PHASE 1 & 2Months 1–6 · Stop the Bleeding & Build the Foundation
Your first 26 weeks, structured week-by-week from your Day 1. Every session, every drill, every competition slot — mapped from the start of your programme.
Everything you do on Month 1 sets the standard for the 26 weeks that follow. This is not a practice session — it is a setup day. Get the infrastructure in place so every subsequent session is tracked, purposeful, and measurable.
📖
Read This First — before anything else today: Open Guide 04 (The Complete Golfer). It is a 10-minute read that explains the evidence behind everything in this programme — the six scoring levers, the R&A research on what actually produces improvement, and why the plan is structured the way it is. Without it, some decisions in the months ahead will seem arbitrary. With it, every drill and target will make sense.
📅
Bookmark the Weekly Dashboard from the main index — it is your day-to-day checklist for nutrition, mobility, training aids, and competition-day protocols. Open it every morning throughout the programme.
"The first day is not about hitting balls. It is about installing the system that makes every ball you hit count."
— The Scratch Project · Phase 1 Foundation
Morning — Admin & Setup (1–2 hrs)
Install the Infrastructure
1Install Arccos or Shot Scope today. Attach sensors or charge device. Play a full 18 without worrying about the numbers — just capture them. You cannot improve what you do not measure. This is non-negotiable from round 1.
2Book a putter fitting this week. Phone your local fitter or Titleist/Ping fitting centre. Target: booked within 7 days. Highest ROI fitting available (+0.3–0.8 SG). Do not wait until Month 3.
3Open Guide 17 (Progress Journal). Create your first entry today: current handicap, honest self-assessment of biggest weakness, commitment statement. Date it Month 1 of Your Programme.
4Set up your practice log. Spreadsheet, notes app, or paper journal — your choice. Every session from today gets: date, focus area, drills completed, pass/fail result, and one observation.
5Confirm your weekly tee times. Block your Thursday round and Saturday round in your calendar for the next 12 weeks. Treat them as unmoveable appointments.
Afternoon — First Practice Session (90 min)
Baseline Assessment
Your first session is not about improvement — it is about honest measurement. You need baseline numbers to track against. No pressure, no targets. Just record what you actually do.
1Putting baseline (25 min): From 6 ft, putt 20 balls and record make rate. From 20 ft, putt 10 balls and record average distance past the hole. These are your Week 1 benchmarks.
2Chipping baseline (20 min): From a standard lie, 10 yards off the green, chip 20 balls to a flag. Record how many finish inside 6 ft. This is your up-and-down starting point.
3Iron baseline (20 min): On a launch monitor or on range, hit 10 shots with your 7-iron and record average carry. This is your yardage reference before any technique changes.
4Pre-shot routine install (25 min): Read Guide 05. Decide your routine. Then hit 20 full shots using it — every single one. This is the day the routine starts. It starts today, not "soon".
Evening
Record Your Baseline Numbers
Metric
Target by Month 6
My Day 1 Number
6-ft make rate
75%+
20-ft lag distance past
<18 inches
Chip to 6-ft circle (10 chip)
6/10+
7-iron carry (avg of 10)
Record honestly
Pre-shot routine: used every shot
Yes
Arccos/Shot Scope: installed
Yes
Putter fitting: booked
Yes
📌
Week 1 only rule: Do not try to fix anything this week. Play your round on Thursday with your current game and your new pre-shot routine. Let Arccos or Shot Scope capture everything. You will have data by Sunday that tells you exactly where the biggest leaks are. The plan starts from data, not feeling.
Repeating Structure
YOUR MODEL WEEK
This template repeats across all 26 weeks, shifting only in session content as your monthly theme changes. The structure itself never changes — consistency of structure is what allows skill to compound.
Phase 1 & 2 — Weekly Template
Monday to Sunday
Mon📋Review + Plan
Tue🎯Practice 1
Wed🏋️Gym + Speed
Thu⛳Round 1
Fri🏋️Gym + Mobility
Sat🏆Round 2 / Comp
Sun🎯Practice 2
Monday — 20 Minutes
The Weekly Reset
1Open Arccos/Shot Scope. Review SG in all four categories from the week's two rounds. Identify the single biggest leak this week.
2Write one line in your practice log: "This week's focus: [category]." This drives both Tuesday and Sunday sessions.
