Clip the Tee

One key aspect of executing a great flop shot is how you manage the bounce of the club when hitting the ball from tight lies. Clipping the tee rather than taking a deep divot encourages the club to slide under the ball more gently, which preserves the bounce and allows for cleaner contact. Personally, I found that practicing this helped me avoid fat shots and improved my overall control around the green. When you focus on clipping the tee, it encourages a shallow angle of attack. This technique promotes striking the ball first before the ground, which can be tricky on tight lies where grass and turf provide minimal cushion. Using a club with a higher loft, such as a lob wedge, combined with this method makes the ball pop up softly, landing with minimal roll. Practicing this in different conditions, like firm or damp turf, further enhances adaptability. Additionally, this drill aligns well with recommendations from pro coaches in golf lessons and impact training, emphasizing the importance of bounce engagement in short-game shots. It’s also a valuable tip for players trying to improve flop shots around challenging greens, helping to elevate your score by reducing mis-hits and improving accuracy. In summary, clipping the tee is a small adjustment that yields big benefits in your short game. If you want to bring your flop shots to the next level, give this drill a try and notice how your ball pops out with more control and consistency.