Course Program

Feel the distance: bunker to different targets and control your rollout

Vary landing spot, for a 22-handicap player, ~20 minutes at The Gauntlet

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 21.75 drills

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

4 to 45

Average HCP

21.7

Duration (single session)

2 hr 10 min

or

1 drill/day: 5 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Distance Control32%
Scoring18%
Precision14%
Dispersion12%
Aim12%
Alignment7%
Trajectory6%

Overview

Program Structure

Feel the distance: bunker to different targets and control your rollout. Stop on a dime and feel the green. Focus on Distance Control, Scoring, Precision, Dispersion, Aim, Alignment, Trajectory. For a 22-handicap player, in ~20 minutes.

Skill

Distance Control

Shot

Sand

What you will improve

  • Distance Control
  • Scoring
  • Precision
  • Dispersion

Program details

Sessions
5 focused drills
Recommended
2–3 sessions / week
Total duration
2 hr 10 min
or
1 drill per day
5 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 | Scattered Piles | Quadrants

Short Game

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

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

Make 8 piles of 5 balls each (total 40 balls) in sand bunkers 20–40 yards from the hole.

2

On the green, make a 10-foot circle around the hole. Divide the circle into 4 quadrants.

3

Hit 36 shots from the sand. Aim for 9 shots in each quadrant.

4

Hit from different piles to change distance and angle.

5

Try to stop each ball in the right quadrant. Count only the shots that stop in the correct quadrant.

6

Count successful shots in the correct quadrants. Enter score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825211612963
02

Sand | Perpendicular Ball Lines | Multiple Targets

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 close to multiple targets. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Sand | Perpendicular Ball Lines | Multiple Targets
1

Place 40 balls in a sand bunker. Make 2 lines with 18 balls each, 1 foot apart, crossing each other.

2

Pick 4 targets 20-40 yards from the bunker.

3

Assign 9 shots to each target, switching between the 2 ball lines for each target.

4

For the first target, hit 9 balls from the first line. Try to get each ball within 10 feet of the target.

5

Switch to the second line. Hit 9 balls to the second target, aiming within 10 feet again.

6

Keep switching lines and targets until all 36 shots are done.

7

Count all successful shots that end up within 10 feet of the target.

8

Enter your total number of successful shots out of 36 attempts in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028252218141074
03

Sand | Parallel Ball Lines | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls in the sand (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 2 parallel lines 20 balls per line and hit-and-land sand shots inside landing zones. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Sand | Parallel Ball Lines | 3 Landing Zones
1

In the sand bunker, make two straight lines of balls. Each line has 18 balls, with 1 foot (30 cm) between each ball. The two lines are 6 to 10 yards (5 to 10 meters) apart.

2

On the green, set up three landing zones. Mark them with sticks, clubs, or string. Space the zones 6 feet (2 meters) apart in a straight line.

3

Hit 36 sand shots. Split them into 3 groups of 12 shots.

4

For the first group, hit from one ball line and aim for the first landing zone.

5

For the second group, switch to the other ball line and aim for the second zone.

6

For the last group, go back to the first ball line and aim for the third zone.

7

Count each shot that lands and stays in the correct zone as a success. After all 36 shots, add up the successful shots and enter the score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302826221713953
04

Sand | Scattered Piles | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Scatter a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) in the sand. Scatter into 8 equal piles of 5 balls and stop sand shots close to multiple targets. Count the number of successes.

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

Divide 40 golf balls into 8 piles of 5 balls each in the sand between 5 and 60 yards/meters from the hole.

2

On the green, set up 3 flag targets in a straight line, each 6 feet (2 meters) apart. Label them Target A, Target B, and Target C.

3

Hit 36 sand shots in total, with 12 shots aimed at each target.

4

Start from any pile. Hit 12 shots at Target A.

5

Move to Target B, hit 12 shots, then hit the last 12 shots at Target C.

6

Switch between piles after every 2 to 5 shots.

7

Count a shot as a success if it stops within 10 feet (3 meters) of the target.

8

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129272318131074
05

Sand | Perpendicular Ball Lines | 9 Stop Zones

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 9 Stop Zones. Count the number of successful stops.

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

Place two lines of 18 balls each in the sand bunker. Lines are 1 foot apart per ball, perpendicular to each other, and 5-10 yards apart.

2

On the green, mark 9 stop zones in groups of 3 per row (front, middle, back) using buckets or tees or string.

3

Hit 36 sand shots, divided into 9 groups of 4 shots.

4

For each group, try to land the ball in the correct stop zone, starting with the front 3, then middle 3, then back

3

Switch between the two lines of balls each time.

5

Count a success when the ball stops in the correct zone.

6

Add up successful shots and enter your total 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.