Weekly Golf Tip as seen in The Winnipeg Sun --

July 24th, 2007

Don't Flip Over Flop Shots

As mastered by pro golfers such as Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, the flop shot is a great shot to have when there is little green to work with or the flag is tucked behind a bunker.

A wedge with 56-60 degrees or loft is essential to play this shot. First, make sure the ball position is forward in your stance and that your grip pressure is extremely light (as in picture one, see ball position is forward in stance and clubface is open.)

The stance is also slightly open to the target (as in picture two.)

Second, try to maintain a shaft angle that is perpendicular to the ground in your set up and then get it back to the same position at impact to get the correct loft. (see picture three)

Because this shot requires the ball to stop very quickly, open the club's face and swing with a little more speed and acceleration than usual. This will put more backspin on the ball.

Finally, while this is a relatively short shot, try and follow through into a full and smooth finish, similar to a full shot from the fairway. Like all shots in golf, this shot requires practice and time to perfect.

Derek Ingram is the Head Teaching Professional at the Elmhurst Golf & Country Club in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He is a past winner of the Canadian PGA's Teacher of the Year and one of the top High Performance Golf Coaches in the World.

- Derek Ingram