Golf Flop Shot: When To Use It And When To Avoid It

When I was younger, my favorite shot to practice in the backyard was the flop shot. There’s something fun about launching the ball high into the air, watching it travel a short distance and stopping it exactly where you want. As I got more confident, I’d open the clubface more and more.

But as much as I practiced flop shots, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve hit a true, full-on flop shot in a competitive round. The conditions must be just right for the risk to be worth it.

So when should you attempt a golf flop shot and when should you play it safe? I’ve broken it down, along with some tips from the best in the game to help you execute it properly when the situation calls for it.

When you can consider a golf flop shot

The ideal conditions for a flop shot are when you have a ball sitting up in some rough and you have short-sided yourself with an obstacle like a bunker between you and the pin. You need to clear the obstacle but don’t have much room to work with.

Short-sided with an obstacle (bunker, rough, etc.) – If you need to clear an obstacle and have confidence in your technique.
Fluffy lie in deep rough – Ball sits up, allowing the club to slide under it.
Soft ground with plenty of grass – More margin for error, making it easier to use the club’s bounce effectively.
Casual round with no consequences – A great time to practice the shot without pressure.
If you’re confident in your execution – This is not a shot to attempt if you are worried about your ability.

When you should avoid a golf flop shot

There are more situations to avoid a golf flop shot than there are to go for it. Here are just a few times the flop shot should not even come to mind.

Downhill lie – The slope makes it harder to get the necessary loft and increases the risk of blading the shot.
Firm or bare ground – The club can bounce unpredictably, making clean contact difficult.
Plenty of green to work with – A lower-trajectory chip or pitch is a safer play.
With the grain of the grass – The ball sits lower, making clean contact more difficult.
Under tournament pressure without prior practice – High-risk shot with a small margin for error—stick to safer options.
If you’re unfamiliar with the mechanics – The shot is too risky without proper technique.

Tips from the best in the game

I analyzed and broke down three videos on how to hit a flop shot: one with Tiger Woods, another with Phil Mickelson and, lastly, Rickie Fowler. Their techniques have many similarities but also a few differences worth mentioning.

If you are considering trying the flop shot, here are the most important tips from the pros.

The clubface has to be open

To hit a great flop shot, the face must be open to maximize loft and use the bounce effectively. When Mickelson plays a flop shot, he opens the face almost flat with the toe of the wedge near the ground. The clubface also must remain open during the entire swing.

Weight distribution is forward

Keeping the weight on the front foot helps ensure a clean strike. When the lie is tight, keeping the weight forward is even more important. This setup also allows better acceleration through the shot.

Bounce is your friend

The bounce on the club is important in the flop shot. It helps the club keep from digging and gets the wedge under the ball. The more you practice these shots, the more you’ll see the bounce at work, especially when you have thicker grass to work with.

Accelerate through impact

For the golf flop shot to succeed, you must accelerate through the ball. If you slow down or let the wrists flip, the chance of blading this shot increases significantly. That’s why I talk about confidence here. If you aren’t confident, skip the flop shot.

Differences in feel

While all the fundamentals I mentioned are common themes for Tiger, Phil and Rickie, the biggest difference we see is feel. They all have different cues that help them when playing these shots. As you practice, you’ll develop yours.

Player	Feel Cue	Description
Tiger Woods	Swing the hosel	Feels the hosel accelerating through impact to keep the face open and maintain loft. This prevents deceleration and ensures a high, soft shot.
Phil Mickelson	Flatten the face	Opens the face almost flat and keeps weight forward. Focuses on driving the club into the ground while keeping arms and club moving together.
Rickie Fowler	Roll it open and hold it	Rolls the face open early and holds it through impact to expose the bounce. Avoids face rotation, similar to Tiger’s approach.

The best flop shot drill

This is my favorite flop shot drill and how I learned to hit the golf flop shot. If you can’t make this motion with only your trail arm on the club, don’t risk hitting the flop shot on the course. Start with small swings and work up to larger ones until you become confident. Try this when the ball is in some rough. It isn’t easy to do from the short grass.

Final thoughts

While the golf flop shot isn’t one you will hit every round, when you find yourself having to hit over a bunker with little green to work with, it can save the day. I’ve always found that practicing shots like this gives me more confidence in my short game and increases my ability to manipulate the face to be more creative on the course. We know that keeping the ball lower around the greens leads to more up-and-downs but sometimes that’s just not possible.

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