3Check which month theme you are in (see Month-by-Month tab). Confirm Tuesday's session plan is aligned to the theme.
46-minute mobility routine. Every Monday, every week.
Tuesday & Sunday — 75–90 Minutes Each
Practice Session Structure
Both sessions follow the same allocation, but Tuesday is theme-focused (the month's skill priority) and Sunday is data-driven (addressing what the week's rounds revealed).
30%Putting — Speed gates, Clock Drill at 4–6 ft, lag from 30+ ft. Always tracked with pass/fail criteria.
20%Iron Play — Low Point Drill, dispersion mapping. Never mechanics — contact and trajectory only.
10%Driver — Course simulation off tee. Rypstick speed session if speed is the current focus.
5%Mental/Routine — Pressure reps under consequence. Pre-shot routine on every shot, no exceptions.
Your Playing Days
Playing Rules — Non-Negotiable
▸Full pre-shot routine on every shot. If you skip it, you are training to skip it under pressure. No exceptions, no shortcuts.
▸Never practise mechanics on a playing day. Range warm-up only (20 min: short game → irons → driver). No swing thoughts on the course.
▸Saturday = pressure round. When available: club medal, stableford, money match, or at minimum a solo scored round with no gimmes and full rules.
▸Post-round: 5 minutes of data. Before you leave the car park — log key stats and one observation in your journal.
⚠️
The most common failure mode: replacing a practice session with another round. Rounds and practice sessions are not interchangeable. Rounds generate data. Practice sessions close the gaps the data reveals. You need both, every week.
Months 1–6
MONTH-BY-MONTH PLAN
Each month has a named skill theme, a specific drill focus, a fitness phase, and a measurable checkpoint. Follow the themes in order — each builds on the last.
M11
Foundation Install
Weeks 1–4 · Month 1 · HCP Target: ~9
□Pre-shot routine: Install and use on every shot in every session and round from Day 1. Measure compliance: aim for 100%.
□Stat tracking live: Arccos or Shot Scope active from first round. Review SG every Monday without fail.
□Putter fitting: Booked Week 1, completed by Week 3 at the latest. Implement fitted specifications immediately.
□Double bogey audit: After each round, count doubles. Understand why each one happened — decision error, execution error, or bad break. Target: below 3 per round by end of Month 1.
□Daily mobility routine: 6 minutes, every morning — thoracic rotation, hip 90/90, hip flexor, wrist extension. Start Week 1, maintain throughout.
🎯
Month 1 drill focus: Make 100 at 4 ft (3× per week). Clock Drill 6 ft (both sessions). Shot selection hierarchy from Guide 02 on every greenside shot.
□Wedge matrix: Build your full 4×4 matrix (4 wedges × 4 clock positions) using launch monitor or measured range. Guide 22. Completed by end of Month 2.
□Chipping proximity: Track chip proximity every session. Target by end of Month 2: 60%+ of chips inside 8-ft circle from standard lies.
□Bunker foundation: Square stance, open face. 15 min bunker practice in every session. Target: consistent exit every time — no skulls or fat shots.
□Strength training: 2× per week, hip hinge focus. Goblet squat, deadlift, hip thrust, Pallof press. Guide 06 Phase 1 protocol.
📊
Month 2 checkpoint: U&D% should be tracking above 28% by end of month. If below, add a third short game session on Wednesday morning before gym.
📚
Key guides for Month 2:Guide 22 (Wedge Distance Matrix — build the full 4×4 this month) · Guide 02 (Short Game Playbook — chipping and bunker technique) · Guide 06 (Fitness Phase 1 — hip hinge strength protocol)
Aug3
Putting Precision
Weeks 9–13 · Month 3 · HCP Target: ~7
□AimPoint Express: Learn and apply the technique from Guide 01. Use on every putt in rounds from Week 9 onwards. Allocate 20 min per Tuesday session to green reading.
□Lag putting: 30% of every putting block on lag putts 25 ft+. Pass/fail: inside 3-ft radius. Track 3-putt rate in every round — target below 10% by end of Month 3.
□Speed gates drill: Two tees 4 inches apart at 6 ft, putt through the gate. 50 putts per session, minimum 42/50 to pass. Record daily.
□Rypstick speed training: Begin Month 3 (Guide 25 protocol). 3× per week, 10 minutes. Integrate with gym days — speed before strength, never after.
