Question:
As a 10-handicapper, I still can’t get no backspin… Anybody care to provide a lesson on achieving consistent backspin? Thanks.
Use a really soft ball, like a Maxfli or Titleist balata, hit down on it with a high lofted club and shoot it onto a soft surfaced green. By the way, aim past the hole, so it can back up into the cup. Oh, by the way, backing up also can take you back off the green, over a small ridge away from the cup, or other such nonsense. Getting the ball to stop where you shoot it is a far better way to score. Backing up is kinda like moonwalking on the dance floor: spectacular to see but it doesn’t get you the girl! Fairways and greens! Jeff Johnston West Plains MO
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As a 10-handicapper, I still can’t get no backspin… Anybody care to provide a lesson on achieving consistent backspin?
What I’m sure you mean is enough backspin to have the ball check and/or back up on the green. This subject has been discussed ad nasueum but I’ll go ahead an reply anyway. =:^) The backspin you see on tv where they hit the green and "moonwalk" ten feet back rarley results in lower scores for amatuers like you and me (7.4 index). In fact, if you have to ask how, chances are you’d raise your scores by having the ball walk itself away from the hole more often than in the hole. However, the most agreed upon components for significant backspin are – square grooves, some will debate this but for the most part a better grip on the ball will impart more spin. – softer ball. – clean contact, hit the ball first with descending angle. In order to take the most advantage of the backspin generated, the ball needs to land soft. That doesn’t mean that a low approach with backspin won’t check up, you just won’t see it back up. I play with a low spin ball myself because I tend to put a lot of spin on the ball as it is. I played a round with a balata and a Titleist professional and had the ball spin itself off the green. However, even with a HPC distance ball I always have the ball stop and sometimes back up a few feet. For my game, this works best. If I have a shot that I want to *stop* or possibly back up, I play the ball back of center in my stance. In order to generate the most club head speed, hold the 90 degree angle and release with the hands as late as possible. Keep a steady head, don’t let your head sway forward and catch the ball clean. Good Luck, — Jon
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As a 10-handicapper, I still can’t get no backspin… Anybody care to provide a lesson on achieving consistent backspin? Thanks.
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As a 10-handicapper, I still can’t get no backspin… Anybody care to provide a lesson on achieving consistent backspin? Thanks.
– Golf; speciality shots, teachings and demonstrations Nepean,Ont. CA.(613) 596-0588,fax596-0729 spin it,hook it, fade it,bounce it around the knoll,in the hole for a birdie! Golf a mind set***I build it so you can depend on it***
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As a 10-handicapper, I still can’t get no backspin… Anybody care to provide a lesson on achieving consistent backspin? Thanks.
You need a strong headwind and a soft green that slopes sharply toward you. Herb
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As a 10-handicapper, I still can’t get no backspin… Anybody care to provide a lesson on achieving consistent backspin? Thanks.
It’s simple, but very hard, hit the ball in the sweet spot. This seems too simple, I know, but it is true. The loft of the club will put backspin on it automatically if you hit the ball squarely. This is why it is very hard for beginners to get backspin.
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Let’s start with the simple questions? Why do you think you need backspin? What makes you think it will make you a 9? What ball do you hit? I’ve yet to meet the Superman who could put backspin on a Top Rock. What type course do you play? Size of greens? Ability to run approach shots? Number of holes requiring you carry something in front of the green? Type/amount of grass? Hardness of ground? Type of soil? The point is –ask yourself why you want to possibly mess up a perfectly good 10 handicap? If the ground isn’t too firm, and if the soil doesn’t have too much clay, and if the fairways have a decent amount of grass, and if you hit balata balls or balls with "playability" "control" "extra spin" etc, and if you have a need to carry over trouble, and if the greens aren’t easier to "run the ball up", and if .. if … if … if … Try hitting down on the ball versus sweeping it. You’ll know you are getting close when you start replacing divots. Good luck. PS – I’m a 10 who hits spin, and I get beat all the time by guys who barely hit the ball hard enough to make it bounce forward much less spin back. I dream of hitting with their accuracy and having their ability to play different shots. As a 10-handicapper, I still can’t get no backspin… Anybody care to provide a lesson on achieving consistent backspin? Thanks. It’s simple, but very hard, hit the ball in the sweet spot. This seems
too simple, I know, but it is true. The loft of the club will put backspin on it automatically if you hit the
ball squarely. This is why it is very hard – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – for beginners to get backspin.
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My experience tends to agree with Matt. For me anyway, mushy greens seem to take the spin off the ball. My ball ends up just in front of the pitch mark. Now I’m not talking about just soft greens, I mean spongy mushy things that practically go splat when the ball hits. I’ve had lots of experience with these types of greens this month since it’s rained 21 of the last 25 stinking days.
