A New Technique for Flop Shots

This is really kind of cool. Brady Riggs, one of Golf Magazine's Top100 Teachers, posted a video showing a completely new approach to flop shots that is supposed to be easier and give you more consistent results.

Hey, I'm game. Here's the video:



And here are the basics of the new technique:

• Instead of an open stance, set up with a closed stance.
• Point the toe of your lead foot at the ball.
• Turn your upper body so your sternum (breast bone) is ahead of the ball. Brady says this gives you more control over where the bottom of your swing is.
• Swing slightly out-to-in, and "scoop" the ball a little at impact.

I've been trying to figure out exactly why this setup would improve contact... and I think I've got it.

With the old technique (open stance, ball forward, head back, etc.), you tend to battle your weight shift. Sometimes you push forward, sometimes you fall back, and you always have to come into the ball with a very shallow stroke.

But with the new setup of closed stance, toes of lead foot pointed at ball, and upper body turned ahead of the ball, you have effectively moved the ball back in your stance (eliminating the fat hit) but "locked" your body so your weight can't shift forward or backward (which helps you eliminate the thin hit). And since your shoulders are aimed open but there's no "forward hip" to block the swing, you can still make the necessary out-to-in swing to get the ball up quickly.

I'll have to try this flop shot. It actually looks like fun!