The Secret To Hitting A Consistent Flop Shot

Many times in a round of golf, a higher, softer landing shot is needed to get the ball close to the hole. This shot is the flop shot. Often called one of the hardest shots in golf, the flop shot can be successfully hit by any level of player as long as they are able to adhere to the following keys.

• Keep your height
• Position the ball correctly
• Accelerate through the ball
• Keep the club face open
• Hit the grass first
• Have an open stance

Keep Your Height

This is very important for consistency when hitting any golf shot, but especially the flop shot. Keeping your height means keeping your knee bend constant throughout your swing, you also have to keep your head at a constant height, if you lower and raise your head, your body will naturally follow. Resulting in a loss of height and inconsistency. When you practice have a friend hold a club over your head, this way they can tell if you are losing your height and let you know.

Position the ball correctly

The ball should be positioned off the inside of your front foot, similar to the ball position you use when hitting a driver. This allows for more of a sweeping motion and is important to another one of the flop shot keys, hitting the grass first.

Many times golfers feel that to hit the ball higher and shorter, that they must decrease their swing speed and as a result, they end up decelerating into the golf ball. This is actually the opposite of what you need to do to hit a good flop shot. Hitting the ball higher requires more swing speed, think about when you hit a full shot versus a half shot, which one goes higher? More swing speed means more spin and a higher shot, resulting in a better flop shot.

Keep the club face open

To hit the ball higher you must open the club face, for a flop shot you should open the it to about 60 degrees. But to make use of the open club face, you must accelerate through the ball and keep the it open on the backswing as well as the follow through. Acceleration will help you hit the ball higher and keeping the golf club open through your follow through will help prevent rolling your wrists and closing the face through impact.

Hit the grass first

Unlike most other shots in golf, when hitting a flop shot, you do not want to hit down on the ball. If you try to hit down on the ball when hitting a flop shot, you will most likely thin the ball, and end up hitting a low, fast shot with no spin, the complete opposite of a flop shot. To hit a flop shot, you must feel like you are sweeping the ball off the ground and into the air. This is why you must hit the grass first, you sweep through the grass just behind the ball and then continue and sweep the ball upwards into the air. You should try not to take a divot when hitting a flop shot, this will promote the sweeping motion needed to effectively hit the shot.

Have an open stance

In addition to an open club face, you must also have an open stance. An open stance allows you to open the club face and still hit the ball where you want it to go. If you just opened the club and not your stance, the ball would end up going right of your target line. Think of opening your stance as a way to counter opening your club face, while still getting the full effects of an open club. You should open your stance about 2/3 of the amount you open your club face. For example, if you open the golf club 45 degrees, you should open your stance 30 degrees.

If you use these keys when hitting a flop shot you will see better, more consistent results. Good luck and happy golfing.

David L Cunningham, III