If you want to get the ball up quickly and land it soft, the flop shot might be your best bet. A flop shot is a high, soft shot that lets you clear an obstacle and stop the ball fast on the green.
A lot of golfers struggle with this one, but honestly, learning it can save strokes and give you more options around the greens.
The keys? Open clubface, wide stance, and most of your weight forward. Using the bounce of the club helps you avoid digging and gets the ball popping up.
Knowing when to use a flop shot—like when you have barely any green to work with or need to clear a bunker—can really change your scores.
Key Takeaways
- A flop shot is a high, soft shot for tricky short-game situations.
- Proper setup and technique are needed for success.
- Knowing when to use the flop shot helps us play smarter golf.
Understanding the Flop Shot
A flop shot is a big part of the short game in golf. It lets you lift the ball high and land it softly.
Knowing what makes this shot special—and when to use it—helps you avoid some ugly mistakes.
Definition and Purpose
A flop shot is a high, soft shot played with an open clubface. You’ll usually use a lob wedge or sand wedge for this, since they give you plenty of loft.
The ball pops up quickly and lands with barely any roll. We use a flop shot when we need to get over an obstacle, like a bunker or thick rough, near the green.
It helps the ball stop fast so it doesn’t run past the hole. This makes the flop shot super useful when the pin is close to the edge and you don’t have much space.
The goal isn’t distance—it’s control. You want to land the ball as close to the hole as possible.
How the Flop Shot Differs from Other Short Game Shots
The flop shot stands out from other short game shots like chips or pitches. For a flop, you open your stance and clubface more, use more wrist hinge, and swing a bit faster.
The ball goes higher and lands with less roll. Chips use less loft and a smaller swing, keeping the ball lower and letting it roll out.
Pitch shots sit somewhere in between, with more height than a chip but not as much as a flop.
Here’s a simple comparison:
| Shot Type | Trajectory | Roll | Club Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chip Shot | Low | More | Pitching/Sand Wedge |
| Pitch Shot | Medium | Some | Wedge |
| Flop Shot | High | Little | Lob/Sand Wedge |
By knowing how these shots differ, you can pick the right one for the moment.
Key Situations to Use a Flop Shot
You should use a flop shot when you need to clear a tall obstacle near the green. This could be a bunker, tall grass, or even a slope.
The flop shot is also helpful when the pin is tucked close to the near edge of the green, leaving you little room to land and stop the ball. It’s important to use the flop shot only when you have a good lie—usually on short grass or a soft surface.
If the ball sits down in thick rough or on hard ground, other shots may be safer. For example, if you miss the green and end up short-sided in rough, the flop shot can help you get up and down without much rollout.
But on a bare lie, it’s easy to blade or chunk the shot, so caution is needed.
Essential Equipment and Setup
Getting the flop shot right depends on your equipment and setup. The wedge, the golf ball, and even the little extras in your bag all play a part.
Choosing the Right Wedge and Loft
For most flop shots, you need a high-lofted wedge. A lob wedge is best, with a loft between 58° and 64°.
This extra loft lets the ball get up quickly and come down soft. It’s important that your wedge has enough “bounce.”
Bounce helps keep the club from digging into the turf. Many players like wedges with 10–14 degrees of bounce—it’s a forgiving choice for soft lies.
Your clubface should be open at setup, which increases the effective loft even more. Popular wedge choices? TaylorMade Milled Grind or Titleist Vokey series.
Avoid using a pitching wedge or 9 iron for flop shots. These clubs just don’t have enough loft to do the job.
Club Selection Tips
When you’re getting ready to hit a flop shot, think about distance and how much green you have. You almost always want a dedicated lob wedge to really master this shot.
Check your lie—if you’re in the rough, more bounce can help; firm lies may need less bounce. When in doubt, try a few different wedges on the practice green and see which one feels right.
Don’t bother trying flop shots with long irons or woods. Those clubs just aren’t built for it.
Recommended Golf Balls and Accessories
Spin is super important in flop shots, so your golf ball matters. A soft, urethane-covered ball, like the Titleist Pro V1 or TaylorMade TP5, gives you the spin control you want.
A clean clubface makes a big difference too. Keep a towel handy to wipe dirt off your wedges.
Groove brushes and gloves help with grip and consistency. Carrying a rangefinder or a golf GPS can help you pick the right target.
With the right ball and clean, well-kept clubs, you’ll notice a difference in your flop shots.
Mastering Flop Shot Technique
To hit a flop shot, you need to focus on setup, clubface control, and how you make contact. Each part of the technique has to work together.
Stance, Grip, and Alignment
Start by opening your stance. Aim your feet slightly left of the target if you’re right-handed.
Keep your weight more on your front foot. This helps keep the swing shallow and avoids digging.
Use a lofted wedge, like a sand or lob wedge. Open the clubface so it points almost up at the sky.
