Course Program

Turn flops into par saves—score from the sand or rough

Save par clutch, for a 19-handicap player, ~15 minutes at Whistler

Short GameAll teesProgram HCP 19.19 drills

Program Snapshot

Handicap range

8 to 45

Average HCP

19.1

Duration (single session)

3 hr 54 min

or

1 drill/day: 9 days · 26 min/day

Ideal tee

All

Skill Distribution

Scoring34%
Aim18%
Alignment16%
Accuracy11%
Precision8%
Dispersion6%
Visualization5%
Distance Control3%

Overview

Program Structure

Turn flops into par saves—score from the sand or rough. Turn into par saves and up-and-down contest. Focus on Scoring, Aim, Alignment. For a 19-handicap player, in ~15 minutes.

Skill

Scoring

Shot

Flop

What you will improve

  • Scoring
  • Aim
  • Alignment
  • Accuracy

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

Flop | Deep Rough and Other | Uphill/Downhill

Short Game

Hit flop shot two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sloped deep rough and other extreme grass types; one bucket from the uphill slope and one bucket from the downhill slope.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Flop | Deep Rough and Other | Uphill/Downhill
1

Make 4 piles of 9 balls: 2 piles uphill in deep rough, 2 piles downhill in deep rough, all 5 to 20 yards from the hole.

2

Mark 3 landing zones on the green in a line, each 6 feet apart: Zone A (closest), Zone B (middle), Zone C (farthest).

3

Hit 36 flop shots: 3 groups of 12 shots.

4

For first 12 shots, hit from uphill piles aiming for Zone A, switching between the two piles after each shot.

5

For next 12 shots, hit from uphill piles aiming for Zone B, switch piles after each shot.

6

For last 12 shots, hit from downhill piles aiming for Zone C, switch piles after each shot.

7

A shot counts if it lands and stops in the target zone.

8

Use same ball position every time. Only change aim for zone and slope.

9

Count how many landed in the target zone out of 36 and enter score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score3028262218141074
02

Flop | Parallel Ball Lines | 9 Stop Zones

Short Game

Align a bucket of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) into 2 parallel lines 20 balls per line and stop flop shots inside 9 Stop Zones. Count the number of successful stops.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Flop | Parallel Ball Lines | 9 Stop Zones
1

Place two lines of 18 balls each about 5-10 yards apart, with balls 1 foot apart.

2

Mark 9 stop zones on the green with tees, string, or buckets, making sure they are easy to see.

3

Hit 36 flop shots, with 2 shots at each stop zone from each line.

4

Start with the first line and hit 2 shots to the first stop zone.

5

Switch to the second line and hit 2 shots to the second stop zone.

6

Keep switching lines and aiming at the next stop zone, 2 shots each, until all 9 zones are targeted.

7

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

8

Add up how many successes out of 36 attempts and enter score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score312926221713963
03

Flop | Rough | Uphill/Downhill

Short Game

Hit flop shot 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 Flop | Rough | Uphill/Downhill
1

Place two ball markers on the green, about 10 feet apart.

2

Choose a spot on the uphill slope, 5 to 20 yards from the hole. Use this spot every time for the test.

3

Hit 18 flop shots from this spot. Aim at the targets, switching every 3 shots between them until all 18 shots are done.

4

Move to a spot on the downhill slope, 5 to 20 yards from the hole. Use this spot every time for these shots.

5

Hit 18 flop shots from the downhill spot. Switch targets every 3 shots until all 18 are done.

6

Count shots that stop within 3 feet of the marker as successful.

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score282624201612853
04

Flop | Deep Rough and Other | Uphill/Downhill

Short Game

Hit flop shot two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the sloped deep rough and other extreme grass types; one bucket from the uphill slope and one bucket from the downhill slope.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Flop | Deep Rough and Other | Uphill/Downhill
1

Split 36 balls into two groups of

8

Put one group at the uphill slope, and one group at the downhill slope, both in deep rough 5 to 20 yards from the hole.

2

On the green, make three target zones side by side, each about 3 feet wide and within 10 feet of the hole. Label them Zone 1 (left), Zone 2 (center), Zone 3 (right).

