Golfing Tips: How to Hit a Flop Shot

A flop shot is sometimes called a ‘lob shot’, although it’s often shortened just to ‘flop’ or ‘lob’. It’s a specialty shot used to stop the ball quickly as soon as it hits the green, or to lift the ball over an obstacle.

The flop shot is usually played with a high-lofted lob wedge, which sends the ball on a steep up-and-down trajectory, stopping very quickly as soon as it lands on the green. It’s a great shot for getting the ball past a bunker, or even over a tree. Other wedges can also be used, but the lob wedge was created specifically to add the right degree of loft, making it the most popular choice.

Golfers with a high handicap may not carry a lob wedge, but most low-handicap golfers tend to carry them, particularly for short games.

How to play a flop shot:

• Increase the loft of your shot by opening the face of your lob wedge.
• Make your stance a little more forward than you usually would.
• With your upper body aimed towards the target, open your stance, so that your feet are slightly left of the target, if you’re a right-handed player.
• Keep your weight on the balls of your feet, but with slightly more weight on your leading foot.
• Bend your knees slightly more than you normally would.
• Keeping your lower body quiet, make a full swing with your arms and hands doing most of the work.
• Swing through to a full finish.
   

The full swing, speeding towards impact, is the part that most recreational golfers find challenging. Failure to fully commit to the swing, or a lack of acceleration, can spoil the shot.

Perfecting your flop shot

Learning to play a good flop shot takes time and a lot of practice. Why not book a golf lesson from one of our PGA Golf Professionals, who will guide you through every aspect of the shot?

Following this up with a few sessions at the driving range will give you a chance to play with your stance and perfect your playing style. All our driving ranges are floodlit, so you can practise late into the evening.