Flop Shot
A flop shot is a high, softly landing golf shot played with a high-lofted wedge to clear an obstacle and stop the ball quickly on the green.
What is a flop shot?
The flop shot, also called a lob shot, sends the ball almost straight up rather than out toward the target. It flies high and lands soft, with almost no roll once it hits the green. Brent Kelley’s golf glossary at LiveAbout describes it as a specialty shot played when a golfer needs a steeply ascending ball flight to clear something between the ball and the flag, or to land the ball soft when there isn’t much green to work with.
It belongs to the short game, the part of golf played around the green where touch matters more than power. Sometimes a regular chip or pitch can’t get the ball stopped in time. If the pin sits just over a bunker or near the edge of the green with only a few yards of putting surface to land on, a low, rolling shot will run past the hole. The flop solves that by trading distance for height.
What gives the shot its character is a wide-open clubface, usually on a lob wedge, paired with a full, committed swing that sends the ball on a steep, vertical flight.
When golfers use a flop shot
The flop comes out of the bag in a narrow set of situations. Most often, the ball sits close to the green but with something in the way, usually a bunker, and the pin is cut close to the edge of the green so there isn’t room to land a longer-rolling shot. Britt Olizarowicz, a scratch golfer and former teaching professional writing for MyGolfSpy, lists the ideal conditions as a fluffy lie in light rough, short-sided to a tight pin, with an obstacle to carry over.
Distance ranges vary by source. The Left Rough puts the typical flop somewhere between 10 and 30 yards, while Today’s Golfer’s guide via American Golf describes 20 to 25 yards as the usual range. Anything longer suits a regular pitch shot better.
The flop is also widely treated as a last-resort option. LPGA professional Maria Palozola, writing on My Golf Instructor, points out that few rounds actually call for the shot, and that a simpler chip or pitch should be the default whenever one will do the job.
Flop shot vs. pitch shot vs. chip shot
Most “what is a flop shot” searches come from confusion with the pitch and chip, which sit nearby on the short-game spectrum. The three shots differ in trajectory, distance, and how much the ball rolls after landing.
| Shot type | Typical distance | Trajectory | Carry vs. roll | Common club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chip shot | Under 10 yards | Low | Mostly roll, little air time | 8-iron to sand wedge |
| Pitch shot | 20–50 yards | Medium | Roughly half air, half roll | Sand or lob wedge |
| Flop shot | 10–30 yards | Steeply vertical | Almost all air, minimal roll | Lob wedge |
Distances drawn from The Left Rough’s short-game breakdown and World Golf Tour’s flight-percentage guide.
Of the three, the flop produces the steepest ball flight and the softest landing. A chip is the lowest-risk option, mostly meant to get the ball running along the ground toward the hole. The pitch falls between them, with enough air time to clear small obstacles but enough roll to forgive a slightly imperfect strike.
Is a flop shot the same as a lob shot?
In most golf writing, yes. The terms are used interchangeably. Brent Kelley’s LiveAbout glossary lists “lob shot,” “flop,” and “lob” as direct synonyms for the same shot. Phil Mickelson, in his Secrets of the Short Game instructional, also uses “flop” and “lob” interchangeably when describing the technique.
A small distinction sometimes shows up in casual usage. Some golfers reserve “lob” for any high, soft greenside shot played with a lob wedge, and use “flop” specifically for the most extreme version where the clubface is wide open and the ball comes off almost vertically.
The club used for a flop shot
Lob wedges are the standard club for a flop shot. They are also the highest-lofted club in a standard set, with lofts running anywhere between 58 and 64 degrees according to GolfLink, and 60 degrees being the most common choice. The lob wedge was originally built for this kind of high, soft shot, which is where its name comes from.
A sand wedge (typically 54 to 58 degrees) can also produce a flop, but the clubface has to be opened more aggressively to compensate for the lower loft. Among professional golfers, Phil Mickelson is most associated with the shot. Out of Bounds Golf reports that he carries a 64-degree wedge specifically for flop shots.
Not every golfer carries a lob wedge. Higher-handicap players often skip it, since the shots that require one come up rarely, and the club is less forgiving on full swings than lower-lofted wedges.
Related Golf Terms
- Chip shot — A low-trajectory greenside shot designed to roll most of the way to the hole.
- Flighted — Intentionally hitting a shot on a lower trajectory.
- Bump and run — A low-flying short-game shot that lands well short of the green and rolls out like a putt.
- Flex — The degree of bend in a golf club shaft, affecting shot trajectory.
- Flier — A shot that travels farther than expected, usually from the rough.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a flop shot used for?
A flop shot is used to send the ball high in the air over a short distance, typically to clear an obstacle like a bunker and land the ball softly on the green when there isn’t much room between the edge of the green and the pin.
Why is it called a flop shot?
The name refers to how the ball “flops” out of the air and stops almost immediately on landing, with almost no roll. The shot has been called a flop, lob, or lob shot interchangeably for decades.
How far does a flop shot go?
Most flop shots travel between 10 and 30 yards, with 20 to 25 yards being the most common range, according to The Left Rough and Today’s Golfer.
Is a flop shot hard to hit?
Yes. Charlie at The Left Rough describes it as one of the hardest shots in golf to hit because the swing is full and committed, but the ball is only meant to travel a short distance, which leaves little margin for error.
Can you hit a flop shot without a lob wedge?
Yes, but it is harder. A sand wedge can produce a flop if the clubface is opened wide enough, but the resulting shot will fly lower and land harder than the same shot played with a 60-degree lob wedge.
Sources
- Kelley, B. “What Is a Flop Shot in Golf? (And How to Hit One).” LiveAbout. Accessed May 2026.
- Olizarowicz, B. “Golf Flop Shot: When To Use It And When To Avoid It.” MyGolfSpy. Accessed May 2026.
- “Saving Par: How to hit the Flop Shot.” The Left Rough. Accessed May 2026.
- Vousden, M. “How to Hit a Flop Shot.” American Golf / Today’s Golfer. Accessed May 2026.
- Palozola, M. “The Flop Shot.” My Golf Instructor. Accessed May 2026.
- “The Lob Wedge Explained: 8 Answers You’re Looking For.” GolfLink. Accessed May 2026.
- “How to hit a flop shot like Phil Mickelson, according to Phil Mickelson.” Golf.com. Accessed May 2026.
- “58 vs 60 Degree Wedge: Best Choice For Average Golfers.” Out of Bounds Golf. Accessed May 2026.
- “Golf Short Game — Illustrated Definitions & In-Depth Guide.” Golf Distillery. Accessed May 2026.