🏋️
Fitness phase shift: Month 3 moves to Guide 06 Phase 2 — add rotational cable work and medicine ball throws. Strength is the base; power development begins now.
📚
Key guides for Month 3:Guide 01 (Putting — AimPoint Express and lag drills) · Guide 25 (Speed Training — Rypstick protocol begins this month) · Guide 06 (Fitness Phase 2) · Guide 32 (Green Reading)
Sep4
Iron Play Attack
Weeks 14–17 · Month 4 · HCP Target: ~6
□Launch monitor session: Book a dedicated LM session (not a fitting — a data session). Verify carry distances for every club. End under-clubbing permanently. Guide 26 for how to read the data.
□Low Point Drill: Alignment stick flat on ground, strike irons without touching it. 20 minutes every Tuesday session throughout Month 4. Target: consistent ball-first contact, divot forward of ball.
□Dispersion mapping: Guide 11. Map 7-iron and PW dispersion — 20 shots each on LM or measured range. Apply offset rule in rounds from Week 15.
□Wind percentage system: Guide 20 / Guide 23. Apply on every approach where wind exceeds 10 mph from Week 14 onwards. No exceptions.
📐
Month 4 focus stat: Approach proximity from 125–175 yards. Track this distance band separately in your journal. Target by end of Month 4: below 38 ft average from this range.
Oct5
Scoring Zone Precision
Weeks 18–22 · Month 5 · HCP Target: ~5–6
□Wedge matrix verification: Re-test all wedge distances — they will have shifted with improved technique and fitness. Rebuild matrix with current numbers. No guessing in the scoring zone.
□Course management audit: Apply Guide 20 framework to every hole on your home course. Create a written strategy card for each hole. Review after each round: did you follow it?
□Pressure practice protocol: Every Sunday session must include one 20-minute pressure block. £1 per missed 6-ft putt. Chipping game: 10 chips, score yourself, beat your best. Make stakes real.
□Video analysis: Film your swing from DTL and face-on once this month (Guide 14 protocol). Compare to Month 1 footage if available. Send to your coach or use for self-coaching.
🏆
Month 5 competition push: By now your club’s main competitive window for the season should be open or close to it. If it is, target 3 competitive rounds this month — your club championship if it falls around now, a regular medal, and an open stableford or equivalent away event. If Month 5 lands in a quiet patch of your club’s calendar instead, fill the gap with whatever competitive formats are available — winter leagues, simulator stakes, matchplay — to keep pressure-training volume up. The pressure gap closes through exposure, not practice.
Nov6
Consolidation & Review
Weeks 23–26 · Month 6 · HCP Target: ~5
□6-month review: Pull all SG data from Months 1–6. Compare to Day 1 baselines. Every category should show measurable improvement. If any category is flat, it becomes Phase 3's priority.
□Coach audit: Book a lesson with a TPI-certified coach or your regular coach. Bring your SG data and video. Ask them to identify the single biggest remaining physical limiter. This is the work for Phase 3 (Months 7–12).
□Full wedge matrix + dispersion cards: Both should be complete, verified, and laminated on your bag by end of Month 6.
□Set Phase 3 targets: Using Month 6 SG data, identify which of the four categories needs the most work in Phase 3. Write it down. This becomes Month 7's theme.
✅
6-Month Checkpoint: If all targets in the Progress Tracker tab are met by end of Month 6, you are on track for scratch within your 24-month timeline. Phase 3 (Months 7–12) builds the attack that takes you from 5 to 1–2.
What to Actually Do
SESSION TEMPLATES
These are your exact practice blueprints for each month's theme. Every drill has a pass/fail standard. If you do not record the result, the session does not count.
Months 1–2 — Short Game Dominant (75 min)
Foundation Install Sessions
Session Allocation
30%
Putting — Make 100 at 4 ft · Clock Drill · Lag gates
40%
Short Game — Proximity tracking · Wedge matrix build · Bunker exits
20%
Iron Play — Low Point Drill · Contact quality focus
10%
Routine — Full PSR on every shot · Pressure chip game
1Putting (22 min): 10 min Make 100 at 4 ft (pass = 75/100). 7 min Clock Drill at 6 ft (pass = 7/8). 5 min lag putting from 30 ft — all inside 3-ft radius.
2Short game (30 min): 10 chips from standard lie — record how many inside 8 ft (pass = 6+). 10 min wedge practice at 50, 75, 100 yards — record dispersion. 10 min bunker: 10 exits, all must clear the lip cleanly.
