Flop shots

[Matty6]

I was faced with my first ever flop shot in last weeks comp. On the second hole I missed the green to the left and landed in the rough. Had a decent lie but the pin was guarded by two bunkers. Had little green to work with as the pin was tucked in quite close to the fringe and the bunkers. There was a small gap in between in each bunker which I could've bumped and run through, but I would've struggled to hold the green. Even if I did hold the green I would've had a 50ft-ish putt. Flop shot it is then! Never been faced with one before so I was a little apprehensive about the outcome! Sand wedge in hand (I don't have a lob wedge), opened the face, and gave it a nice smooth controlled swing. The ball came out lovely and shot straight up in the air. Pitched 4-5 feet away from the pin and ran out to around 8ft. I was over the moon with the outcome, however I still managed to 2 putt! First putt just came up short.

I just hope I manage to get the same amount of luck the next time I'm faced with a similar shot!

 

[Vardon11LDN]

I love the flop shot. its not that hard off a fluffy lie. Try doing it off a tight lie a la Phil Mickleson

 

[Odvan]

Garyinderry's favourite shot. He'll be along soon!

 

[garyinderry]

Garyinderry's favourite shot. He'll be along soon!

Its true. There isn't a shot that is half as much fun.


As much as I love to play flop shots, I've been putting from off the green more than ever these days.

 

[Matty6]

There isn't a shot that is half as much fun.

Very true indeed!

 

[garyinderry]

Have a play around with this.

[video=youtube;zUWdlumeHqY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUWdlumeHqY[/video]

 

[Matty6]

Thanks Gary.

 

[Foxholer]

Its true. There isn't a shot that is half as much fun.
...

Or can cause as much laughter when it goes wrong! Either the absolute rocket thin miles through the green, the perfectly struck but too short that leaves another flop required, or (my favourite) the one from long(-ish) rough where the club simply goes under the ball and the only result is the ball moving a couple of inches - downward!

Not a shot I use on inland courses in Winter - too much likelihood that a 'foozle' will be the result!

I once watched a talented junior practicing 30 yd flops for about 10 mins - while I was trying to groove my chipping! He (last known handicap +2!) was finishing much closer than my 10 & 20 yard chips!

 

[ScienceBoy]

I used to be terrible then I practiced them for fun when bored with chipping

Rarely used on the course but I can pull it off when needed, usually to good effect.

Highlight was holing one in an interclub match to take the lead at the turn. We won the match 6 holes later without loss.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have real issues pulling this off on the course and had shanks, thins, fats and air shots so it's a matter of last resort these days. I can do it with no pressure on the chipping green so the technique is there. Most days anywhere on the green, two puts and get out of there does it for me

 

[bobmac]

I was taught this shot about 1970 and was told never, ever attempt this shot unless you have a juicey lie where you can get the club under the ball.
Of course it can be played off a tighter lie but practice it first, maybe off a range mat.

 

[garyinderry]

You don't absolutely need the juiciest of lies but it you find yourself short sided then some rough helps a bunch.

Even when it's Down in thick juicy rough it's easier than off the tightest of lies.

The trick is to not hit the ball perfectly clean but some degree fat to allow the club time to slip in under the ball. The bounce kicks in and pulls this off.

Homer I suggest you get practising this a bit more because if the lie isn't too bad, this shot isn't that difficult. Getting tight to the pin is hard but actually getting it out as you intend isn't difficult.

In fact a lot of the same principles are in play when using the linear method. You might stand a touch more open and open the blade for more loft but the same idea is at play of using the bounce and releasing the club head by returning the shaft to neutral.

Under the right conditions it should be how hard to hit it , not am I going to get this out.

 

[stokie_93]

Played in an open on Saturday and after nutting a drive down the middle I pushed my 7 iron right.

Left with a shot over a bunker with about 10 foot to work with, played an absolute beauty of a flop shot to about 3 foot.

I won't tell you what happened after that

 

[virtuocity]

If you don't know what bounce is, or how to use it, I'd avoid trying this off a tight lie!

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Love this shot. Personally I tend to use a good deal of bottom hand on it and that works for me. Take 3-4 practice swings to groove the shot first. Easier with a decent lie but I'll take it on in any circumstances. One of the most satisfying shots in golf.

 

[TonyN]

One shot I enjoy playing but will only play if Im absolutely forced into.

Can be prone to all sort, thins, fats shanks etc.

One thing I do if im opening the face of my 58, is play it out of the toe, that way seems to minimise the risk of a shank and I generally feel I get a much better connection.

 

[Tashyboy]

Done it three times that I can remember always with my most lofted club 56 degree vokey.
First time the ball was sat up an inch or so. The club literally went straight under. Took a gorgeous divot and the ball went up three foot and forward 18"
second time was at calverton. 18 th pin high with a bunker in front. All the lads watching and flopped it out to about two foot. Boom.
Third time at our 5th another par three, a PP had lost his ball so we waved some guys through. My ball similar to the calverton scenario. The guys we let through walked off the green and I played me flop shot. It pitched two foot in front of flag and I thought it was goin in. I screamed " get in " at the top of my voice and it missed by millimetres and rolled three foot passed. The guys who we had let through, there faces were a picture.
By and large though I won't play it unless I have/ forced to.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

You actually had plenty of green to work with, you just chose to ignore most of it You never have to play a flop shot and doing so will cost you more shots in the long run than just getting the ball on the green. It might be fun when it comes of but it's awful when it doesn't.

 

[Skypilot]

Had to try one today.
I thought the ball was in the bunker but somehow it stopped on the wrong side edge of the bunker on a small rock hard patch of dried earth about 2" from falling into the bunker. Downhill lie too, the ball was just stopped from rolling into the bunker by some cracks in the earth.
I couldn't think of any way of playing the shot except hitting it away sideways. I decided to try a flop shot as hitting it away would have added a shot anyway.
I knew it was an impossible shot for me and down it went into the bunker.
Not sure how even a pro would have played it though. It was a small green with a large bunker on the other side.
At least I got out first try.

 

[Matty6]

You actually had plenty of green to work with, you just chose to ignore most of it

Very true indeed!!