The Lazy Lob

Nine times out of ten, when a pro golfer misses a green, he hopes to catch a bunker. We can apply spin from a bunker, play all sorts of different shots to get the ball close to the hole.

But when our shot goes wide of both the green and the bunker, we face a tall assignment. More often than not, the ball nestles into rough, where imparting backspin is next to impossible. And when the ball must be lofted back across the bunker to a tight pin placement, there is only one shot that can save you.

That shot is the lob. Ironically, it's played in almost the same way as a bunker shot, from an open stance and with an open-faced sand wedge. From there, it's a matter of sliding the clubface under the ball to produce a high shot that stops soon after it hits the green. But since you can't apply any backspin to make the ball stop, you must 'soften' this shot with the pace of your swing.

The key word is 'lazy'. The lob must be hit with the slowest tempo of any shot in the game. To develop this pace, think of making your downswing the same speed as your backswing. If your ball is in deep rough, you'll have to swing a bit more forcefully than If the lie is good, but in any case, the best way to play this shot 'aggressively', to finish close to the hole, is with a very non-aggressive swing.