Relax your grip—no need to strangle the club. Hands stay low to the ground at address.
Ball goes forward in your stance, just inside your left heel. That makes it easier to get under the ball.
- Key setup points:
- Open stance
- More weight on front foot
- Clubface open
- Ball forward in stance
Backswing and Clubface Control
In the backswing, keep your wrists soft and hinge them early. This creates more clubhead speed and lets you use the bounce of the club.
Swing along your body line, not straight at the target, since your stance is open. The clubface stays open the whole way back.
Don’t try to close or manipulate the clubface during the swing. Let the loft do the work.
The length of your backswing should match the shot. Shorter swings for close shots, longer swings for more height and distance.
- Key points:
- Early wrist hinge
- Clubface stays open
- Swing along body line
Executing the Impact
At impact, your goal is to slide the club under the ball. Try to hit the grass just behind the ball by about half an inch.
Use the bounce of the wedge—let it glide under the ball, don’t dig. Hands stay behind or in line with the clubhead at impact.
Accelerate through the shot. Don’t decelerate or try to scoop the ball.
The clubface should stay open after impact, and you want a high, soft follow-through.
- Key points:
- Hit just behind the ball
- Use bounce, not leading edge
- Accelerate through impact
- High, soft follow-through
Improving and Applying the Flop Shot
You need both solid practice and smart decision-making to make the flop shot work for your short game.
Learning from professionals and watching examples on the course helps you understand when and how to use the flop shot for different situations around the green.
Practice Drills and Tips
To improve your flop shot, start by using an open clubface and a wide stance. Practicing with your weight forward helps the club glide under the ball.
Focus on hitting just behind the ball and let the club’s bounce lift it high and soft.
Try these drills:
- Place a towel or small object a few inches behind the ball. This encourages hitting the turf after the ball and stops you from flipping your wrists too soon.
- Work on landing the ball in a small target area on the green to build control.
- Practice from different lies and grass lengths to build confidence.
Regular short game practice is key. Watching video lessons doesn’t hurt either.
Course Management and Shot Selection
Using the flop shot at the right time is just as important as the technique. Choose the flop shot when you have little green to work with, need to get over a bunker, or want the ball to stop quickly.
It’s important to consider:
| Situation | Use Flop Shot? |
|---|---|
| Short-sided by the green | Yes |
| Green slopes away sharply | Yes |
| Enough space for a normal chip | No |
| Ball in thick rough or soft grass | Sometimes |
Avoid the flop shot if the lie is tight or if the risk outweighs the reward. Good judgment saves strokes.
Professional Insights and Famous Flop Shots
Pros like Tiger Woods have shown how to master the flop shot. Tiger often uses it in pressure moments when he needs a high, soft landing.
Watching his swings, you’ll notice careful setup and a controlled follow-through. Phil Mickelson’s high, spinning flop shots are legendary—he’s proof that practice makes all the difference.
By studying these players, you get practical ideas to try in your own game.
Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve got to make smart choices when deciding to hit a flop shot. Understanding club selection, shot differences, and proper technique is key to success.
What club is best suited for executing a successful flop shot?
Usually, you want a lob wedge or a sand wedge for flop shots. These clubs have a high degree of loft, typically between 58 and 64 degrees.
A high-lofted wedge lets you open the face and get the height and softness you need.
What is the difference between a flop shot and a chip shot in golf?
A flop shot flies much higher and lands softer than a chip shot. With a flop shot, your goal is to send the ball up quickly and have it stop fast.
A chip shot travels lower, uses less loft, and usually rolls out more after landing.
Under what circumstances is using a flop shot more advantageous than a lob shot?
You go for a flop shot when you need maximum height and stopping power—especially if you have to clear an obstacle with little green to work with.
A lob shot is better when the green is more open and you’ve got more room for the ball to roll after it lands.
What are the essential techniques for mastering a flop shot?
First off, open up the clubface and your stance. You want to feel like you’re setting up for something a bit out of the ordinary.
Put a little more weight on your front foot. When you swing, follow the line of your body—not the target.
Aim to use the bounce of the club. Try to strike just behind the ball, letting the club do most of the work.
Keep your grip relaxed. Let the follow-through happen naturally, and don’t try to force it.
At what point during a round of golf should you consider using a flop shot?
A flop shot comes in handy when you need to get over a hazard or thick rough, and there’s barely any green to work with. It’s not the shot for every situation, but sometimes it’s the only way to stop the ball fast.
If a regular chip or pitch would run too far, that’s when you reach for the flop. It’s a bit risky, sure, but sometimes you’ve just got to go for it.
Can you explain the key differences between a flop shot and other short game shots?
Flop shots need a lot more loft. You’ve got to use a bigger swing, too.
The ball flies higher than with pitches or chips. Those other shots, honestly, spend more time rolling out on the green.
A flop shot isn’t very forgiving. It’s really meant for those tricky, high-risk moments.