How to Hit a Flop Shot in Golf — Step-by-Step with Common Mistakes
The flop shot is one of the most spectacular — and dangerous — shots in golf. Done right, the ball pops straight up and falls like a balloon. Done wrong, it screams across the green into the crowd. Here is how to do it right.
When to use (and not use) a flop shot
| Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Fluffy rough, tight pin | Great — this is the ideal flop situation |
| Long rough, more green to work with | Try a standard pitch instead — safer |
| Tight hardpan or firm fairway | Expert only — very high skull risk |
| Over a bunker to tight pin | Good candidate if you have practiced it |
| Pin at back of green, lots of room | Do not use a flop — bump and run is better |
How to hit a flop shot — 5 steps
Open your stance and the clubface dramatically
Place the ball forward in your stance — off your lead heel. Rotate your body left (for right-handers) so your hips and shoulders point well left of the target. Before gripping the club, open the clubface by rotating it clockwise until it looks almost like a spatula pointing to the sky. Grip it AFTER opening — regripping after opening the face closes it back to square.
Move your weight to your lead side and keep it there
Set about 60–70 percent of your weight on your lead foot at address and leave it there the entire swing. This prevents the classic amateur error of "hanging back" to try to help the ball up. The wide-open clubface is what gets the ball up — your job is to stay forward and let the loft do its work.
Make a long, slow swing — let the club do the work
A flop shot requires a much longer swing than most short-game shots. The swing should be close to full — think 80–90 percent of a full swing length. The slower tempo is what makes it stop fast: a big, slow swing produces high launch and low spin distance. If your swing feels too short for the distance, you will either decelerate (danger) or hit it way too far.
Keep your hands soft — no scooping or flipping
The most common flop shot mistake is flipping the hands through impact to try to loft the ball. This causes skulled shots that screech across the green. Instead, keep your hands quiet and let the open clubface do the work. Your wrists should feel passive through impact. Trust the face angle you set at address — do not try to add loft at impact.
Practice on fluffy lies before tight lies
The flop shot is dramatically easier from fluffy, thick rough where the ball is sitting up. From a tight lie on hardpan or tightly mown fairway, the margin for error is razor thin — you need pinpoint contact to avoid a skull. Master the shot from fluffy lies first. Once you can hit it reliably there, slowly introduce tighter lies. Never attempt a flop from tight hardpan unless you have practiced it extensively.
Frequently asked questions
What is a flop shot in golf?
A flop shot is a high-lofted short-game shot that pops the ball steeply into the air and lands it very softly with minimal roll. It is used when you have little green to work with — like a tight pin tucked near the edge of the green with a bunker or rough between you and the hole. The ball goes almost straight up and stops quickly.
When should I hit a flop shot?
Only when there is no other option — a flop shot has a high risk of going badly wrong. The right situations: (1) you are just off the green in fluffy rough with a tight pin near you and nowhere to land a chip; (2) you need to carry over a bunker to a close flag; (3) you have a tight lie but have practiced the shot extensively. Most of the time, a chip, bump-and-run, or pitch is a safer choice.
What club do you use for a flop shot?
A lob wedge (58–64 degrees of loft) is the standard choice — the extra loft lets you open the face even more and still get good contact. Some professionals use a 60 or 64 degree wedge opened to the max. Sand wedges (54–56 degrees) work in a pinch, but lob wedges are designed for this shot. The extra bounce on a lob wedge also helps on fluffy lies.
Is the flop shot hard to learn?
Yes — the flop shot is one of the hardest shots in golf and should not be attempted by beginners. The margin for error is small: too far behind the ball and you chunk it into the hazard; too thin and you skull it over the green. Phil Mickelson spent years mastering it. Practice it at the practice range first with fluffy lies, then gradually move toward tighter situations.
How do I open the clubface correctly for a flop shot?
Open the face BEFORE you grip the club. Hold the club at its neck, rotate the face clockwise (for right-handers) until it points toward the sky, then grip it in this position. If you adjust your normal grip first and then twist the club open, your hands will naturally return the face to square at impact. Rotate the face, THEN grip.
Can beginners hit a flop shot?
Beginners should avoid the flop shot entirely. The risk of skulling it or chunking it is very high, and the consequences (ball in the bunker or 30 yards past the green) are severe. Learn a standard chip, a bump-and-run, and a basic pitch first. Once you break 90 consistently and have good contact with wedges, then start experimenting with the flop on the practice green.
Why does my flop shot skull or chunk?
Skulling (thin): usually caused by flipping the hands at impact — you try to help the ball up instead of trusting the open face. Fix: keep hands passive, lead with the handle slightly. Chunking (fat): usually caused by hanging back on your trail foot. Fix: set your weight forward at address and keep it there. Both errors also happen when the swing is too short — commit to a full, long swing.
How do I practice the flop shot?
Start on the practice green with a pile of fluffy grass. Drop five balls, open your lob wedge fully, and try to hit them all to a spot about 5 feet away — focus on consistent contact, not distance. Once you can hit them softly and stop them near the target most of the time, increase the distance slightly. Progress to tighter lies only after fluffy lies are reliable. Never practice a flop shot from carpet — the bounce feels nothing like real grass.
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