The lob shot in golf: the technique for lifting the ball and stopping it abruptly

What is a lob shot in golf?

The lob shot is an approach shot with a high, short trajectory, played with a lob wedge, which allows the ball to come to a stop quickly after hitting the green. It is mainly used to clear an obstacle or reach a pin very close to the edge of the green.

When to play a lob shot in golf (and when to avoid it)

This shot isn't a reflex; it's a tactical solution for specific situations. Mistaking it for a "spectacular" shot to be played by default is the number one mistake golfers make when trying to improve their short game.

Play the lob when:

• the flag is very short, with little green available between you and the hole; ;
• a bunker, a bank or an obstacle separates you from the green, with a narrow landing area just behind it; ;
• the green slopes down behind the flag, which would prevent a rolled ball from stopping in time; ;
• your ball rests on clean grass (fairway or light semi-rough), ensuring reliable contact.

Avoid it when:

• the grass is thick and closes the face of the club at impact; ;
• the ball is sunk or the lie is uneven; ;
• the ground is compact and dry, which increases the risk of "topping" the ball; ;
• You are playing under pressure without having practiced this shot in training; ;
• A simple roll approach would suffice: when in doubt, always play the safest shot.

Which club should I use for a lob shot in golf?

The choice of club directly affects your margin of error. Three wedges can produce a lob, with varying levels of difficulty.

The basic technique, step by step

1. Stance : feet slightly further apart than for a rolling approach, weight distributed 55-65 % on the front foot.
2. Ball position : in the center of the stance, or even slightly forward.
3. Club face : moderately open before gripping, to expose the loft and bounce.
4. Hands : neutral, never in front of the ball — hands too far forward cancel out loft and bounce.
5. Swing : rounded movement (not an enlarged putt), wrists that gradually cock.
6. Impact : acceleration maintained until the end — deceleration is the number one enemy of this shot.
7. Finish : tall, face always open, torso turned towards the target.

The most important point: bounce management

The bounce is the angle formed by the sole of the club under the edge. On a lob shot, its role is simple: to prevent the club from sinking into the ground and to make it slide under the ball rather than strike it.

Three errors neutralize the bounce and ruin the contact:

• hands that are too far forward, which negate its effect; ;
• a side that is too closed, which prevents the sole from sliding; ;
• a slowing of the momentum, which stops the club instead of letting it slide.

How do you judge the distance on a lob shot in golf?

Distance is never determined by power on this shot; it's the swing length that does all the work. Three simple guidelines are enough to build a reliable distance scale:

• short swing : hands that rise to ankle height; ;
• intermediate swing : hands at knee height; ;
• swing ample : hands towards mid-thigh.

Practice memorizing the distance obtained for each of these three amplitudes with your main wedge, before trying to adjust precisely according to the distance to the flag.

Where to aim? The ideal landing zone

Never aim for the flag itself: aim for a point 1 to 3 meters before the hole. This area allows the ball enough time to "bite" the green with minimal roll after landing. On a very firm green, allow extra margin—or opt for a pitch shot, less spectacular but safer in these conditions.

Pro tips to improve your lobbing approach

On the driving range at Golf du Belvédère, our state-certified instructors observe the same pattern among players who are improving their shot: they practice first on clean grass, let the club's loft do the work without "helping" the ball with their hands, maintain a consistent swing cadence regardless of the distance, and define a wide target area before focusing on precision. The message that comes up consistently in lessons: a sure shot that leaves a two-meter putt is better than a spectacular shot that misses one out of three times.

The 8 mistakes that ruin a lob approach

3 exercises to progress quickly

1. Open face, clean contact — On the fairway, hit 10 balls with the same routine and a slightly open clubface. Objective: 7 out of 10 balls should launch high and land on the green.

2. Landing Targets — Place two towels on the floor, one short and one further away. Hit 5 balls on each without changing your technique, only the length of your swing.

3. Ascent/Descent — Hit 6 balls, 3 towards an uphill green and 3 towards a downhill green, to feel how the slope changes the ball's stopping point.

Lob shot or roll shot: which to choose?

This is the question every golfer should ask themselves before instinctively pulling out the lob wedge.

The golden rule of the small game remains simple: the lob is a solution to a specific problem, not a shot to play to impress.

Lobbed approach from the bunker: a variant not to be confused

The classic lob shot is played from grass, never from sand. The bunker shot uses a similar technique in concept—high trajectory, quick stop—but the execution differs significantly: the club doesn't strike the ball directly; it glides through the sand a few centimeters behind it, propelled by a wider swing and a very open clubface. Confusing the two strokes is a common mistake for golfers learning the short game: on grass, you aim for a clean contact with the ball; in sand, you aim for the club to glide under it. If your ball is on the edge of a bunker but resting on grass, you should use the lob shot technique described here, not the bunker shot.

The impact of wind and weather on the lobbed approach

A ball struck with a high trajectory is, by its very nature, more exposed to the wind than a bump-and-run approach. With a headwind, the ball tends to rise higher and lose distance: slightly shorten your swing and accept a slightly shorter landing than expected. With a tailwind, the opposite occurs, and the ball can travel further than anticipated, with a risk of flying over the green. On the Belvédère course, exposed to the wind variations typical of the Annecy basin, our instructors advise players less comfortable with this shot to favor a bump-and-run approach as soon as the wind becomes significant, rather than forcing a risky lob.

To take your little game further

• Approaches to golf: the complete guide
• 7 golf approach drills to improve quickly