Good golfers know how to create backspin when they hit the ball. But if you are still learning backspin or want to get started, you are in the right place.
There are tons of information, techniques and pro tips that are available online for learning golf spin.
But when we say ‘how to spin the golf ball’, in golf, it essentially means ‘how to create backspin’.
As you start learning, you can relate more to all of those pro tips and techniques that you see or hear. But first learning the basics and how the backspin works are important.
We got this covered for you. With this three-factor formula, you can take your game to the next level.
The Top 3 Factors that Impact Golf Ball Backspin
The speed of the clubhead
Speed can directly impact the amount of spin you can get on the ball. What do we mean by speed? It’s the clubhead speed, the impact which you make by the clubhead.
Low-speed chip shots can never produce backspin. So when you get your wedge in your hands, try to hit with higher clubhead speed.
Longer wedge shots are favorable for backspin, and also the loft of the club will help further.
Spin loft
The second crucial factor in our list is the spin loft.
Learning these factors can be a bit overwhelming, but once you know what you are doing, these become easy.
So, back to loft spin loft.
When you hit the ball with a club, an attack angle and a dynamic loft are created. The angle between these two is known as the spin loft.
The attack angle is the travel path of the clubhead when it hits the ball. So the lower you can hit on the ball, the more backspin you can generate.
So, in the tee box, you should decrease your spin loft so you can get more distance. But for backspin, a wedge and downward angle of attack are very crucial.
Should I make my clubface open to create good backspin shots?
It’s a question that many beginners have. Yes, open clubface can generate more backspin.
But when you open your club face too much, chances are that your spin loft will be too high. So, you get no friction at all. Friction is another factor for backspin. Lets read about it..
Friction
When you hit the ball friction is created automatically. But if anything comes in between the clubhead and the ball, the rate of friction decreases. If you can ensure these following conditions are available for you the chances of you creating a backspin increases:
- Fresh grooves on wedges are very important. It’s best to change them frequently.
- Premium golf balls have a higher spin rate. Even if you have to spend a little more, your game will improve quite a lot.
- Long grasses can decrease the friction drastically. So flat surfaces with short grasses are ideal conditions.
- Dry, dry dry. It’s super crucial to have a dry ball, club face, and dry grasses. Rainy days are bad for backspin.
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Conditions that can help to create backspin
When you got everything right to get a higher spin rate on your ball, you can still fail. Why? Because of the conditions. These three factors can be equally crucial for backspin:
- Softer and faster green
- The slope of the green points towards you
- Wind type- Headwind (wind blowing towards you)
Soft green with a tailwind (wind blowing against you) can provide negative results. So, every time you try to hit for a backspin try to analyze these conditions. Your game will improve quite a lot.
How To Put Backspin On A Golf Ball (In 5 Easy Steps)
Lob wedge can be a good point to start your backspin practice. So when you go on to hit long shots, you can have confidence backing you.
Step 1: The correct ball position and stance
The first thing is knowing where to place the ball for backspin. For regular shots, most of you put the ball in the center of your stance, which is great!
But for creating backspin, you need to change a few things. Try placing the ball closer to your back foot. The reason is logical and straightforward. Its easier to hit down on the ball from this position. Now, All of have to do is swing hard and hit the ball.
Remember what you read earlier about conditions. Hitting into the wind will give you favorable results.
How do you ensure you get this step right? If you see the end of your club on the opposite side of the middle of your back foot thigh, then you are on the right track.
Oh! And do not exaggerate this! You might try to place the ball far more back for more backspin, but it won’t just work because you are decreasing the loft on the club.
Step 2: Set your angle
Next up is setting the angle right. A steep angle of attack is essential for this technique. So Hinge your fingers a little earlier for getting the angle right.
Watch your backswing and make sure the angle at which it is coming down is steep.
Step 3: Don’t hit the turf first
This one is more of a sub-step rather than a step itself.
It’s inevitable that everytime you hit the ball, you will also hit the turf. But the secret behind the perfect backspin shot is hitting the ball first and then the turf.
When you hit the ball first, you get more control, and your spin rate will also be higher. But when you hit the turf first, you lose the impact and friction on the ball. This means a lower spin rate and hence lower backspin.
Step 4: hit low on the clubface
Try hitting the ball low on the clubface. This will ensure the previous step. This means you are getting higher friction level.
But the risk is when you hit too low on the face, you can get bladed shots which looks pretty ugly. Hours of practice is the key here.
A driver is a good option for hits low on the clubface.
Here is a slow-mo to get the feel!
Step 5: Mapping your shot
Actually, this should be your first step.
Learning technique is essential, but the ultimate factor that separates a pro from an amateur is the level of thinking and planning behind a shot.
In any sports, the subconscious mind always takes over. So once you learn the correct technique, it will come naturally to you. What matters during a shot is your projection of the shot and final execution.
So, you should get an understanding of what the ball will do after it lands. This means analyzing the greens and the conditions we talked earlier about.
Get a picture of the shot in your mind. Whether its going to stop or jump forward before the before the backspin happens should be on your mind. In that way, you can feel more confident and assured about your shots.
The Ultimate Checklist for Perfecting Your Backspin
- Your shot mapping
- Good quality balls that have a softer center
- Fresh and dry grooves
- The positioning of the ball towards your back foot
- Ideal spin loft
- Hitting low on the clubface
- Hit on down on the ball
- Clear hitting with the ball first
- Maintaining high speed during the swing.
- Conditions in your favor
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