Let’s be honest here, hitting a flop shot isn’t for everyone. Sure, the shot is useful — like when you short-side yourself and need to stop a ball on the green quickly — but actually pulling it off is easier said than done.
As a mid-handicapper, I know this too well.
For instance, my setup’s usually solid, and I open up the clubface enough to use the club’s bounce against the turf. But then I seem to either lean back in my backswing (causing a skulled shot), or decelerate in the downswing (chunk city).
If you’re like me and struggle with mastering the flop shot, check out Rickie Fowler’s tips below (video courtesy of TaylorMade’s YouTube channel). Maybe the six-time PGA Tour winner can help you put it all together and finally hit one of golf’s trickiest shots with more consistency.
How Rickie Fowler hits the perfect flop shot
The biggest concern for many amateurs when hitting flop shots is simply commitment — that is, trusting that the setup, clubface control and swing speed are all right.
When you feel hesitant, that’s when the dreaded chunk or skulled shot occurs.
Fowler says job number one is opening the clubface.
“Obviously, the face has to be open, but the weight’s going to stay pretty consistent and primarily on the [lead side], and the ball’s [on the front foot] with the weight going to stay towards that front side,” he says. “I like to feel the face kind of roll open, and then I hold it [at the top of the backswing] so that it exposes bounce [coming down into impact].”
As Fowler swings through impact, he says he tries to ensure that he’s finishing with his weight forward.
So while the flop shot can be a tricky one to master, by keeping things simple, trusting the necessary steps, and committing to the shot, you can see success like Fowler does.
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