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Flop Shot

Also known as: lob shot, Phil shot

Definition

Ang flop shot ay napakataas at malambot-lumapag na chip o pitch na tinatama gamit ang wide-open na lob wedge na mabilis na huminto — ginagamit kapag kaunti ang green sa pagitan ng bola at ng hole.

Ang flop shot ay isang mataas na trajectory, malambot-lumapag na wedge shot na gumagawa ng pinakamaraming oras sa hangin at pinakakaunting roll — lumilipad nang napakataas ang bola, lumalapag nang malambot, at mabilis na humihinto na may kaunti o walang rollout. Ginagamit ito sa mga sitwasyon kung saan kailangang lumipad ang bola sa hazard o fringe malapit sa pin at huminto malapit sa kung saan ito lumapag: pin na nakatago malapit sa gilid ng bunker, shot mula sa malalim na rough malapit sa green, o sitwasyon kung saan ang tanging tuwid na linya papunta sa hole ay sa ibabaw ng obstacle. Mataas ang risk ng flop shot at nangangailangan ito ng malaking practice — dapat lang subukan kapag pinapayagan ng lie at sitwasyon ang commitment.

Ang technique ng flop shot ay kinabibilangan ng dramatikong pagbukas ng clubface bago hawakan ang club (hindi lang ang pag-ikot ng wrist pagkatapos hawakan), paglapad ng stance, bahagyang pag-crouch, paglalagay ng bola sa harap ng stance, at paggawa ng buo at aggressive na swing na may napakataas na follow-through. Ang matinding loft ng nakabukas na face ang gumagawa ng mataas na trajectory, habang ang acceleration sa pagdaan sa impact ang lumilikha ng spin na humihinto sa bola. Ang pinakakaraniwang error ay deceleration — mukha at nararamdamang parang dapat mahinahon at malambot ang swing, kung saan sa katotohanan ay nangangailangan ito ng committed at accelerating na swing sa buhangin, rough, o turf.

Ang pangunahing risk ng flop shot ay ang contact quality dependency: gumagana nang maganda ang shot mula sa magandang lie sa malambot na rough, pero napakahirap ito mula sa tight lies (kung saan maaaring tamaan ng leading edge ang bola bago pa makapag-engage ang bounce), mula sa basang kondisyon (kung saan maaaring humukay ang club), at mula sa matatag na lie (kung saan hindi mahulaan ang pagtalbog ng bounce sa turf). Si Phil Mickelson, kilala sa kanyang flop shots, ay lubos na selective sa kung kailan susubukan ang mga ito kahit sa tour level. Para sa recreational na golfer, halos palaging mas mataas ang probability ng chip-and-run o standard na pitch maliban kung talagang kailangan ng sitwasyon ang flop.

Beginner tip

Before attempting a flop shot, always check the lie first. This means grab a handful of the grass near the ball. This means if the grass comes out easily and the ball is sitting up, the flop shot is an option. If the ball is sitting down in compressed turf with no daylight under it, the lie will not support a flop and a different shot should be chosen.

Advanced note

Practice the flop shot in isolation before using it on the course. This means on a practice green, set up multiple balls with two tees creating a gate 1 foot wide on the green, and practice landing flop shots through the gate from 5 feet away. This extreme target puts immediate feedback on trajectory and distance control. This builds the committed acceleration and face control needed for the shot to work under pressure.

Example

Ang bolang nakasalalay malapit sa fringe na may 15 talampakan lang papunta sa pin — ang flop shot lang ang paraan para makapaakyat ang bola nang sapat kataas para lumapag nang malambot at huminto malapit sa hole.

How it shows up on video

From a face-on camera angle, the flop shot is immediately recognizable by the sharply open club face visible at address and the very high trajectory of the resulting ball flight. The swing appears long and aggressive for the short distance traveled. This means a full arm swing producing a shot that lands 10–15 feet from the golfer. The follow-through is high and complete. A failed flop shot is visible as either the ball barely moving (deceleration into thick rough) or the ball shooting across the green (the leading edge caught the ball instead of the bounce skimming under it).

Common mistakes

Decelerating through the flop shot — the most dangerous error. A decelerated flop into rough or over a bunker typically results in the ball staying in the rough or in the bunker. Commit to a full, aggressive swing; the open face controls the distance, not swing size.
Attempting a flop shot from a tight lie — the leading edge of the club needs turf to grab for the bounce to work. From a tight lie on hardpan or closely-mown grass, the leading edge will catch the ball's equator and produce a thin shot. Use a different shot option from tight lies.
Gripping the club first and then opening the face — the face must be opened before gripping. Rotating the face open after gripping produces a weaker grip-to-face relationship that will close through impact as the arms rotate, reducing the loft sharply.
Using the flop when a simpler shot will suffice — the flop is one of golf's highest-risk shots. A chip-and-run or a standard pitch produces a much higher success rate for the same situation when there is green to work with. Reserve the flop for situations where no other shot is viable.

In SwingVantage Motion Lab

SwingVantage can observe flop shot execution from face-on video by analyzing the open clubface at address, the swing size relative to the distance produced, the follow-through height, and whether deceleration is visible at the impact zone. The ball trajectory (very high and short) and the resulting ball behavior (landing and stopping quickly) provide additional confirmation of successful or unsuccessful execution.

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