Golf Simplified Personal Use Ebook

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Chapter 4 The Flop Shot

The flop shot is one of the most fun shots is golf. The goal is it hit the ball as high as you can and have it land softly with very little roll. It is used around the green when you need to get the ball up quickly and stop it where it lands. I consider it an all or nothing shot where if you pull it off you are a hero and if you miss it you are a goat.

Although they are a lot of fun, they are rarely necessary to use. I tend to use what I call a modified flop shot which is much easier to hit and control and is discussed at the end of this chapter.

The first thing to do when you go to practice the flop shot is to forget everything I told you to do in the last 2 chapters. You will be doing everything from start to finish almost exactly opposite of what you do on a chip shot or sand shot. While you can get better at both of those with only a little practice, the flop shot requires lots of practice. It also requires your full commitment and attention.

The first step in hitting a flop shot is to read your lie. Especially in the beginning, you want your ball to be in the rough and sitting up at least a little. If the ball has settled down and is sitting directly on the ground, it is very difficult to slide the club underneath and you will most assuredly be putting anyone in a direct line in danger because there is a very good chance you will hit a line drive skull shot.

When you set up over the ball, put your weight on your right foot. Open the face of the club as I discussed earlier except you want it as open as possible. Your hands should be slightly behind the ball rather than ahead as in most every other golf shot.

You will want to take a full swing at the ball. The key to hitting this shot properly is keeping your weight and hands behind the ball all the way to impact and beyond. Do not try to help the ball in the air. With the amount of added loft, the ball will go almost straight up so it will not go very far. The club will slide right under the ball. It is a beautiful thing to behold when done correctly.

The modified flop shot is one that you can use more often with less danger. You can use this either when you have a little farther to go or have more green to work with so can let the ball run out a little more.

Start with your weight in a neutral position, equal on both feet. Open the face of the club as you did for a full flop shot but keep your hands even with or even slightly ahead of the ball. You will need to practice your distance control but you will also find this shot much easier to hit. Bring the club about 3/4 of the way back and as you swing through the ball, make a slight weight shift forward. This will help you hit the ball more solidly as well as carry it farther but still get height and stopping power.

You will want to use the flop shot sparingly. It is great to have it in your bag of tricks though and once you master it your playing partners will be amazed. Now let's mover onto the part of the game we all love to hate.

Chapter 5 How To Make The Putt When You Have To

For the average golfer, improving their putting is the fastest way to lower their scores. It can also be the most frustrating part of the game. It seems so simple yet in reality is not. The inability to putt has driven many great players from the game. Johnny Miller is a notable example. He was one of the best players of his generation and was certainly on his way to winning several majors when his putting woes forced him out of competitive golf. A great example among today's players is Michelle Wie. She went through a stretch where she could not make a putt. To her credit, she has battled back to win on the LPGA tour again. If this can happen to players like this, certainly the average player can succumb.

So how can you learn to putt better? I always teach people to use their larger muscles rather than their smaller ones. What I mean is that you should get yourself set up comfortably over the ball. Your grip pressure should be very light and your weight should favor the front foot. I like people to use a slight forward press which means that the hands are slightly ahead of the ball. At worst, your hands should be over the ball, but never behind the ball. When your hands are behind the ball it promotes mishits and it is very difficult to judge distances when you hit the ball inconsistently.

You also want your arms, shoulders and hands to form a triangle with your shoulders the base and your hands the point. This is where the larger muscles come in. You want to start your back swing with your shoulders. Slowly bring the putter back low to the ground. You do not want your hands or wrists to take over nor do you want to pick the putter off the ground. The start of your back stroke is very important and sets the tone for the entire stroke. Once you reach the end of your backstroke you want to again use only your shoulders to begin the forward stroke. The putter should stay as low to the ground as possible and should be controlled completely by the shoulders.

It is important that you develop a consistent routine. Everyone develops their own routine over time and they are all different but the important thing to remember is to use it on every putt. Stand behind the putt and visualize the line before standing over the ball. Make it a routine that does not slow up play but is something that triggers your mind to focus on the task at hand.

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