The greens I regularly play are soft and mushy. If you lean on your putter while someone putts and than walk off you can look back and see foot prints where you were standing, and we haven’t had rain in months! I’ve seen balls hit and bounce back but I’ve never seen a one roll back.
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Those greens are called "in need of rebuilding." :-) Too much thatch or root growth. They feel really nice when you walk on them barefoot though. (!!!) -joseph – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – are soft and mushy. If you lean on your putter while someone putts and than walk off you can look back and see foot prints where you were standing, and we haven’t had rain in months! I’ve seen balls hit and bounce back but I’ve never seen a one roll back.h
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Those greens sound pretty normal for courses built in swamps, i.e. Florida and Louisiana. Growing up in the West and playing in California, Arizona, and Utah, I’m not sure there is enough water in Arizona to produce greens of the consistency you find on some extremely wet Southeastern courses. Perhaps our disagreement about soft greens and backspin stems from differing concepts of "soft." What I call medium you may call soft based on your experience.
There’s *plenty* of water. During the summer, golf courses here get around 8 hours a day. However, most golf courses here are new, and the greens (and fairways for that matter) are built with a fairly sandy mix. Any course built anywhere in the country of medium or higher quality within the last 10 years will probably have similarly constructed greens–adjusted for the prevailing climate, of course. Most greens aren’t built to USGA standards, even nowadays, but they’re built with an eye toward faster, firmer, and more controllable conditions than in the past. So they’re built to "sort of like" USGA standards. -joseph
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If the green is too soft it will soak up almost all the spin on the ball, the ball will stop dead or roll forward a little bit.
I don’t find that’s the case. On a very soft green, even if the ball *nearly* plugs, the force of the backspin rips the ball out of the pitch mark, throws one of those little quarter-sized "mini divots" forward, and the ball shoots backward. -joseph
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Those greens sound pretty normal for courses built in swamps, i.e. Florida and Louisiana. Growing up in the West and playing in California, Arizona, and Utah, I’m not sure there is enough water in Arizona to produce greens of the consistency you find on some extremely wet Southeastern courses. Perhaps our disagreement about soft greens and backspin stems from differing concepts of "soft." What I call medium you may call soft based on your experience. Larry Connor – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Those greens are called "in need of rebuilding." :-) Too much thatch or root growth. They feel really nice when you walk on them barefoot though. (!!!) -joseph
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My experience tends to agree with Matt. For me anyway, mushy greens seem to take the spin off the ball. My ball ends up just in front of the pitch mark. Now I’m not talking about just soft greens, I mean spongy mushy things that practically go splat when the ball hits. I’ve had lots of experience with these types of greens this month since it’s rained 21 of the last 25 stinking days. Mark Arrigo – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Newsgroups: rec.sport.golf If the green is too soft it will soak up almost all the spin on the ball, the ball will stop dead or roll forward a little bit. I don’t find that’s the case. On a very soft green, even if the ball *nearly* plugs, the force of the backspin rips the ball out of the pitch mark, throws one of those little quarter-sized "mini divots" forward, and the ball shoots backward. -joseph
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Conversely the ball seems to loose most of its spin when it lands on a very soft green.
