Since I mentioned the flop shot yesterday, this seems like a good time for a how-to.

The purpose of the flop shot is to get the ball in the air very quickly, have it carry a minimum distance, and stop very close to where it lands. This is a perfect shot when you’re close to the green hitting to a pin that’s close to the edge and you have to fly the ball over a bunker or keep it from running away. It’s not a tough shot to learn, but it requires practice, so you won’t want to unveil this on the course for the first time without getting the hang of it on the range.

I like to follow Tiger Woods’ basic flop shot technique. At address, the stance is relatively wide, promoting a quiet lower body and is aligned well left of the target. The ball is played somewhat forward, off the left heel. You definitely want to use a high-lofted club, 60 degrees or more. the face is laid open at address.

The swing is very long. The club is picked up steeply in the back swing. Tiger recommends having a cupped left wrist at the top, opening the club face even more. Then just accelerate through impact, trying to visualize sliding the club under the ball. The follow through should be long. Tiger mentions that he likes to aim for impact on the toe of the club, because it deadens the impact some.

You need to be selective of the lie before attempting a flop shot. Hard pan lies, or lies settled down in the rough are not good candidates. Fluffy lies are ok, but you have to be a little more precise or you run the risk of getting too far under the ball and sending it only a couple of feet.

Next time you’re at the range (avoid the practice green with this one, at first) give the flop shot a try. It’s a useful shot that can be picked up with a little practice. When you encounter a situation on the course that calls for a flop shot, it can be a valuable stroke-saver, if executed properly.

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