Course Program

Save Par On Every Approach

Up-and-down contest, for a 17-handicap player, ~15 minutes at Tates Creek Golf Course

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 16.59 drills74% match to course practice profile

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

6 to 25

Average HCP

16.5

Duration (single session)

3 hr 54 min

or

1 drill/day: 9 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Scoring26%
Distance Control23%
Accuracy20%
Alignment9%
Precision7%
Visualization5%
Dispersion3%
Aim3%
Trajectory3%

Overview

Program Structure

Save Par On Every Approach. Save par clutch and up-and-down contest. Focus on Scoring, Distance Control, Accuracy, Alignment, Precision, Visualization, Dispersion, Aim, Trajectory. For a 17-handicap player, in ~15 minutes.

Shot

Pitch

What you will improve

  • Scoring
  • Distance Control
  • Accuracy
  • Alignment

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

Pitch | Fairway | Uphill/Downhill

Short Game

Hit 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 Pitch | Fairway | Uphill/Downhill
1

Split 36 shots into two groups of 18 shots: one group for uphill, one group for downhill, both on the fairway.

2

Mark three target zones on the green at 30, 45, and 60 yards from the hole.

3

For each slope, hit 6 shots at each zone (6 at 30 yards, 6 at 45 yards, 6 at 60 yards).

4

Do not change the ball setup during the drill.

5

Finish all 18 shots on the uphill slope first, then do all 18 shots on the downhill slope.

6

A shot counts only if it lands and stops inside the zone you aimed for.

7

After 36 shots, count successful shots and enter your score in the app out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262318141074
02

Pitch | Scattered Piles | Quadrants

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a pitch 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 Pitch | Scattered Piles | Quadrants
1

Make 4 piles of 9 balls each, with piles placed randomly 30–60 yards from the hole.

2

Mark 4 quadrants on the green around the hole using string or tees, each about 9 feet wide.

3

Hit 36 pitch shots, 9 to each quadrant.

4

From any pile, hit 9 balls trying to stop them in the first quadrant.

5

Move to a new pile and hit 9 balls to the second quadrant. Repeat for all quadrants.

6

Count balls that stop inside the target quadrant.

7

Count total balls in the correct quadrant and enter the number out of 36 attempts in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825201612853
03

Pitch | Scattered Piles | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a pitch shot closest to the multiple target(s). The player with the most points wins the challenge. One bucket of balls per player is needed.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Scattered Piles | Multiple Targets
1

Pick 3 targets on the green at least 6 feet apart.

2

Put 36 balls into 6 piles of 6 balls, between 20 and 40 yards from the hole, on different slopes and grass types.

3

Split shots into 3 sets of

4

For the first 12 shots, aim to stop the ball close to target

5

For the next 12 shots, aim to stop close to target

6

For the last 12 shots, aim to stop close to target

7

A shot counts if the ball stops within 3 feet of the correct target.

8

Keep the ball setup the same for every shot.

9

Count how many balls ended close to the proper target, and enter your score out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825221713963
04

Pitch | Scattered Piles | Quadrants

Short Game

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

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Scattered Piles | Quadrants
1

Make 4 piles of 9 balls each, with the piles 30–60 yards from the hole on different ground.

2

On the green, mark out a 15-foot circle around the hole and divide the circle into 4 equal parts.

3

Hit 9 shots from a pile to try and stop the ball in the first part of the circle.

4

Move to another pile and hit 9 shots for the second part.

5

Repeat for the third and fourth parts, from any pile.

6

Count each ball that stops in the right part as a success.

7

Enter number of successes in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028252218141063
05

Pitch | Fairway | Uphill/Downhill

Short Game

Up to 5 players hit 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 Pitch | Fairway | Uphill/Downhill
1

Set up two target zones on the green: one uphill, one downhill. Use cones, clubs, or string to mark each zone about 6 feet wide.

2

From the fairway slope, 30 to 60 yards away, hit 36 pitch shots.

3

Split the 36 shots: 18 shots to the uphill zone, 18 shots to the downhill zone.

4

Keep your stance and ball setup the same for all shots.

5

First, hit 18 shots to the uphill zone. Then, hit 18 shots to the downhill zone.

6

Count a success if the ball lands and stays in the target zone.

7

When finished, add up the number of successful shots, and enter that number out of 36 attempts in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141074
06

Pitch | Deep Rough and Other | Above/Below Feet

Short Game

Hit two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sloped deep rough and other extreme grass types; one bucket with balls above feet level, and one bucket with balls below feet level.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Deep Rough and Other | Above/Below Feet
1

Put 4 piles of 9 balls on a slope, 2 piles above feet, 2 piles below feet, 30 to 60 yards from the hole.

2

Mark 3 target zones on the green: left, center, right, each about 6 feet wide.

3

Hit 36 pitch shots, 18 from above feet piles, 18 from below feet piles.

4

For each area (above and below feet), hit 6 shots to each zone.

5

Switch between piles of the same area as you hit, aiming for the target zone.

6

A shot counts if the ball stops in the right zone.

7

Count how many shots went in the target zones and enter score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score292724201612964
07

Pitch | Scattered Piles | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to land a pitch 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 Pitch | Scattered Piles | 3 Landing Zones
1

Set up 3 target zones on the green in a straight line, 6 feet apart.

2

Make 6 piles of balls between 30 and 60 yards from the hole.

3

Split 36 balls into 3 groups of

4

Hit 12 shots to target zone 1 from any pile.

5

Hit 12 shots to target zone 2 from any pile.

6

Hit 12 shots to target zone 3 from any pile.

7

Count how many shots stop inside the correct zone.

8

Enter the number of successes out of 36 attempts in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302826221713963
08

Pitch | Perpendicular Piles | Bullseye 2x

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a pitch shot in the bullseye. The best final score relative to PAR wins the challenge. One bucket of balls per player is needed.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Perpendicular Piles | Bullseye 2x
1

Set up 10 piles of balls in two lines that cross each other, with each pile about 3 yards/meters apart.

2

Place the piles 30 to 60 yards/meters from the hole on similar grass.

3

Mark two circles on the green: a small 6-foot (2-meter) circle and a bigger 15-foot (5-meter) circle around the hole.

4

Take 36 shots: 18 try to land in the small circle, 18 try to land in the outer circle but not in the small circle.

5

Start with any pile and hit 18 shots for the small circle.

6

For the next 18 shots, try to land in the outer circle but not in the small circle.

7

Count a shot as a success if it lands in the circle you are aiming for.

8

After each shot, pick a different pile at random to hit from.

9

Count how many successful shots you made for each circle out of 36 attempts and enter your score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028252218141075
09

Pitch | Rough | Uphill/Downhill

Short Game

Up to 5 players hit two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sloped rough grass; one bucket from the uphill slope and one bucket from the downhill slope.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Pitch | Rough | Uphill/Downhill
1

Set up two target zones on the green, one uphill and one downhill, each marked with flags or cones about 3–5 feet apart.

2

From the rough slope, 20 to 40 yards away, players hit pitch shots trying to land balls in the uphill or downhill target zone.

3

Take 36 shots total: 18 to the uphill zone and 18 to the downhill zone.

4

Hit all 18 shots to the uphill zone first, then to the downhill zone, or switch back and forth if preferred.

5

Count every ball that stays inside the target zone as a success.

6

Always set up the ball the same way from the rough slope at 20–40 yards.

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028252218141074

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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