3Irons (15 min): Low Point Drill × 20 balls. Strike alignment stick test (pass = no contact). Record contact quality only — not distance.
4Pressure finish (8 min): 10-chip game to a tight pin with a 50p per shot consequence. Full pre-shot routine on every shot. Score yourself.
Months 3–4 — Putting & Iron Dominant (80 min)
Precision Build Sessions
Session Allocation
30%
Putting — Speed gates · AimPoint application · Lag from 30–40 ft
25%
Short Game — Proximity maintained · Bunker save consistency
35%
Iron Play — Dispersion mapping · LM verification · Wind calculation
10%
Pressure — Scored putting game · Course simulation
1Putting (24 min): 10 min speed gates at 6 ft (pass = 42/50). 8 min AimPoint green reading — read, putt, record accuracy. 6 min lag from 35 ft (pass = all inside 3 ft).
2Short game (20 min): 10 chips — all proximity tracked. Record average distance from hole. 10 min bunker — 10 exits, track how many stop within 10 ft of the flag.
3Iron play (28 min): 10 balls 7-iron on LM or measured range — record carry and offline distance. Low Point Drill × 15. Apply wind adjustment to 5 simulated approach scenarios — choose club, write it down.
4Pressure finish (8 min): 18-hole putting simulation — 18 putts, one from each distance (3–30 ft in steps), score yourself against par.
Months 5–6 — Full Game Integration (85 min)
Scoring Zone Sessions
Session Allocation
25%
Putting — 5–10 ft zone · Pressure putting game
30%
Short Game — All clubs · All lies · Course simulation
30%
Iron Play — Proximity focus · Distance band targeting
15%
Pressure & Video — Consequence drills · Swing review
1Putting (21 min): 15 min pressure game — £1 per miss from 6 ft, 20 putts. Track total cost. 6 min: 3 putts each from 8, 10, 12, 15, 20 ft — record makes.
2Short game (25 min): Random lie game — coach or random selection. 3 different lies, 3 different distances, 3 different targets. Full PSR every shot. No second balls.
3Iron play (25 min): 10 approach shots to a target — record proximity. Calculate your average. Use wind percentage on 5 of them. One ball per shot, full PSR.
4Pressure/video (14 min): 10-hole putting simulation with consequence, followed by 5-minute video review of your putting stroke or one iron.
⚠️
Pass/fail is not optional. If you do not record whether you passed or failed each drill, you are not practising deliberately — you are exercising. Block practice (hit → repeat → feel good) produces 42% skill retention at 72 hours. Deliberate practice with pass/fail criteria produces 78%. The recording is the practice.
Competitive Exposure
COMPETITION SCHEDULE
Competitive pressure is a skill that must be trained. Every counted competition this plan targets should be treated as a training opportunity — not a test. You are building the pressure infrastructure now that will support scratch-level performance later.
Months 1–6 · Target: 8–10 Competitive Rounds
Planned Competition Calendar
Month 1
Monthly Medal or Stableford (Week 3 or 4)Your first counted round of the plan. The objective is simply to play your routine on every shot. Score is secondary. Arccos tracking active throughout.
Month 2
Monthly Medal + Open StablefordTwo competitions this month. The open stableford exposes you to an unfamiliar course and field — valuable pressure variation. Apply your shot selection hierarchy from Guide 02 aggressively.
Month 3
Monthly Medal + Midweek Stableford (Bank Holiday)Two rounds. By Month 3 your putting should be sharper — track 3-putt rate specifically in competition vs. practice this month. The gap (if any) tells you whether pressure is affecting your putting.
Month 4
Club Championship (if running) + Monthly MedalMonth 4 often falls during club championship season for many clubs. If yours is scheduled around now, enter it regardless of where your handicap sits — the competitive pressure of a multi-round event is irreplaceable training. If your club championship falls in a different month, note the date now and treat that month’s entry as non-negotiable when it arrives. Two rounds minimum this month either way.
Month 5
Monthly Medal + Open Event + Matchplay (if available)Three competitive rounds target this month. Matchplay introduces a different pressure dynamic — hole-by-hole consequence rather than cumulative score. Seek it out if available at your club.
