Course Program

Keep Ball Close To Hole

Use a short swing, for a 35-handicap player, ~30 minutes at Thornapple Pointe Golf Club

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 359 drills88% 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

Distance Control25%
Scoring19%
Aim18%
Precision13%
Dispersion12%
Alignment9%
Accuracy2%
Trajectory2%

Overview

Program Structure

Keep Ball Close To Hole. Focus on clean contact and use a short swing. Focus on Distance Control, Scoring, Aim. For a 35-handicap player, in ~30 minutes.

Shot

Bump'n'Run

What you will improve

  • Distance Control
  • Scoring
  • Aim
  • Precision

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 | Parallel Ball Lines | 9 Stop Zones

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls next to the green (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 2 parallel lines 20 balls per line and stop bump-n-run shots inside 9 Stop Zones. Count the number of successful stops.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Parallel Ball Lines | 9 Stop Zones
1

Place two parallel lines of balls beside the green. Each line has 18 balls spaced 1 foot apart. The lines are 5 to 10 yards apart.

2

On the green, mark 9 stop zones using tees, string, or buckets. Arrange the zones in 3 rows of 3, spaced evenly.

3

Hit 36 bump-n-run shots. Divide them into 9 groups of 4 shots.

4

Hit 4 shots from one ball line toward Stop Zone

1

Try to stop each ball in that zone.

5

Switch to the other ball line and hit 4 shots toward Stop Zone

6

Keep switching ball lines and hit 4 shots at each stop zone in order (Zone 1 to Zone 9).

7

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

8

Add total successful stops and enter the score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285
02

Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Piles | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a bump-n-run shot closest to the multiple target(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 | Multiple Targets
1

Set up 10 piles of balls in two crossed lines. Each line has 5 piles, 3 yards/meters apart.

2

Put the piles 1 to 10 yards/meters from the green and 5 to 30 yards/meters from the hole, on the same type of grass.

3

Mark 3 target zones on or near the green, spaced far apart.

4

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots: 12 for each target zone.

5

Pick any pile and hit 12 balls, trying to land and stop the ball in the first target zone.

6

Hit 12 shots at the second target zone, then 12 at the third.

7

Keep the same ball setup for every shot. Don’t change ball position or lie in the pile.

8

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

9

At the end, enter the number of balls that stopped in the target zones out of 36.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score312926221713963
03

Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Ball Lines | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls next to the green (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 2 perpendicular lines 20 balls per line and stop bump-n-run shots close to multiple targets. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Perpendicular Ball Lines | Multiple Targets
1

Put 36 balls in 2 lines near the green. Each line has 18 balls about 1 foot apart.

2

Place the 2 lines so they cross each other like a plus sign, 5 to 10 yards apart.

3

Put 3 targets about 6 feet apart on the green.

4

Hit 12 shots at each target, for a total of 36 shots.

5

Start with one line and hit 12 shots trying to stop the ball within 10 feet of the first target.

6

Use the other line and hit 12 shots at the second target, same goal.

7

Hit 12 shots at the third target from either line, trying to keep within 10 feet.

8

Count each shot that stops within 10 feet of the target.

9

After 36 shots, write down your number of successful shots out of 36 attempts in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141074
04

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
05

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

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a bump-n-run 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 Bump-n-Run | Scattered Piles | Bullseye 2x
1

Put 36 balls into 6 piles of 6 balls each around the chipping area, between 1 and 10 yards from the green, and 5 to 30 yards from the hole.

2

On the green, make two rings around the hole with string or tees: a small ring with a 6-foot radius and a bigger ring with a 15-foot radius.

3

Split your shots into two groups of

4

For the first 18 shots, try to land the ball inside the small ring (6-foot radius).

5

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

6

Hit one ball at a time from any pile. Do 18 shots for the first target, then do 18 shots for the second target.

7

Count every ball that stops inside the target ring as a success.

8

After all 36 shots, add up how many landed in the right rings and enter your score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129272318141063
06

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
07

Bump-n-Run | Parallel Piles | Multiple Targets

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a bump-n-run shot closest to the multiple target(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 | Parallel Piles | Multiple Targets
1

Set up 10 piles of balls in two lines 3 yards/meters apart. Each line has 5 piles spaced 4 yards/meters apart.

2

Put the piles between 1 and 10 yards/meters from the green and 5 to 30 yards/meters from the hole.

3

Pick 3 targets on the green, spaced evenly apart.

4

Split 36 shots into 3 sets of

5

Aim first 12 shots at the left target.

6

Aim next 12 shots at the center target.

7

Aim last 12 shots at the right target.

8

Do not move the ball setup, only change the target.

9

Count how many balls land closest or in the scoring area for the right target, and enter your score out of 36.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262217131074
08

Bump-n-Run | Fairway | Flat

Short Game

Hit bump-n-run shot two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the flat fairway.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Fairway | Flat
1

Pick two spots between 5 and 30 yards from the hole to hit from.

2

Place three markers 3 feet apart in a line on the green to make target zones.

3

Hit 18 shots from the first spot, 6 to each target zone.

4

Hit 18 shots from the second spot, 6 to each target zone.

5

Aim for the correct zone each time.

6

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

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score312926221713963
09

Bump-n-Run | Parallel Piles | 3 Landing Zones

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 10 equal parallel piles of 4 balls next to the green and hit-and-land bump-n-run shots inside landing zones. Count the number of successes.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Parallel Piles | 3 Landing Zones
1

Set up 9 piles of 4 balls each (36 balls total) near the green. Put the piles on different grass areas between 1 and 10 yards/meters from the green and 5 to 30 yards/meters from the hole.

2

Use sticks, clubs, or string to mark 3 landing zones (6 feet or 2 meters apart) in a straight line at the edge of the green.

3

Hit 36 bump-and-run shots: 12 to each landing zone (Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 3).

4

Hit from any pile and switch piles for variety. Hit 12 balls to Zone 1, then 12 to Zone 2, then 12 to Zone

5

Count each ball that lands and stays inside the target zone as a success.

6

After all 36 shots, enter total successful shots (out of 36 attempts) in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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