3

From the uphill position, hit 18 flop shots. Aim 6 balls in Zone 1, 6 in Zone 2, and 6 in Zone

4

From the downhill position, hit 18 flop shots. Aim 6 balls in Zone 1, 6 in Zone 2, and 6 in Zone

5

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

6

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825211713963
05

Flop | Parallel Piles | Bullseye 2x

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a flop 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 Flop | Parallel Piles | Bullseye 2x
1

Arrange 10 piles of balls in two lines, with 5 piles in each line. Each pile is 4 yards or meters apart. The two lines are 5 to 10 yards or meters apart.

2

Put the piles between 5 and 40 yards or meters from the hole. Do not put them on the green.

3

On the green, use string or tees to make two circles around the hole: one small circle with a 6-foot (2-meter) radius and one big circle with a 15-foot (5-meter) radius.

4

Hit flop shots from each pile. Try to land the ball in the circles. Balls in the small circle are best, in the big circle are medium, and outside both circles are misses.

5

Hit 36 total flop shots. This means 3 sets of 12 shots.

6

For the first 12 shots, aim for the small circle. For the next 12, aim for the area between the two circles. For the last 12, aim anywhere inside the big circle.

7

Pick any pile to start. Hit one flop shot from each pile. Cover all piles evenly.

8

Count each ball that lands where you aimed.

9

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825201612853
06

Flop | Deep Rough and Other | Above/Below Feet

Short Game

Hit flop 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, and one bucket with balls below feet level.

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

Make two target zones on the green, Zone A (front) and Zone B (back), both about the same size, using cones or markers.

2

Place 18 balls in 3 piles of 6 balls each in deep rough above your feet, at different distances between 5 and 20 yards from the hole.

3

Place another 18 balls the same way in deep rough below your feet.

4

Hit 18 flop shots from above feet towards Zone A, in any order, until finished.

5

Hit 18 flop shots from below feet towards Zone B, in any order, until finished.

6

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

7

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

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score292725211612853
07

Flop | Scattered Piles | Quadrants

Short Game

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

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

Make 8 piles of 5 balls each (40 balls total) between 5 and 40 yards from the green.

2

On the green, use markers to make 4 equal parts inside a 10 ft circle around the hole.

3

Hit 36 flop shots in total, split into 4 groups of 9 shots for each part of the circle.

4

Aim 9 shots for the first part, then 9 for the second, the third, and last the fourth part.

5

Change which pile to hit from each time to get different angles and lies.

6

Count only shots that stop in the right part as a success.

7

When finished, write how many you got out of 36 in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825201612853
08

Flop | Deep Rough and Other | Flat

Short Game

Hit flop shot two buckets of balls (avg. bucket is 40 balls) from the flat deep rough and other extreme grass types.

26 minFocus: Short Game
Diagram for Flop | Deep Rough and Other | Flat
1

Put two target zones on the green, 6 feet apart. Call them Zone A and Zone B.

2

Set up in deep rough, 15 to 40 yards from the green.

3

Hit 36 flop shots: 18 at Zone A, 18 at Zone B.

4

Hit 3 shots at Zone A, then 3 shots at Zone B. Repeat until all shots are done.

5

Count a success if the ball stops inside the target zone.

6

Keep the ball in the same place for every shot. Only aim changes.

7

Add total successes out of 36 attempts. Enter score in the app.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score312926221713963
09

Flop | Perpendicular Piles | 9 Stop Zones

Short Game

Up to 5 players compete to stop a flop shot in the stop zone(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 Flop | Perpendicular Piles | 9 Stop Zones
1

Set up 10 piles of balls in two lines that cross each other, 5 piles in each line. The piles are 3 yards/meters apart. The two lines are 5 to 10 yards/meters apart.

2

Put the piles 5 to 40 yards/meters away from the hole, not on the green.

3

Mark 9 target zones on the green using tees, string, or small buckets. Make them easy to see.

4

Hit 36 flop shots total, 9 to each target zone.

5

Pick a pile and hit 9 flop shots to target zone

6

Then hit 9 shots to target zone 2, using any pile.

7

Do the same for zones 3 through 9, hitting 9 shots at each for 36 total tries. Enter score in the app, out of 36 attempts.

Scoring benchmarks

Repetitions36
Handicap+9+5+151219273654
Score302825211612853

Next Step

Ready to start this program?

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