Hit it well and you'll be the envy of your partners. Hit it wrong and you'll need a calculator to work out your score. In this video, Justin Rose explains how to properly hit the flop shot.
When To Hit A Flop Shot
Whilst it is used perhaps more often than it is required, the flop shot is ideal when you are close to the green but on the short side, meaning you don't have much green to play with. By elevating the ball quickly you can get the ball to land softly on the green and stay close to the hole. It can, however, be a hard shot to master.
Bunker Set-Up
To set up to a flop shot, Justin recommends you approach it much like a bunker shot. This means aligning the face with the target and then aiming your feet and body left of the target, encouraging an out-to-in swing. What this does is get the face sitting open at address which is crucial to the height needed. The swing path will then help you cut across the ball and add spin and elevation to the shot.
Be Sensible
Often when you are forced to hit a flop shot, you've either short-sided yourself or you are hitting over a bunker or hazard. The cardinal sin in those situations is coming up short. When preparing the shot you should be sensible and plan on getting the ball to the hole and getting it to stop as soon as possible. For that reason Justin recommends picturing the ball flopping onto the top of the flag.
Accelerate
With the clubface wide open and an open stance, you will need to accelerate through the ball to produce the speed, height and spin required for the shot. Take some practice swings, get a feel for the speed of the swing and then commit to the shot.