How to Hit a Lob Shot in Golf

Golfers must sometimes shoot over an obstacle, such as a lake or tree, while hitting to a putting green. A lob shot is a high-trajectory shot that lands on the putting green with little or no roll.

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Golf Shirts
• Golf Bags
• Golf Balls
• Golf Club Cleaners
• Golf Clubs
• Golf Gloves
• Golf Hats
• Golf Practice Equipment
• Golf Shoes
• Lob Wedges
• Golf Balls

1. Note that the following instructions are for a right-handed golfer. Switch the alignment if you are left-handed.

2. Determine whether your shot requires a high-trajectory approach to the green.

3. Select the golf club with the most loft, usually a lob wedge or a 60-degree wedge.

4. Stand a few yards away from the ball and take a few practice swings.

5. 

   Open up the face of the club, so that it lies on the ground like a pancake.

6. Angle the club 5 yards to the right of your target.

7. Angle your feet 5 yards to the left of your target.

8. 

   Bring the club back along the line of your feet, taking a full golf swing.

9. 

   Step up to the ball and hit a good lob shot.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice the lob shot on a driving range to get a feel for how far the ball will travel.
• Practice with different swing speeds and angles of alignment.
• During the golf swing, keep your head down.
• A lob shot does not usually travel more than 30 yards.
• If the golf ball is sitting up in the rough, the club might slide under the ball and the ball will go nowhere. Your partners will enjoy this event immensely.

Who Can Help:

• Tired of Being Tired? Fight Fatigue and Try FRS for FREE!

[TimR]

on 11/25/2008 I found this information to be helpful...
You can also try www.allamericanjuniorgolf.blogspot.com for tips on your golf swing. It is an excellent website and has great content.

on 8/8/2006 Golf is hard enough, much less trying to have one repeatable swing. I avoid touch shots as much as possible. I use my full swing whenever possible, about 99% of the time, because partial swings are unreliable and I have over the years spent countless hours making it as repeatable as can be for my talent.

I have two lob shots in general. I use one that rolls maybe two feet after landing and one that stops on a dime or hops backward about 3 to 6 inches.

My process might seem a little long, but I have six precise distances that I can always count on.

1. Stand with your feet together and place the leading edge of the clubface either even with the outside of your back foot or even with the outside of the target side foot. Now take your grip.

2. Now stand erect and notice that the leading edge of the club point straight up. Pretend that the leading edge is pointing to 12 o'clock. Depending on the distance you want rotate the club (not your hands or body) to either 1, 2, or 3 o'clock.

3. Next, let the club hang naturally, like a natural address.

4. Without manipulating the club in any way, shuffle your feet around until the leading edge is directed to the target.

5. Take your normal full swing.

Note that the balls which stop faster are those that are originally placed along the outside of the front foot.
Yes, they do have less backspin but they also have a higher trajectory. The combination actually stops the ball faster than those with more spin from the back foot. I guess that Dave Peltz was right in saying that trajectory is a bigger factor than spin in many situations.

Try this method yourself. And you will see for yourself that it produces very reliable distances that you can count on. Even though I use my normal full swing (about 95 mph with my 60 deg. wedge), The 3 o'clock / front foot combo gives me between 4 and 5 yards.

My six distances are ~

5 - front / 3
7 - back / 3
11 - front / 2
15 - back / 2
25 - front / 1
50 - back / 1
75 - front / 12
95 - back / 12
The last two are full regular shots, just to give you an idea of the utility of one club. Remember that the "front" and "back" designations are from when they are together before taking your normal stance. One swing and 8 distances.

You can extend this idea to include your pitching wedge, but it is probably better for you to lay up short enough to use a standard shot.

on 6/30/2006 Golf is hard enough trying to have one repeatable swing. I avoid touch shots as much as possible. I use my full swing whenever possible, about 99% of the time, because partial swings are unreliable and I have over the years spent countless hours making it as repeatable as can be for my talent.

I have two lob shots in general. I use one that rolls maybe two feet after landing and one that stops on a dime or hops backward about 3 to 6 inches. My process might seem a little long, but I have six precise distances that I can always count on:
1. Stand with your feet together and place the leading edge of the club face either even with the outside of your back foot, or even with the outside of the target side foot. Now, take your grip.
2. Stand erect and notice that the leading edge of the club points straight up. Pretend that the leading edge is pointing to 12 o'clock. Depending on the distance, you want to rotate the club (not your hands or body) to either 1, 2, or 3 o'clock.
3. Next, let the club hang naturally, like a natural address.
4. Without manipulating the club in any way, shuffle your feet around until the leading edge is directed to the target.
5. Take your normal full swing.

Note that the balls which stop faster are those that are originally placed along the outside of the front foot. Yes, they do have less backspin, but they also have a higher trajectory. The combination actually stops the ball faster than those with more spin from the back foot. I guess that Dave Peltz was right in saying that trajectory is a bigger factor than spin in many situations.

Try this method yourself. You will see for yourself that it produces very reliable distances that you can count on. Even though I use my normal full swing (about 95 mph with my 60 deg. wedge), the 3 o'clock/front foot combo gives me between 4 and 5 yards.

My six distances are:
5 - front / 3
7 - back / 3
11 - front / 2
15 - back / 2
25 - front / 1
50 - back / 1
75 - front / 12
95 - back / 12

The last two are full regular shots, just to give you an idea of the utility of one club. Remember that the front and back designations are from when they are together before taking your normal stance. One swing and 8 distances. You can extend this idea to include your pitching wedge, but it is probably better for you to lay up short enough to use a standard shot.

on 3/26/2006 A lob shot is also good for sticking the landing, such on a green with lots of break.

on 3/10/2006 If your ball is sitting up in the rough, choke up 2-3 inches on you club and follow through as normal. This shot should be treated just like you have an uneven lie out on the fairway.