Course Program

Keep Ball Close To Hole

Use a short swing, for a 35-handicap player, ~30 minutes at Timberstone

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 356 drills66% match to course practice profile

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

25 to 45

Average HCP

35

Duration (single session)

2 hr 36 min

or

1 drill/day: 6 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Aim24%
Alignment24%
Distance Control19%
Scoring18%
Precision7%
Dispersion3%
Accuracy3%
Trajectory3%

Overview

Program Structure

Keep Ball Close To Hole. Use a short swing and roll the ball low and straight. Focus on Aim, Alignment, Distance Control. For a 35-handicap player, in ~30 minutes.

Shot

Bump'n'Run

What you will improve

  • Aim
  • Alignment
  • Distance Control
  • Scoring

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

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 | 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 | Perpendicular Piles | Bullseye 2x
1

Set up 10 piles of balls in two lines that cross each other. Put 5 piles in each line. Leave space between all piles and lines.

2

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

3

On the green, mark two big circles around the hole. Make the first circle 6 feet (2 meters) out from the hole, and the second circle 15 feet (5 meters) out from the hole.

4

There are 36 shots total. Split them into 3 groups of 12 shots.

5

First 12 shots: try to stop the ball inside the small (inner) circle. Next 12: try to stop the ball inside the big (outer) circle but outside the small circle. Last 12: try to keep the ball anywhere on the green.

6

Hit one ball from each pile. Keep moving around the piles any way until all 36 shots are done using the right target for each group.

7

Count how many balls land in the right place for each group: inside the small circle for the first 12, in the big circle but outside the small one for the next 12, and anywhere on the green for the last

2

Enter score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282520161285
03

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
04

Bump-n-Run | Deep Rough and Other | Above/Below Feet

Short Game

Hit bump-n-run shot 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, one bucket with balls below feet level.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Deep Rough and Other | Above/Below Feet
1

Place 36 balls into 6 groups of 6 balls.

2

Mark 3 target pins on the green, 6 feet apart in a line or arc.

3

From above feet, hit 18 shots, 6 at each pin in order.

4

From below feet, hit 18 shots, 6 at each pin in order.

5

Keep the same ball setup and lie each time. Only change slope.

6

Count each ball that stops within 3 feet of the target pin as a success.

7

After 36 shots, add up successes out of 36 and enter score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3230282420161285
05

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
06

Bump-n-Run | Fairway | Above/Below Feet

Short Game

Hit bump-n-run shot two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sloped fairway; one bucket with balls above feet level, one bucket with balls below feet level.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Bump-n-Run | Fairway | Above/Below Feet
1

Gather 36 balls and split them into 2 groups of

2

Stand on a slope where the ball is above your feet for the first 18 shots.

3

Choose one target on the green to aim at.

4

Hit 18 bump-and-run shots, trying to get close to the target from this lie.

5

Move to a slope where the ball is below your feet for the next 18 shots.

6

Hit 18 bump-and-run shots at the same target from this lie.

7

Count how many balls stop close to the pin. Record that number as your score out of 36 in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3129262218141063

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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

Keep Ball Close To Hole | Timberstone