How To Make An Excellent Flop Shot Over A Bunker

Take a deep breath! There are some shots in golf that are daunting, things such as hitting the ball over water, out of a bunker or even over a greenside bunker and on to the green. So much of the next few moments after you stand over the ball depends on clearing your mind and relaxing. You can certainly forget that there is water there if you have hit a 130 yard 8 iron to a green many times before. Likewise when you address the ball with a bunker in front of you, you are not looking at the bunker but should simply be concentrating on hitting the ball high to land so many yards ahead of you; the loft of your flop wedge will do all the hard work as long as you get used to playing the shot and practise.

The Wedge

Flop wedges have anything up to a 64 degree loft; the face almost looks directly back at you especially when you slightly open the face as part of the process of playing the shot correctly.

You should recognise that you must concentrate on a good strike and the loft of the club will do the rest. You must take a slightly open stance and remember that even though you just require the ball to travel a short distance in the air and land softly you must still take a full swing and follow through as you would with every other shot.

The Practice Ground

Go to the practice ground and allocate half an hour to get used to playing with your new wedge:

• You need to be balanced at address with the ball in the middle of your stance.
• Ensure the shaft is perpendicular or if anything with the grip of the club slightly ahead of the ball.
• The face should be slightly open if anything.
• Take a full swing, accelerating down through the ball with a full follow through.
• Trust the loft because that will achieve the required loft.

Every golfer will be more than happy to leave their flop wedge in their bag gathering dust. If they are able to do that it means that they are probably getting on to the green without leaving themselves with awkward shots over greenside bunkers. That doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be prepared because there is always the next round to play and who knows what will happen?