Uh, I don’t think so. What slows a ball down on soft greens is when they’re slow. You hit, say, a pitching wedge more than 115 yards into a soft, fairly fast green that is in the least receptive, and it’ll be coming back at you in a hurry on that second hop. If you’re playing into the wind, it doesn’t matter nearly as much how soft the green is as long as it’s not really bouncy, because the ball is coming nearly straight down when it lands and won’t need the softness of the green to kill its forward speed. -joseph
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If the green is too soft it will soak up almost all the spin on the ball, the ball will stop dead or roll forward a little bit. If the green is too hard the ball tends to bounce in the opposite direction of the spin (kinda like you golf ball hiting a cart path) , this is almost always a bounce forward. If the green is just right, Basicly an accidident at muni courses, then the ball will spin back or stop dead
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Colin, Certainly the quality of the greens has a lot to do with spinning the ball back. I’ve always felt that medium firm greens were the easiest to back up a ball at least with short irons. Obviously on an Open (pick your venue) course’s extremely firm greens very few players are able to spin the ball back. Conversely the ball seems to loose most of its spin when it lands on a very soft green. The middle gound is where I seem to get the most spin backs where typically the ball takes a bounce forward then spins back. I, much to my disgust, had a 5-iron back up on a green last weekend. I say to my disgust because I expected it to release forward to the hole. Instead it hit into a small upslope on the green that took off enough speed that it backed up about 10" after the first hop. This brings up something I forgot to add to the previous post. I always wonder why most amateurs want to spin the ball back when most of them grossly underclub on their approach shots. It doesn’t do any good to land 40 ft short and have the ball spin back 10 ft. One of my playing partners commented on our club’s pro, playing group behind us, saying, "Tom always hits it long." He should use that observation in his game since he is typically on the front edge of every green. Larry Connor I think a lot also depends on the greens. If you play on soft greens, backing it up, or at least stopping it dead, will be much easier. Using a Precept MC Spin I’ve hit high 5- and 6-irons into my club’s greens that have stopped a foot (often back) from the pitch mark. Try doing that at Royal Melbourne or Kingston Heath and you’d be ten metres out the back. BTW, on some wet greens here in winter I’ve had the ball plug straight in so only the very top is showing! Cheers Colin Wilson Australian handicap: 10.1 RSG Roll Call: http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/wilsonc.htm
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I spun a 5 iron that hit the middle of a (very steep) green off the front the other day. Into a 1-2 club wind but … ugh. That was a bit excessive. Strata Tour Professional, spins like the dickens. Got down in 2 though. I don’t normally play in conditions where I can spin the ball way back. Usually I’m playing to firm to extremely firm greens where I need all the spin I can get unless I’m bouncing the ball onto the green. The Tour Professionals actually spin too much (or more than I’m used to anyway) for me to use them on softer greens. I use Titleist Professional or blue Rule 35 unless I really need extra fizz. -joseph – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Playing by myself on a course in Aiken, SC, my approach shot first hit pin-high on the top of three terraces. Then the ball took a hop toward the back of the green, spun back (leaving the pin in its rear-view mirror), and proceeded to roll down across all the terraces, through the fringe, and end up six feet or so short of the green. [...]
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[...] When was the last time you saw a pro back up anything longer than a 7 or 8? It happens, but rarely.
Some of them *can* back up mid irons and even long irons but that is rarely what anyone would want. Tiger, for example, uses balls that have medium, not high, spin off his full shots–the Titleist Professional. And he has worked hard to reduce the amount of backspin he puts on shots with his high clubhead speed. Were he to hit down on a balata ball with a 5 iron, it would shoot straight up and when it came down, spin back if it had half a chance. Same goes for any other player with high clubhead speed. -joseph
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Certainly the quality of the greens has a lot to do with spinning the ball back. I’ve always felt that medium firm greens were the easiest to back up a ball at least with short irons.
The quality of the hitting surface makes has even more to do with backspin. Try to hit from a very hard spot or hard sand and you’ll create backspin. From longer grass+rough it is impossible to get any.
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Hi all, I was at the Colonial Golf tournament this past weekend and I saw those guys putting a ton of backspin on the ball and making it come to a halt and come back. I am wondering how to put more backspin on the ball than you get with the loft of the club. Please send a link to a site or write something.
1) you need to hit the ball FIRST with a descending blow. 2) use a soft covered ball. 3) the greens need to be receptive and capable of backing a ball up.
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One reason so many of use come up short on the medium-to-long par threes, is error in estimating the distance to the flag – especially on large greens. If the sign says 160 and the pin is back, we often hit a 165-170 yard shot. In reality, the distance might be 180+. — http://home.midsouth.rr.com/joecartpath RSG Roll Call: http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/reedj.htm
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I don’t know, I’ve seen and played a lot of greens with bunkers and water hazards in front of the green. The point is not that the pro was hitting over the green, but that he was taking enough club to reach the flag. Too many golfers insist, for example, on hitting their 56* SW from 100 yards when they typically only hit it 85 yards. Maybe 1 in 50 times they really flush it and get 100 yards, but most of the time they are 40+ feet short of the flag. A good example is a medium length par 3 (160 – 170 yards). In my experience, even when the flag is in the back of the green, 50% to 70% of amateur’s shots end up no farther than the front third of the green. Maybe this is harsh, but it is realistic. Certainly there are times when you do not want to go past the flag, but in one of the best rounds I had recently, I intentionally took one more club than I thought I needed on every approach shot. The result was 70 (-2). It’s really amazing what taking enough club for the shot will do for you. I guess there’s a lesson in there somewhere. Hopefully, I can remember it. Larry Connor From my experience most greens are fairly forgiving of short shots, allowing for relatively easy up and ins. The real trouble is generally found behind the green. * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
