What Are the Four Special Shots in Golf?

Moving beyond a standard, straight golf shot is how you truly start to play the game and unlock lower scores. Once you can intentionally shape the ball, you move from just hitting it to strategically navigating the course. This guide will walk you through the four special shots that will give you the control and creativity you need: the draw, the fade, the punch, and the flop.

The Stock Shot’s Strategic Sibling: The Draw

A draw is a golf shot that, for a right-handed player, curves gently and controllably from right to left. It’s a beautiful, powerful shot that often results in a little extra roll once it hits the ground. Many tour players prefer a draw as their stock shot shape because of this added distance and penetrating ball flight. Learning it gives you an incredible weapon for attacking holes in a new way.

When to Play a Draw

The draw isn't just for showing off, it's a problem-solver. Here are the perfect scenarios to call on it:

• Dogleg Left Holes: Instead of hitting a straight shot and leaving a long approach, you can shape a draw around the corner of the fairway, setting up a much shorter and better angle to the flag.
• Working Around Obstacles: If a tree, bunker, or other hazard is blocking a direct line to your target, a draw allows you to start the ball to the right of the obstacle and curve it back toward your goal.
• Pins Tucked on the Left: When the pin is on the left side of the green, landing a draw is ideal. The ball lands softly and works its way toward the hole, as opposed to a straight shot or a fade that would move away from it upon landing.

How to Hit a Reliable Draw: Step-by-Step

Hitting a draw comes down to controlling two things: the clubface path and the clubface angle at impact. You want your swing path traveling from inside-to-out, with a clubface that is slightly closed relative to that path but still open relative to the target line. It sounds complex, but the setup makes it simple.

1. Alignment is Everything: Start by aiming your clubface directly where you want the ball to finish (your ultimate target). Now, align your body - your feet, hips, and shoulders - to the right of that target. This alignment pres-sets your inside-to-out swing path. Think of it like standing on a set of train tracks: the right rail is your body line, the left rail is your target line.
2. Check Your Grip: You can slightly strengthen your grip. For a right-handed golfer, this means turning your top (left) hand a bit more to the right, so you see about three knuckles. Turn your bottom (right) hand slightly under the club as well. This subtle shift encourages the clubface to rotate closed through impact.
3. Ball Position: Keep the ball in your standard position for the club you're using. Some players like to move it back an inch, which can help promote an "in-to-out" swing, but start with what’s comfortable.
4. The Swing Feel: With your setup complete, your only thought is to swing along your body line - out to the right. Don't try to manipulate the hands or snap the club shut. Your setup has already done the work. Just make a natural swing and trust that the ball will start right and curve back toward the target.

The Ultimate Control Shot: The Fade

A fade is the mirror image of a draw. For the right-handed player, it’s a shot that moves gracefully from left to right. Far from being a slice, which is a big, uncontrolled curve, a fade is often called a "power fade" because it's a staple of some of the game's greatest ball-strikers, like Jack Nicklaus and Brooks Koepka. A fade tends to fly a little higher and land softer than a draw, making it an incredibly precise tool for attacking pins.

When to Play a Fade

Consistency and control are the main benefits of a fade. Here’s when it comes in handy:

• Dogleg Right Holes: Just as the draw navigates a left dogleg, the fade is the perfect shot to cut the corner on a right-bending fairway.
• Accessing Right-Side Pins: When the pin is tucked on the right side of the green, especially behind a bunker, a fade is the shot. The ball starts left of the pin and drifts gently toward it, landing softly with minimal roll.
• Getting Out of Trouble: Like a draw, it can be used to curve the ball around trees or other hazards on the right side of the course.

How to Hit a Controllable Fade: Step-by-Step

The mechanics of a fade are simply the reverse of a draw. You want your swing path to travel from outside-to-in, with a clubface that is slightly open relative to that path. This, again, is accomplished with your setup.

1. Reverse Your Alignment: Start by aiming your clubface exactly where you want the ball to finish. Then, set your body line - your feet, hips, and shoulders - open, or to the left of the target. This alignment encourages the club to swing on a path from outside-in.
2. Grip Pressure: You don't need to change much here, but if anything, a neutral to slightly weaker grip (left hand turned slightly to the left) can help prevent the clubface from closing too quickly.
3. Ball Position: A great tip for hitting a fade is to move the ball position slightly forward in your stance - perhaps an inch or two. This small change gives the clubface more time to open relative to your swing path on the downswing.
4. The Swing Feel: Resist the urge to "cut" across the ball. Just like with the draw, your setup has prepared you for the shot. Your only focus should be to swing along your body line, which will feel like you're swinging a bit to the left. The ball will start left and make its way back to your target.

