Lob Shot, Golf Fuerteventura Tips

As you read this golf tip, please keep in mind that it may not apply to your unique needs. Always consult with your local PGA professional (that would be Scott Seifferlein if you are new to how this worksJ ) before attempting to apply any golf tip you have read from a newspaper, magazine, book, internet, your 20 handicap brother-in-law, etc.

I was at Egypt Valley a few weeks ago to conduct a beat the pro for the West Michigan Dental Society (call me directly to learn how a beat the pro can raise an extra $800 for your non-profit). We were on the 12^thhole of the Valley course. The flag was up front on the narrow part of the green. Most golfers were either short left or short right, leaving themselves a shot from the deep rough to a flag only 10 to 20 feet from the edge of the green. The green is also pitched up about 8 feet so the players who were short right or left had to go quite a bit up hill as well. On top of that challenge, the rough was 3 inches deep in preparation for the national junior championship to be played in July. This made for some difficult shots. But to add to the difficulty...

It really surprised me how many of these players tried to hit Pitching wedges in this situation. After a while, I started asking a few of them why they were using pitching wedges. Some said that was all they had. Others thought the sand wedge was only for the sand and they didn't have a lob wedge (nor did they know what one is) and then a few had a lob wedge but didn't know what it was for.

We are talking dentists here. You know, the guys and gals that take Friday afternoon's off and have plenty of time to learn how to hit a lob wedge. I digress.

Hopefully you have a lob wedge already. If not, you need to get one. And they are currently on special offer at The Highlands Golf Club. Anywho... here is how to use it.

Depending on your risk tolerance, you may want to hit this shot like a normal pitch shot, just use your lob wedge and allow the club to create the loft. If you want to get on ESPN with the Phil Mickelson lob shot follow this (high insurance premium) shot type-

Please keep in mind that this is a high risk play and should only be used if there is no other option or if you have practiced like it was your job. Take your highest lofted club. Set the clubface to the ball slightly open and with added loft. (You artificially add loft by having your hands even with the ball or even slightly back of the ball vs. the common hands slightly ahead position) Play the ball slightly forward in relation to your bodies center. Make an aggressive swing that is slightly more vertical (earlier hand hinge will set the shaft more vertical) in the backswing. On the downswing you will need to create a path that swings a bit outside of the plane and then back inside and across the ball through impact. If you exagerate this swing path more than ½ inch you will create too much risk and end up shanking and topping the ball.

The aggressive swing utilizes all parts of the body. If you find that you are blading this shot over the green your hands are probably creating all the forward motion of the club head and it will be on its way up at impact. Your body should still turn through this shot and your weight should be into your lead leg before impact.

A correct pivot makes this shot much easier. If you have a tendency to reverse pivot your spine will tilt towards the target and make the lob shot very difficult. Even though your weight is moving left you should still have a spine direction away from the target to hit this shot high and soft.

Your Partner In Golf Success,

Scott Seifferlein
PGA Golf Guru