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I think there’s an ego thing at play here. Folks like to say how they hit their LW 120yds stiff. I play with a 22 year old who hits his LW 130, (to go with his 300 yard drives). Poor kid. At 115 yds, he doesn’t know whether to chuckle or puke. I’m with you on this, Larry. Taking one more club has two advantages for me 1. it’s a lower shot, which tends to be easier to get on the flag, and 2. I’ll probably swing easier, better, more compactly, instead of blasting away for all I’m worth. Of course, I have to admit, we’ve got a lot of soft greens up here in Seattle..;-) * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
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Coupla comments. First, it depends on what course we’re talking about as to where the trouble is. I agree that course designers generally put the "normal" trouble (bunkers, water, etc.) in front of the green–right where a less accomplished golfer would be likely to hit, and be intimidated, by them. But not here. Our greens slope back to front, and they’re slick. We have the Marquis de Sade of groundskeepers who has this penchant for putting the cup on ridges, or toward the front of the green. Be long, and there’s a very good chance you’ll be three putting, and even very the occasional 4-putting. Further, some of the the greens are, since they slope back to front, elevated in the back, which makes a long shot to the green doubly difficult to get down. This all makes it very tough especially on those greens with traps in front when they place the pin close to the front. Larry, I agree with the "one more club" theory in general, but here to be long is to be dead. Much course management here revolves around keeping the ball below the hole. Even pin-high shots on some greens are impossible to hold at the hole; down the hill they go if you miss. In fact, it’s caused me to be bolder on these types of putts, simply because it’s going to end up down at the bottom anyway, might as well give it a chance to go in. (And yes, this is a greenskeeping issue, one that doesn’t please many of us, but it’s also the way the course is set up). So, getting it "up to the hole" in my case is very often a recipe for disaster if I’m too long. The other thing about backspin is that I don’t like having to hit run-ups onto the green for lack of backspin. The ground in front of the green is not perfectly smooth, and for every shot that bounces true, there’s another that veers right or left. So I’d rather throw it on the green and have it stick, even below the hole (better below the hole!). I’ve only recently started playing a spin ball (just this year) and I’m learning to trust that it will stick for me. And when the greens get hard here, it’s the only way to hope the ball stays on the green. Mike — Mike Dalecki I do not patronize spammers! Help keep R.S.G clean. Join us: http://www.mynetcentral.com/rsgnospam/ RSG Roll Call: http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/daleckim.htm – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I don’t know, I’ve seen and played a lot of greens with bunkers and water hazards in front of the green. The point is not that the pro was hitting over the green, but that he was taking enough club to reach the flag. Too many golfers insist, for example, on hitting their 56* SW from 100 yards when they typically only hit it 85 yards. Maybe 1 in 50 times they really flush it and get 100 yards, but most of the time they are 40+ feet short of the flag. A good example is a medium length par 3 (160 – 170 yards). In my experience, even when the flag is in the back of the green, 50% to 70% of amateur’s shots end up no farther than the front third of the green. Maybe this is harsh, but it is realistic. Certainly there are times when you do not want to go past the flag, but in one of the best rounds I had recently, I intentionally took one more club than I thought I needed on every approach shot. The result was 70 (-2). It’s really amazing what taking enough club for the shot will do for you. I guess there’s a lesson in there somewhere. Hopefully, I can remember it. Larry Connor From my experience most greens are fairly forgiving of short shots, allowing for relatively easy up and ins. The real trouble is generally found behind the green. * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
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At a golf clinic with Jack Nicholas someone asked about applying backspin "How far do you hit a 5-iron?" Jack asked "Oh, about 160 yards" "Why would you want to apply backspin?" inquired Jack :-)
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I don’t know, I’ve seen and played a lot of greens with bunkers and water hazards in front of the green. The point is not that the pro was hitting over the green, but that he was taking enough club to reach the flag. Too many golfers insist, for example, on hitting their 56* SW from 100 yards when they typically only hit it 85 yards. Maybe 1 in 50 times they really flush it and get 100 yards, but most of the time they are 40+ feet short of the flag. A good example is a medium length par 3 (160 – 170 yards). In my experience, even when the flag is in the back of the green, 50% to 70% of amateur’s shots end up no farther than the front third of the green. Maybe this is harsh, but it is realistic. Certainly there are times when you do not want to go past the flag, but in one of the best rounds I had recently, I intentionally took one more club than I thought I needed on every approach shot. The result was 70 (-2). It’s really amazing what taking enough club for the shot will do for you. I guess there’s a lesson in there somewhere. Hopefully, I can remember it. Larry Connor
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – From my experience most greens are fairly forgiving of short shots, allowing for relatively easy up and ins. The real trouble is generally found behind the green. * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
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Well as the commerical says, "These guys are good." Seriously, there is no magic, simply good swing mechanics. The pros typically strike the ball cleanly with a decending blow. There a few other factors. Their clubs are clean, no layer of mud, grass, and assorted gunk that typically makes up an amateur’s club face. Their clubs are probably newer with less wear on the club face. They are usually using a short iron. When was the last time you saw a pro back up anything longer than a 7 or 8? It happens, but rarely. Lastly, they are using high spin rate balls. Certainly a pro would put more back spin on a two-piece distance "rock" than a 15 handicapper, but enough to make it "moon walk"? Doubtful.
