Backspin on wedge shots?

[GaijinGolfer]

does it need to be a full shot to produce back spin?

All shots produce backspin, (even a driver shot) but you typically need a full shot in order to make the ball spin back when it lands.

[FlopShotArtist]

I play it way in the back of my stance and REALLY hit down on it. Of course, the Vokey and the Pro V1 do the rest.

[agengo02]

i could of used this shot a couple times today! i hate overshooting the green so i end up having to tone down a shot so it lands short and rolls closer. if i could do this shot on a consistent basis then i could make better hits on the ball. i did try putting the ball a little more than halfway back in my stance and it dropped and only rolled about a foot so that was nice.

[Neco]

Help me.

[JetFan1983]

Great article by Pelz. Tells you what you need to know to start putting serious spin on your wedge shots. I recently started practicing this and it's added a whole new fun dimension to the game!

http://www.golf.com/golf/gallery/art...882070,00.html

Enjoy.

[Neco]

Great article by Pelz. Tells you what you need to know to start putting serious spin on your wedge shots. I recently started practicing this and it's added a whole new fun dimension to the game!

Great article. Thanks.

[misty_mountainhop]

It's no secret. Just make a decent, descending ball strike. Good, sharp acceleration into and through impact as well.

You'll have "backspin" on your wedges anyway by definition. Do you want them to pull back on landing? Your ball will influence this as well.

[65withatriple]

I used to love it when I spun the ball, but the more experienced I get the less I want the ball to spin. Rarely does it get the ball closer to the hole.....for me anyway. I am working on getting the ball to stop after one or 2 bounces now rather than it spinning back. Its much easier to control and there is nothing worse than seeing your ball mark a few feet from the hole and your ball 20 feet after its spun away from the hole.

[Mr3Putt]

I used to love it when I spun the ball, but the more experienced I get the less I want the ball to spin. Rarely does it get the ball closer to the hole.....for me anyway. I am working on getting the ball to stop after one or 2 bounces now rather than it spinning back. Its much easier to control and there is nothing worse than seeing your ball mark a few feet from the hole and your ball 20 feet after its spun away from the hole.

I totally agree. Backspin is fun to watch, but I'd rather have a 3 foot putt.

[DKunks]

Any pro will tell you... its a matter of having perfectly clean grooves and a ball w/ a soft cover like prov1s and HX tour, etc.

crisp contact and firm wrists are also key.

[wachesawgolfer]

Drive the face of the wedge behind and down through the ball with a flat left wrist, (any scooping will doom the shot) and turn and accelerate through the ball to the finish. Your swing thought is you want to scrape the backside of the ball as you drive through it so as to spin the ball backwards.. A sweeping type motion will not impart any backspin on the ball. Just like ping pong, you slide the paddle down the backside of the ball to spin it backwards. Its really very easy. But, as you spin the ball wildy back it can be tougher to get it close if you land too close to the hole and now it works it way back to you away from the hole.

[pittpanther]

But, as you spin the ball wildly back it can be tougher to get it close if you land too close to the hole and now it works it way back to you away from the hole.

This begs the question - why do the Pros choose to do this (put extreme backspin on the ball)? Why don't they just put enough spin on the ball to stop it from rolling forward?

[verse214]

This begs the question - why do the Pros choose to do this (put extreme backspin on the ball)? Why don't they just put enough spin on the ball to stop it from rolling forward?

I think it's because they like the softer balls for control and feel, and spin comes along with it as a byproduct

Correct me if i'm wrong but: I think if you'd rather have the ball check up on the green and hop and stop you can always go for the harder version of the ball (i.e. pro v1x instead of the pro v1).

[Titleist Man]

Ok here's a story for ya-
A guy comes up to Harvey Pennick(taught ben crenshaw) and asks him how to spin the ball back. Pennick doesn't even respond and continues to teach some other students. The man constantly asks him this question for hours. Eventually Pennick(knowing the key is to make solid contact) asked the man when he needed his shots to spin back. The man thinks for a moment and then has a look of stupidity on his face and leaves w/out another word.

Point of this story is why do you want to spin it? Or are your wedges releasing 10 ft?

[grantc79]

This begs the question - why do the Pros choose to do this (put extreme backspin on the ball)? Why don't they just put enough spin on the ball to stop it from rolling forward?

They choose to put more or less spin depending on the slope of the green and area they have to work with.

For example if the pin is located on the bottom of a large ridge they might choose to hit the ball into the ridge with back spin and roll it back to the hole. Then again the pin might be located right at the front edge of the green with a bunker just short of the green. In that situation they might want to hit it well past the hole and draw it back to the hole rather than play for the hole and run the risk of coming up a tad bit short.

[laconic517]

IMO the key ive found is soft hands. If you grip the club too tight you will have the tendency to decelerate a bit through impact and that will kill spin. A good solid strike where you hit ball before ground is important to.

Soft Hands, Ball First.

those help me the most.

[Iowa Hawkeye]

I taught myself to get pretty deep under and flatten the clubface on my short wedge shots. I can now hit high droppers that bite pretty good.

[wachesawgolfer]

This begs the question - why do the Pros choose to do this (put extreme backspin on the ball)? Why don't they just put enough spin on the ball to stop it from rolling forward?

I don't know what question is being begged. Pros hit the ball to a spot on or near the green where it will end up close to the hole and do it well often. How much spin they employ depends on the situation.