The Trouble-Shooter’s Friend: The Punch Shot

The punch shot is the ultimate "get out of jail" shot. It’s a low-flying, boring shot designed to stay underneath the wind or escape from under tree branches. It doesn’t go as far as a full shot with the same club, but its intention isn't distance - it's safety and control. Mastering the punch can turn a guaranteed double bogey into a simple bogey or even a clutch par save.

When to Play a Punch Shot

Pull out the punch shot when faced with these common challenges:

• Strong Headwind: Hitting a normal shot into a stiff breeze causes the ball to balloon up and lose significant distance. A punch shot keeps the ball low, penetrating through the wind with a much more predictable result.
• Under Tree Limbs: You've pushed your tee shot into the trees, but have a clear path forward - if only you can keep it low. The punch is the exact tool for this job.
• For a Controlled "Lay-Up": Sometimes you need a shot that's guaranteed not to go too far, maybe to avoid a water hazard or bunker at a specific yardage. A punch shot offers predictable distance and roll-out.

How to Hit a Low Punch Shot: Step-by-Step

Hitting a punch relies on de-lofting the club at impact and having a shortened, compact swing.

1. Club Selection: Take more club than you normally would for the distance. If it’s a 150-yard shot, you might normally hit a 7-iron. For a punch, consider a 5- or 6-iron. Remember, you're not making a full swing.
2. The Setup: This is where the magic happens.
   • Play the ball further back in your stance than usual, somewhere near the inside of your back foot.
   • Place about 60-70% of your weight on your front foot.
   • Press your hands forward, ahead of the golf ball. Your hands should be in line with your front thigh. This de-lofts the clubface, and it's the most important part of the setup.
3. The Swing: Think "abbreviated." The backswing should be much shorter, maybe to about shoulder height or even hip height. On the downswing, you want to feel like you are trapping the ball against the turf, hitting down on it firmly.
4. The Finish: Don't try to get a full follow-through. Your swing should feel truncated, finishing low and in front of you - sometimes called a "low follow-through." Keeping the finish low ensures the ball flight stays low.

The Greenside Rescue Artist: The Flop Shot

The flop shot is Phil Mickelson’s signature. It's a high-risk, high-reward shot that produces a ton of height and almost no rollout, stopping the ball dead on the green. It’s used when you are short-sided, meaning you have very little green to work with between you and the hole. While it looks spectacular, it demands commitment and a solid understanding of the technique, because a mishit can be disastrous.

When to (and When NOT to) Play a Flop Shot

Only attempt this shot when you have to. If there's a simpler chip shot available, take that option! The flop is for escaping desperate situations:

• Over a Bunker to a Tight Pin: This is the classic scenario. You must carry a greenside bunker and have the ball stop almost immediately upon landing.
• From Deep Rough to a Downhill Green: When coming out of thick rough, you need height to pop the ball up and onto the green softly so it doesn't race away from you down the slope.

How to Hit a Sky-High Flop Shot: Step-by-Step

The flop shot uses the bounce of the club - the wide, angled sole of the wedge - to slide under the ball without digging. It requires speed and confidence.

1. Club Selection: You need your most lofted wedge, typically a 58-degree, 60-degree, or even a 64-degree wedge.
2. The Setup for Height: This setup is very different from any other shot.
   • Take a wide stance. This lowers your center of gravity and provides a stable base for the big swing you’re about to make.
   • Open the clubface wide before you take your grip. The face should be pointing up toward the sky.
   • Align your body well to the left of the target to compensate for the wide-open face.
   • Play the ball forward in your stance, off the heel of your front foot.
3. The Swing: A Committed Action: The feeling here is very different. You are not trying to hit down on the ball. You need to swing with speed and feel as though you're sliding the clubhead directly underneath the ball. Keep your lower body very quiet and rotate your upper body. It's a longer, U-shaped swing, not a sharp, V-shaped one.
4. Accelerate Through The Ball: The biggest mistake golfers make on a flop shot is decelerating out of fear. You must accelerate the club through impact. Commit to the shot, accelerate, and watch the ball pop up softly on the green.

Final Thoughts

A straight shot is always a good result, but the draw, fade, punch, and flop shots are what transform you from a golfer into a shot-maker. Learning to move the ball intentionally in different directions and at various heights gives you the creative freedom and problem-solving skills to manage any situation the course throws at you and seriously lower your scores.

Of course, knowing which special shot to hit, and having the confidence to pull it off, can be tough in the heat of the moment. For those moments when you're stuck behind a tree or facing a complex greenside lie, having a tool like Caddie AI in your pocket can provide that instant, expert second opinion. It analyzes your unique situation - you can even upload a picture of your lie - and recommends the smartest play, turning questionable moments into confident decisions.