I think a lot also depends on the greens. If you play on soft greens, backing it up, or at least stopping it dead, will be much easier. Using a Precept MC Spin I’ve hit high 5- and 6-irons into my club’s greens that have stopped a foot (often back) from the pitch mark. Try doing that at Royal Melbourne or Kingston Heath and you’d be ten metres out the back. BTW, on some wet greens here in winter I’ve had the ball plug straight in so only the very top is showing! Cheers Colin Wilson Australian handicap: 10.1 RSG Roll Call: http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/wilsonc.htm
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1. Have a perfect lie. 2. Use a soft covered ball. 3. Hit it hard with a lofted club. 4. Hit it absolutely perfect . Mark Arrigo – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com Newsgroups: rec.sport.golf Hi all, I was at the Colonial Golf tournament this past weekend and I saw those guys putting a ton of backspin on the ball and making it come to a halt and come back. I am wondering how to put more backspin on the ball than you get with the loft of the club. Please send a link to a site or write something. Sincerely, Chase
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I am wondering how to put more backspin on the ball than you get with the loft of the club.
Chase – If I am playing a course with soft greens and with little or no wind, I will usually keep the ball more forward in my stance and hit a high, soft shot. ("I hit my full SW 300 yds: 192 yds straight up and 108 yds forward…) On harder, faster greens I’ll have the ball further back in my stance, take a little more club (9i instead of SW) choked down a bit, and swing down more steeply to pinch the ball. It comes in handy in the wind, too, because it keeps the ball lower and bores through the wind better. It is not always a good idea, though…to wit, Playing by myself on a course in Aiken, SC, my approach shot first hit pin-high on the top of three terraces. Then the ball took a hop toward the back of the green, spun back (leaving the pin in its rear-view mirror), and proceeded to roll down across all the terraces, through the fringe, and end up six feet or so short of the green. I should have been putting 3-4 feet for a birdie, but instead I ended up chipping a looooooong way uphill. Bogey. There was solace in the cheers I got from a work crew who watched the "round-trip" the ball made. Big consolation. If I can somehow make the ball "dance" (or "put some suck on it"), at elast I can keep my partners entertained, no matter how bad the rest of my game may be that day. — Joel T. Keys http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/keysj.htm
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This brings up something I forgot to add to the previous post. I always wonder why most amateurs want to spin the ball back when most of them grossly underclub on their approach shots. It doesn’t do any good to land 40 ft short and have the ball spin back 10 ft. One of my playing partners commented on our club’s pro, playing group behind us, saying, "Tom always hits it long." He should use that observation in his game since he is typically on the front edge of every green. Larry Connor
From my experience most greens are fairly forgiving of short shots, allowing for relatively easy up and ins. The real trouble is generally found behind the green. * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
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Well as the commerical says, "These guys are good." Seriously, there is no magic, simply good swing mechanics. The pros typically strike the ball cleanly with a decending blow. There a few other factors. Their clubs are clean, no layer of mud, grass, and assorted gunk that typically makes up an amateur’s club face. Their clubs are probably newer with less wear on the club face. They are usually using a short iron. When was the last time you saw a pro back up anything longer than a 7 or 8? It happens, but rarely. Lastly, they are using high spin rate balls. Certainly a pro would put more back spin on a two-piece distance "rock" than a 15 handicapper, but enough to make it "moon walk"? Doubtful. Larry Connor
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all, I was at the Colonial Golf tournament this past weekend and I saw those guys putting a ton of backspin on the ball and making it come to a halt and come back. I am wondering how to put more backspin on the ball than you get with the loft of the club. Please send a link to a site or write something. Sincerely, Chase
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Colin, Certainly the quality of the greens has a lot to do with spinning the ball back. I’ve always felt that medium firm greens were the easiest to back up a ball at least with short irons. Obviously on an Open (pick your venue) course’s extremely firm greens very few players are able to spin the ball back. Conversely the ball seems to loose most of its spin when it lands on a very soft green. The middle gound is where I seem to get the most spin backs where typically the ball takes a bounce forward then spins back. I, much to my disgust, had a 5-iron back up on a green last weekend. I say to my disgust because I expected it to release forward to the hole. Instead it hit into a small upslope on the green that took off enough speed that it backed up about 10" after the first hop. This brings up something I forgot to add to the previous post. I always wonder why most amateurs want to spin the ball back when most of them grossly underclub on their approach shots. It doesn’t do any good to land 40 ft short and have the ball spin back 10 ft. One of my playing partners commented on our club’s pro, playing group behind us, saying, "Tom always hits it long." He should use that observation in his game since he is typically on the front edge of every green. Larry Connor
