It's one of the prettiest shots in golf, and one of the toughest. Here's how to play high, soft lob shots that settle tight to the pin.

Weaken your grip.
A strong grip tends to release the clubface and negate the club's bounce (I prefer to call it "skid") at impact. You want a slightly open clubface so that the club will skid under the ball as it moves through impact. To achieve this "weak" grip, your left thumb should be on top of the shaft, or even slightly left of that position, at address.

Play the ball just inside your left heel, as you would for a longer club.

Set your wrists early. You want the clubshaft to get somewhat vertical as your hands reach the halfway point in your backswing.

Here's the scary part: Take a full swing—it should be as long as your driver swing. It's hard to imagine that you need such a long swing for such a short shot, but it's a lot like lobbing a softball—you need to make a long, slow swing, including the follow-through, to produce the shot you want.

Tom Patri teaches at the Lely Golf Resort and the Health Club Naples, both in Naples, FL.