Month 6
End-of-Season Medal or StablefordOne counted round to close the six months. Use it as a true benchmark — same course you played in Month 1 ideally. Compare your SG data directly. This is your 6-month performance review in live competitive conditions.
Every Competitive Round
Competition Day Protocol
▸Night before: Logistics confirmed. Tee time known. Strategy card reviewed. No swing thoughts. Higher-carb dinner, 8 hours sleep target.
▸90 min before: Arrive at course. Guide 08 morning protocol: range warm-up (not practice), short game calibration, putting green speed check. No new swing thoughts.
▸On the course: Process goals only — commit to your routine on every shot. No outcome goals once the round starts. Score is a by-product of process.
▸After: 5 minutes of data capture before you leave. One sentence in your journal: what was the mental game like today? Not the score — the quality of the process.
Saturday Rounds (Non-Competition)
The Pressure Simulation
On non-competition Saturdays: play alone, full scorecard, no gimmes, full Rules of Golf. Set yourself a target score and treat every shot as if it has consequences. This is not downtime — it is pressure training.
Handicap Management
Count Everything
Submit every qualifying score immediately. A handicap that accurately reflects your game gives you better competitive data. Do not protect your handicap — the plan requires honest numbers throughout.
The Numbers
SIX-MONTH TARGETS
These are the measurable standards that confirm Phase 1 and 2 are complete. Every target has a start date, a checkpoint date, and a measurable number. Track in Arccos, Shot Scope, or your practice log.
📊 Milestone Schedule — Months 1–6
End of Month 1 — Checkpoint
Foundation Installed
Metric
Target
My Number
Pre-shot routine compliance
Every shot ✓
Stats tracked (rounds)
4+ rounds ✓
Double bogeys / round
<3
Putter fitting
Completed ✓
Daily mobility routine
Active ✓
End of Month 3 — Checkpoint
Short Game & Putting Progressing
Metric
Target
My Number
Up-and-Down %
30%+
3-Putt rate
<12%
6-ft make rate (practice)
70%+
Wedge matrix
Built & verified ✓
Handicap
~7–8
Competitive rounds played
4+
Strength training
2×/wk sustained ✓
End of Month 6 — Checkpoint
Phase 1 & 2 Complete
Metric
Scratch Target
Month 6 Target
My Number
Handicap
0.0
~5
Up-and-Down %
40%+
35%+
3-Putt rate
<5%
<10%
6-ft make rate
85%+
75%+
Approach prox (125–175 yds)
<25 ft
<38 ft
Double bogeys / round
<0.6
<1.5
Competitive rounds played
24+ / yr
8–10
Putter fitting done
✓
✓
Wedge matrix built
✓
✓
Dispersion data mapped
✓
✓
Coach audit completed
4×/yr
1× ✓
📌
If a target is missed: Do not advance to Phase 3 (Month 7) until it is resolved. Use your Arccos/Shot Scope data to identify the specific category that is below target. Design Month 7's practice exclusively around that gap before moving on to Month 8. The plan only works if the foundations are genuine.
Live Data
PROGRESS TRACKER
Fill in your numbers after every round and every weekly Monday review. These are the honest numbers that drive the plan. If a number is not improving, the plan changes — not the target.
🗓️ Weekly Log — Months 1–6
Round Log — Fill After Every Round
Key Stats per Round
Date
HCP
Score
Doubles
U&D%
3-Putts
GIR%
Day 1
Day 5
Day 7
Day 12
Day 14
Day 19
Day 21
Day 26
Day 28
Continue through Months 2–6 · Use same format · Review monthly totals
Practice Session Log — Fill After Every Session
Weekly Practice Record
Date
Focus
Key Drill
Pass/Fail
Observation
Day 1
Baseline
All baselines
Day 3
Short Game
Chip proximity
Day 8
Day 10
Day 15
Day 17
Day 22
Day 24
Continue through Months 2–6 · Two sessions per week minimum
Monthly SG Summary
Strokes Gained Trend — Months 1–6
Month
SG: OTT
SG: APP
SG: ARG
SG: PUTT
HCP
Month 1 (avg)
~9–10
Month 2 (avg)
~8
Month 3 (avg)
~7
Month 4 (avg)
~6
Month 5 (avg)
~5–6
Month 6 (avg)
Target: ~5
"The journal is not a record of what you did. It is the instrument that converts what you did into what you understand — and understanding is the only thing that changes behaviour."
— The Scratch Project · Progress Journal