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I think a lot also depends on the greens. If you play on soft greens, backing it up, or at least stopping it dead, will be much easier. Using a Precept MC Spin I’ve hit high 5- and 6-irons into my club’s greens that have stopped a foot (often back) from the pitch mark. Try doing that at Royal Melbourne or Kingston Heath and you’d be ten metres out the back. BTW, on some wet greens here in winter I’ve had the ball plug straight in so only the very top is showing! Cheers Colin Wilson Australian handicap: 10.1 RSG Roll Call: http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/wilsonc.htm
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Hi all, I was at the Colonial Golf tournament this past weekend and I saw those guys putting a ton of backspin on the ball and making it come to a halt and come back. I am wondering how to put more backspin on the ball than you get with the loft of the club. Please send a link to a site or write something. Sincerely, Chase
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Club head speed. They zip the club very fast. Sometimes they even pinch the ball against the fairway. When you see it spin back rapidly 20 feet they may have pinched the ball. It’s called a pinch shot, Dave Pelz talks about it in the Short Game Bible. I’ve messed with this on the range. I’m never sure why it matters to me, a 15 handicapper. If I can just get the ball the stop within putting distance I’m happy. Making the ball spin back may put me off the green or into a bunker. It’s just one more variable that makes it too complicated. The pros also land their balls on incredibly hard greens. On your average soft green the ball will stop fine no matter what you do. I’ve recently switched to those expensive Titlist Professionals for when I play one of the local courses with fast hard greens. It makes a big difference. The spin rate is much higher with these balls (according to magazine articles) and I’m able to make the ball stop quickly even on professional class greens. Sometimes it even spins back three or four feet. But if I was short of the cup to begin with, then all this did was give me a longer putt. The pros also have caddies who keep the faces and grooves of their wedges spotless, for maximum spin. Me, I can’t afford a caddy, and somehow there’s not enough time between the green and the next tee to worry about keeping my clubs spotless. Mulligan
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all, I was at the Colonial Golf tournament this past weekend and I saw those guys putting a ton of backspin on the ball and making it come to a halt and come back. I am wondering how to put more backspin on the ball than you get with the loft of the club. Please send a link to a site or write something. Sincerely, Chase
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The only way you get backspin is with good crisp shot. My advice is to concentrate on hitting the ball sweetly – the backspin will come. If you try to force backspin, you’ll probably hit bad shots. On the subject of spinning the ball back – it’s hard enough to control shot distance in one direction, never mind two! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Could anyone give me some advise on how to get some backspin on my high-lofted clubs? I have read that backspin is only possible with a perfect lie on a perfect course, but I find this hard to believe. I would really be happy if I could just get the ball to stop where it lands for now, but would eventually like to be able to spin it back a foot or two. Thanks.
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Could anyone give me some advise on how to get some backspin on my high-lofted clubs? I have read that backspin is only possible with a perfect lie on a perfect course, but I find this hard to believe. I would really be happy if I could just get the ball to stop where it lands for now, but would eventually like to be able to spin it back a foot or two. Thanks.
For starters get the right ball… if you haven’t already. That may be the most important ingredient.
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Any substance applied to a club, clubface or ball for the purpose of altering the fight of the ball is in violation of the Rules of Golf. Anyone caught using this substance or treatment in a tournament conducted under USGA rules would be disqualified. So M. Snyder, do you also recommend that players alter their scorecards? Good Golf Dan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I offer a Liquid Alloy face treatment for golf clubs that will stop your ball on a high lofted shot. The material is extremely durable and can be made in excess of complience levels of grit. It’s very impresssive.
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I had trouble stopping the ball and getting backspin. I made two changes. 1) I put a lob/sand wedge in my bag (a Nickalus IQ insert 56 degrees loft)
really not much of a lob wedge since 55/56 is about ’standard’ for a sand wedge. In fact if it is truely a lob/sand wedge the comprimise in bounce may actually make it slightly harder to get as much spin. 2) I started to play a balata ball (Titleist Professional – even the X-Outs at $14.95 a dozen are great for spinning).
