Editor’s Note: Brian Harman doesn’t hit it the furthest, or the straightest, but he’s a mainstay on the PGA Tour because he’s scrappy. He scores, because he’s a master of getting his ball up-and-down. One of his biggest pieces of advice? Softening the arms for better flop shots… — Luke Kerr-Dineen, Instruction Editor.
Miss a green on Tour and you’re likely to find your ball in some pretty hairy rough.
The trick here is to not overpower your next swing, or you risk flying the ball into worse trouble on the opposite side of the putting surface. Try this: Hold your arms out to your sides, then let them fall straight down—just allow gravity to do its thing.
Now keep in mind that your arms weigh about eight pounds, and if you were to drop an eight-pound weight on your foot, you’d probably break a few bones.
That’s my point: For short shots like these, you don’t need to any add any extra force on your downswing. There’s plenty there. Simply swing the club back and then let your arms drop.
The combined weight of your arms and the club will promote a smooth and natural motion without any excess wrist action. It’s a simple thought process, but feeling like your arms and club are dropping allows the clubhead to consistently slide underneath the ball, popping it up high and soft. — PGA Tour player Brian Harman
