A flop shot is considered to be one of the more difficult shots to play on the golf course. It describes a shot that flies very aggressively upwards and downwards without covering much forwards distance. The benefit of this shot is that when the ball lands, it stops very quickly and is therefore useful to go over a bunker when the pin is tight to the edge of the green and the golfer does not have much room to work with.

Start by taking your most lofted club, this may be your sand wedge, but ideally it would be a more lofted club, like a lob wedge with something in the region of 60° of loft on it.

Then for the right-handed golfer, we would like to increase the loft slightly by aiming the club face to the right of target. Turn the grip in your fingers to the right and then re-grip the club. Now set your body, your feet, your shoulders left of the intended target. Place the ball slightly in front of the centre of your stance and ensure that the shaft is held in a vertical position and not held in front of the ball leaning forwards, as it would be normally for a chip or pitch.

Now use quite a long and wristy backswing and swing the club down along the body line so that the club is swung to the left of the intended target. If the face is still maintained in an open and pointing to the right position, the extra loft on the club face will ensure the ball is cut into the air very swiftly, producing a high, short golf shot that lands and stops abruptly.

It can take a considerable amount of time, practice, patience and an element of experimentation to understand the relationship between aiming left and opening the club face in order to produce the correct distance, direction and consistency on this very difficult to hit flop shot.

Over use of the flop shot on the golf course can be a major issue, therefore please ensure you only use the flop shot when it is required, when you are good and confident at playing it, and when the lie is good enough.

And one last piece of advice …..have fun with it!