Hello Paul
Played golf yesterday and shot 77… I am 74 years old… comment from a fairly good golfer who I met on the tee box “bill… you have a golf swing that looks so slow but the ball just rockets off your club…how do you do that?”
Paul there is no question that your golf concepts work…
Paul,Opening the club face and swinging to the left is an invitation to shank the ball ,the hosel contacting the ball first ?Do you address the ball more with the toe than with the middle of the clubface to avoid the shank?
What club to you use in this fine demonstration :the 56° sandwedge or the lob wedge 60° or 64°?
You are only going to shank it if you are too tilted or your roll onto your toes in the downswing. Why would you roll onto your toes in the downswing? Because you are trying to hit down on the ball or go down to get to the ball because you are too tilted. My students never shank it.
I’m with Raymond here. I can play flop shots as you outline and similarly in bunkers opening the face and aligning my body to the right(left handed) but I do more than occasionally shank.
Why ???
You are only going to shank it if you are too tilted or your roll onto your toes in the downswing. Why would you roll onto your toes in the downswing? Because you are trying to hit down on the ball or go down to get to the ball because you are too tilted. My students never shank it.
Hi Paul,
Does one use a 60 degree, sand or pitching wedge for this shot? I have a mental issue with the “bounce” on the sand wedge. Any way to get into my brain and “fix” this?
You are only flopping it with a sand or lob wedge.
Get the right bounce for the course you play at. Tighter fairways less bounce. Then just work on your technique. Do it in light rough first as I showed in this tip. Get confident then do the same technique from the fairway. You can hit this shot from hard pan.
i use the flop shot to get the ball to stop after landing on green with less roll. So I use it when I have water or bunker on the other side of a green than I am approaching. I think i do not use a shoulder turn. Do you agree Paul?
Any swing short of a full swing still have you doing the elements in a real swing but they are abbreviated. If you don’t turn your shoulders you won’t generate too much power. This may be somewhat try on a tiny shot where you are only hitting it a few yards but from a half backswing to full you would be turning.
Thanks for acknowledging that not all golfers are right handed. As a lefty, I have been forced to get pretty good at converting tips from others that always assume every golfer is right handed. You usually use explain using words like “front” arm or “back” knee. Sometimes you will say “left” or “right” but you almost always follow it up with “for a right handed golfer”. Thanks again.
I enjoy hitting a flop shot. I’ve been practicing since I joined your site a couple years ago.
I practice out in the front yard as well with a 60° wedge to a Pin about 8 to 15 yards away. I get the club face open to about 1 to 2 o’clock and land them nicely usually.
Once in a while I slice it, but I feel like I’m doing the same swing.
Why do you think this happens?
It’s not a slice it’s a bladed shot. With the face open and you hit it a little thin the ball will take of right. This is just you coming out of it looking a little early. These are delicate pressure shots. You need to remind yourself to watch the ball until you hit it before each shot. If so, you will make great contact.
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15 Responses to “How To Work On Flop Shots”
March 23, 2016
JamesChapleauSame shoulder turn back and belt buckle forward without rolling the wrists on this flop shot?
March 23, 2016
Paul WilsonJames,
Hinge/Turn Just like pitching wit the face open. Watch tonight’s tip.
July 12, 2019
WilliamWalshHello Paul
Played golf yesterday and shot 77… I am 74 years old… comment from a fairly good golfer who I met on the tee box “bill… you have a golf swing that looks so slow but the ball just rockets off your club…how do you do that?”
Paul there is no question that your golf concepts work…
March 23, 2016
RaymondCHASTELPaul,Opening the club face and swinging to the left is an invitation to shank the ball ,the hosel contacting the ball first ?Do you address the ball more with the toe than with the middle of the clubface to avoid the shank?
What club to you use in this fine demonstration :the 56° sandwedge or the lob wedge 60° or 64°?
March 23, 2016
Paul WilsonRaymond,
You are only going to shank it if you are too tilted or your roll onto your toes in the downswing. Why would you roll onto your toes in the downswing? Because you are trying to hit down on the ball or go down to get to the ball because you are too tilted. My students never shank it.
Stand Tall with Short Clubs: https://ignitiongolf.com/stand-tall-short-clubs/
March 23, 2016
daviddonaldsonI’m with Raymond here. I can play flop shots as you outline and similarly in bunkers opening the face and aligning my body to the right(left handed) but I do more than occasionally shank.
Why ???
March 23, 2016
Paul WilsonDavid,
Here is my reply to Raymond:
You are only going to shank it if you are too tilted or your roll onto your toes in the downswing. Why would you roll onto your toes in the downswing? Because you are trying to hit down on the ball or go down to get to the ball because you are too tilted. My students never shank it.
Stand Tall with Short Clubs: https://ignitiongolf.com/stand-tall-short-clubs/
March 23, 2016
LenKoblenzHi Paul,
Does one use a 60 degree, sand or pitching wedge for this shot? I have a mental issue with the “bounce” on the sand wedge. Any way to get into my brain and “fix” this?
Thanks,
Len
March 23, 2016
Paul WilsonLen,
You are only flopping it with a sand or lob wedge.
Get the right bounce for the course you play at. Tighter fairways less bounce. Then just work on your technique. Do it in light rough first as I showed in this tip. Get confident then do the same technique from the fairway. You can hit this shot from hard pan.
Shot: How To Hit From Hard Pan: https://ignitiongolf.com/shot-hard-pan/
June 21, 2017
GeorgeLawrencei use the flop shot to get the ball to stop after landing on green with less roll. So I use it when I have water or bunker on the other side of a green than I am approaching. I think i do not use a shoulder turn. Do you agree Paul?
June 22, 2017
Paul WilsonGeorge,
Any swing short of a full swing still have you doing the elements in a real swing but they are abbreviated. If you don’t turn your shoulders you won’t generate too much power. This may be somewhat try on a tiny shot where you are only hitting it a few yards but from a half backswing to full you would be turning.
June 12, 2018
mps1954piThanks for acknowledging that not all golfers are right handed. As a lefty, I have been forced to get pretty good at converting tips from others that always assume every golfer is right handed. You usually use explain using words like “front” arm or “back” knee. Sometimes you will say “left” or “right” but you almost always follow it up with “for a right handed golfer”. Thanks again.
June 13, 2018
Paul WilsonMy older tips are left and right. Newer ones are top and bottom. I am always aware of it. Glad you like them.
July 22, 2019
JohnBensonI enjoy hitting a flop shot. I’ve been practicing since I joined your site a couple years ago.
I practice out in the front yard as well with a 60° wedge to a Pin about 8 to 15 yards away. I get the club face open to about 1 to 2 o’clock and land them nicely usually.
Once in a while I slice it, but I feel like I’m doing the same swing.
Why do you think this happens?
August 7, 2019
Paul WilsonJohn,
It’s not a slice it’s a bladed shot. With the face open and you hit it a little thin the ball will take of right. This is just you coming out of it looking a little early. These are delicate pressure shots. You need to remind yourself to watch the ball until you hit it before each shot. If so, you will make great contact.