The flop shot:

 

This has changed the most of all 3 shots. The key as always is to know the speed and slope of the green. For example, If you're in the bunker on Bethpage # 4, you have about 18yds to the hole. My flop is 15yds, but if I hit it full power, with full backspin, I will always land within 3ft of the hole.

 

This is because it lands on a downhill slope. Flop is hard to aim, generaly rule is about 6-8 ft left of the hole but because flop is 75% air 25% run, wind highly influences it. On the same #4 BP if you are left of the flag with about 25 yards left from the fairway, 4 types of wind on a fast green will result in 4 different aim options and 4 different power settings.

 

With 10mph tail wind, hitting as 21yards of power is enough, with 10 head wind, hitting with 24 yards of power is good.

 

With 10mph right wind, aiming 2-3ft closer to the flag will do the trick. Since winds are rarely straight tail or head, practice will be required to adjust properly aim and power of the shot accordinly Flop will probably be the lesser of the 3 shots you will hole out, but in some situations, because of it's flying tragectory, it will be the difference between par and bogey while utilizing any other shots.

 

Now the clubs : You need to practice with them to understand the carry and roll. With the basic set you could count on a certain distance in the air and on the ground. The chip was always 25% air 75% roll, and the pitch was always 50% air 50%roll.

 

The new clubs all seem to have their own distances so trial and error is the way there. Some clubs have the 50/50 split while others have a 75/25 split. Practice, again, will be the best thing.

 

The thing to remember is since the green speeds have increased, your short game must become more percise. Where 3ft long before was good, now it has become 10ft. I still recommend taking notes as to how each hole plays from each distance. Your notes, in combination with these tips, will have you rattling the flagsticks !

 

Lastly, there are VERY FEW places, where in my opinion any of the 3 shots can be used interchangibly (excluding punch). General rule is, always use same shot from same spot (that is, if you gotten close before).

 

By far THE MOST IMPORTANT point of this guide, is to keep notes. If you do not keep notes about what you hit from what spot, how hard, and how far it was aimed as well as the result of the shot executed, then you will simply forget the shot you executed and will be frazzled the next time you get there.