I love Pros but they are by no means balata. If you really want some spin try a Titleist 100 balata. though they do not last worth a hoot. Be advised, you will encounter problems when you start to spin the ball. No matter how much backspin you have, the ball will skid on hard greens. The public courses I play sometimes don’t have greens condusive to backspin.
yea they may ’skid’ a little but if you really have back spin those are the greens you can ’suck it back’ on. The soft spongey greens are easy for ANY short iron (not skulled) to stop. Just the combination of steep angle and large divot/soft landing allow that. Also, you may sacrifice some distance moving from a surilyn ball to balata. Balata balls are not made with distance in mind. Manufacturers assume that if you play balata, you don’t need to add distance. Balata also cuts
The are not assuming that so much as the higher spin itself leads to the loss in distance. All of the following are directly related to higher spin: more spin == less roll, more spin == higher tragetory == less roll, also may be suboptimal launch angle, more spin == more likely (though not necessarily) to balloon easily. A ball generally lasts about two rounds if I’m playing well, 3-4 holes if I’m not.
getting 36 holes out of a wound balata ball is borderline incredible. Pros generally use 3 to 6 per 18 (with the average closer to 6). This is because 1) they cut easily 2) bands break inside the the ball goes out of round, 3) just hitting the ball with a metal wood several times (hard) can/will cause crazing. One shot with an iron just 1 groove thin will end a balata for me. This may not be what you wanted to hear, but it’s what I’ve found to be the truth. If you just want to stop the ball and don’t need it to spin back, you can use a good wound ball and get the 1-2 hop stop with a lob wedge. The Titleist DT Wound 90 is good for distance and spin. My favorite surilyn ball for playability is the Titleist Tour Distance 90. Don’t let anyone tell you differently, balls make a difference!
They can at a certain level, but I have seen balata hurt as many players as it has helped. –AC Could anyone give me some advise on how to get some backspin on my high-lofted clubs? I have read that backspin is only possible with a
Any shot that gets in the air for more than 2-3 secs has back spin. In fact many peoples putts have some initial back spin. perfect lie on a perfect course, but I find this hard to believe. I
now if you are talking about drawing the ball back, that does not take perfect but it is easier with ’special’ conditions 1) ball in fairway, you can not have grass between the ball and where the club will contact. (The opposite of this is part of what causes a ‘flyer’, basically the opposite shot, a relatively low, hot, running shot) 2)strike with a descending blow (but that is most shots) 3)a firm fairway, you can think of it as pinching the back of the ball between the firm ground and the leading edge of the clubface. On a soft or wet fairway the ball will slide more and get less spin. 4)clean, sharp (and square) grooves helps. 5) most importantly, a strong an proper swing with a good release, really needs to be a full swing ( or at least nearly). would really be happy if I could just get the ball to stop where it lands for now, but would eventually like to be able to spin it back a foot or two. Thanks.
just make good swings with solid contact. try to get the ball to check up with in about 3-4 feet. For most shots being able to stop the ball on a dime is the ‘best’ approach. that said being able to ‘help the ball release’ or being able to ’suck it back’ both come in handy. The problem with either of these you never know just how far they will release or suck back. Just a foot or two on a ‘relatively’ slow, flat green can become 10+(++) feet on a slick, sloping green. Good luck, DAC – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –
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I had trouble stopping the ball and getting backspin. I made two changes. 1) I put a lob/sand wedge in my bag (a Nickalus IQ insert 56 degrees loft). 2) I started to play a balata ball (Titleist Professional – even the X-Outs at $14.95 a dozen are great for spinning).
not to be too picky here but professionals are not balata balls. they are designed to have similar feel properties, a little less spin and to be more resilient to wear. Be advised, you will encounter problems when you start to spin the ball. No matter how much backspin you have, the ball will skid on hard greens. The public courses I play sometimes don’t have greens condusive to backspin. Also, you may sacrifice some distance moving from a surilyn ball to balata. Balata balls are not made with distance in mind. Manufacturers assume that if you play balata, you don’t need to add distance. Balata also cuts easily. A ball generally lasts about two rounds if I’m playing well, 3-4 holes if I’m not.
