There is no more useful--and spectacular--shot around the green than the flop shot. At least once or twice during a round you encounter conditions that require a high, soft shot that stops quickly once it hits the green.

Flop shot set-up

Use a sand wedge or lob wedge to maximize loft. Start by opening the clubface a quarter turn; then grip the club with light grip pressure. Grip down one or two inches on the handle for control and stand one to two inches closer to the ball. Your stance should be about hip width with weight evenly distributed between both legs. Play the ball one or two inches forward from the center of your stance, with your hands even with the ball. Use the wedge's leading edge to aim at the target. Because the clubface is open, you'll need to open your stance and align your body left of the target line in order to position the leading edge of the wedge at right angles to the target line. This open stance will create a more upright swing, just what you want for this shot.

The backswing
When you create a high spinning shot, you need to make a backswing
that is a little longer than you would if you were making a medium trajectory pitch from the same distance. You want to hinge your wrists early as you take the club away, swinging along the line of your shoulders. At the top of the swing the clubshaft should be nearly vertical, with the grip end of the club pointing to the ground.

The forward swing

On the forward swing, it's important to hold the clubface open as you swing through the hitting area. A good visual is to imagine that you are balancing a glass of water on the clubface in the finish position. Allow your lower body to respond to the pivot of your upper body on the finish, keeping your arms and club in front of your body. Use the length of your forward swing to control the distance of the shot. A short shot requires a short follow-through, and a longer shot requires a full follow-through.

Experiment by altering the amount you open the clubface and your body at address with the length and pace of your swing to get familiar with the overall distance and amount of height and spin each combination produces.