullseye 2x
1

Arrange 36 balls in 2 straight lines in the sand, 18 balls in each line, balls 1 foot apart, lines 5 to 10 yards apart.

2

Mark two circle targets on the green: inner Bullseye 6-foot radius, outer Bullseye 15-foot radius around the hole.

3

Hit all 36 balls from the sand aiming for the target circles on the green.

4

Hit 3 balls from one line, then 3 from the other line, repeat until all 36 are hit.

5

Balls inside the inner Bullseye count as 'birdie', balls inside the outer (but outside inner) count as 'par'.

6

Count total balls in the Bullseye circles as your score, enter the number out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285
05

Sand | Scattered Piles | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Scatter a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) in the sand. Scatter into 8 equal piles of 5 balls and hit-and-land sand shots inside landing zones. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Sand | Scattered Piles | 3 Landing Zones
1

Make 9 piles of 4 golf balls each in the bunker, placing them randomly 20 to 40 yards from the hole.

2

Put 3 markers on the green in a straight line, each 6 feet apart to make 3 landing zones.

3

Hit 12 balls to each zone (36 shots total).

4

Hit from any pile to the first zone 12 times, then 12 to the second, then 12 to the third.

5

Count how many balls stop in the correct zone.

6

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262218141074
06

Sand | Perpendicular Piles | 9 Stop Zones

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls in the sand (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 10 equal perpendicular piles of 4 balls and stop sand shots inside 9 Stop Zones. Count the number of successful stops.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Sand | Perpendicular Piles | 9 Stop Zones
1

Place 36 balls into 9 piles of 4 balls each. Space the piles in two crossing lines about 5 to 10 yards apart. Keep piles in each line about 2 yards apart. Make sure the piles are 20 to 40 yards from the hole.

2

On the green, make 9 stop zones with buckets, tees, or string. Keep zones clear and not overlapping.

3

Hit 36 sand shots, trying to stop 4 balls in each stop zone.

4

Hit 4 shots from the first pile to the first stop zone. Move to the next pile and aim at the next zone.

5

Keep going until you finish 36 shots, 4 to each zone.

6

Count each shot that stops in the right zone as one success.

7

Add the total number of successes out of 36 attempts and enter the score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282521161285

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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