i’ve gotta say it’s no easy feat to cut a professional. they are designed not to cut. i’ve knocked a couple out of shape ie. the ball has grown a "tumor" but i’ve never cut one. ymmv. — peace brett brett r fenton school of civil engineering university of nsw australia
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I had trouble stopping the ball and getting backspin. I made two changes. 1) I put a lob/sand wedge in my bag (a Nickalus IQ insert 56 degrees loft). 2) I started to play a balata ball (Titleist Professional – even the X-Outs at $14.95 a dozen are great for spinning). Be advised, you will encounter problems when you start to spin the ball. No matter how much backspin you have, the ball will skid on hard greens. The public courses I play sometimes don’t have greens condusive to backspin. Also, you may sacrifice some distance moving from a surilyn ball to balata. Balata balls are not made with distance in mind. Manufacturers assume that if you play balata, you don’t need to add distance. Balata also cuts easily. A ball generally lasts about two rounds if I’m playing well, 3-4 holes if I’m not. This may not be what you wanted to hear, but it’s what I’ve found to be the truth. If you just want to stop the ball and don’t need it to spin back, you can use a good wound ball and get the 1-2 hop stop with a lob wedge. The Titleist DT Wound 90 is good for distance and spin. My favorite surilyn ball for playability is the Titleist Tour Distance 90. Don’t let anyone tell you differently, balls make a difference! –AC – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Could anyone give me some advise on how to get some backspin on my high-lofted clubs? I have read that backspin is only possible with a perfect lie on a perfect course, but I find this hard to believe. I would really be happy if I could just get the ball to stop where it lands for now, but would eventually like to be able to spin it back a foot or two. Thanks.
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From the fairway, about all you have to do is hit the ball with a full swing and a descending blow. It helps to use a high spinning ball, of course.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Could anyone give me some advise on how to get some backspin on my high-lofted clubs? I have read that backspin is only possible with a perfect lie on a perfect course, but I find this hard to believe. I would really be happy if I could just get the ball to stop where it lands for now, but would eventually like to be able to spin it back a foot or two. Thanks.
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You might contact the White House. It seems they are really good at backspin. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Could anyone give me some advise on how to get some backspin on my high-lofted clubs? I have read that backspin is only possible with a perfect lie on a perfect course, but I find this hard to believe. I would really be happy if I could just get the ball to stop where it lands for now, but would eventually like to be able to spin it back a foot or two. Thanks.
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I offer a Liquid Alloy face treatment for golf clubs that will stop your ball on a high lofted shot. The material is extremely durable and can be made in excess of complience levels of grit. It’s very impresssive.
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Could anyone give me some advise on how to get some backspin on my high-lofted clubs? I have read that backspin is only possible with a perfect lie on a perfect course, but I find this hard to believe. I would really be happy if I could just get the ball to stop where it lands for now, but would eventually like to be able to spin it back a foot or two. Thanks.
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Mark, If you don’t want to believe anything anybody tells you then go ahead. I will stand by my remarks on any topic in golf, I think anyone with professional experience (Tours, PGA school, apprentices, teachers, etc..) will recognize their validity. I would prefer to let my knowlege speak for itself. Catch me in a mistake if ya can, pro, but I think you are allready 2 down…. care to press???
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: If you don’t want to believe anything anybody tells you then go ahead. I will : stand by my remarks on any topic in golf, I think anyone with professional : experience (Tours, PGA school, apprentices, teachers, etc..) will recognize : their validity. I would prefer to let my knowlege speak for itself. Catch me : in a mistake if ya can, pro, but I think you are allready 2 down…. care to : press??? Go back and read your post….you tell me if you sounded like a "Pro at an exclusive CC". You sounded more like a 15 yr. with an attitude. Now, for the press…invite me to your "exclusive" club, we’ll play a match, even up….accept my press? Good Putting! Mark — Mark Koenig, Technical Consulting || These views are my own. "Mondays, what a terrible way to spend 1/7th of your life"
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Mark, I am sorry you spent your whole life playing and never got better than a 3, it’s not my fault, get out of my face. I would not invite you to a briss if you were the honoree. This NG is not yours buddy, if you feel threatened too bad, why dont you try learning and practicing. Anyone who tells a person who is looking for backspin to "take less club" or some other crap is just looking to start problems. You, my incompetent friend, are more then likely the 15 yr. old with the HCP to match. good threeputting
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: I am sorry you spent your whole life playing and never got better than a 3, : it’s not my fault, get out of my face. *lol* Unlike yourself, I have not spent my whole life playing golf. : This NG is not yours buddy, if you feel threatened too : bad, why dont you try learning and practicing. You sir are no threat to me. : You, my incompetent friend, are more then likely the 15 yr. : old with the HCP to match. You’ll never know that because you won’t meet for a match….right? 
I don’t hide behind my screen, many people in this newsgroup have met me and played golf with me. I’m not the one who walked in and announced that I was a pro…that was you. There are many golfers out there that are better than me, so what…I just personally don’t think you are one of them and I’m willing to find out…are you? Good Putting! Mark — Mark Koenig, Technical Consulting || These views are my own. "Mondays, what a terrible way to spend 1/7th of your life"
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Sorry, Threejake, but I think that Mark’s assessment of you as a 15 year old is generous. Let