spin question

[G10_Jamie]

OK, first off, I am a sweeper when it comes to my swing. Second, I use soft ball but not a high dollar ball like the pro v1 or callaway tour balls.
I have G10s to include my gap and sand wedge (50* & 54*).
I hit my wedges high and with some spin but not enough to spin the ball back. My balls stop within 1-3 feet of the divot. I am not unhappy with my control and stoppage of the ball this is more of a want to know.

What is keeping my ball from spinning back? Is it the ball, my wedges, my swing or a combination of them? Can a "sweeper" spin the ball back?

Should I pick up some high dollar balls or a 58* vokey or callaway wedge?

Thanks

Jamie

[Arathel-bwcc]

I think you shouldn't use the wedges from the set. The wedges that you buy seperate from the set will, 95% of the time, get more spin. If you dont have that kind of money to fork out then think about getting a Cleveland 588 58* or a Vokey Spin Milled 58*.

[G10_Jamie]

Thanks for the recommendation, I guess the ping wedges I have are not as aggressive on the groove cut, is that the issue?

Jamie

[dragonflyin]

Groove cuts could be part of the issue. Another part would be contact with your wedges. If you're a true sweeper of the ball, you would probably impart less backspin on the ball. Some people who get the ball to spin back hit more down at it (don't consider this a swing fault however). Lastly, premium high spin rate balls like Pro V1 and B330S are going to back up a little easier. Buy them if the markup is justified by your game's improvements. It seems like you have all of the possible reasons already listed, perhaps you're just looking for confirmation... :)

Getting the ball to spin back is sexy, but not at all practical. Getting the ball to stop 1-3 feet from the divot is about perfect for your situation.

[Surefire]

All the above is true, plus it depends if you are hitting from rough\fairway\bare lie and what the greens you are hitting to are like.

[Zeph]

At my home course I got one hole where I don't use Pro V1, use them for all the other holes though. It's a short 98 meter par 3, if I use Pro V1 I risk pulling it too much back. With another ball it usually stops pretty dead, or rolls forward if I'm lucky.

[Caddyshack]

If the ball stops within 1 - 3 feet then why would you want to change it? thats perfect. backspin is unpredictable id rather a stop dead wedge shot than backspin.

[grantc79]

Can a "sweeper" spin the ball back?

Spin is derived from compressing the ball into the ground.

The club face pins the ball into the ground and grass and when it pops out and decompresses it is spinning backwards. That is why you see pros taking huge divots when hitting their shorter wedges because they are really compressing the ball. As a sweeper, you can't really do that. Some wedges and spinnier balls might help you, but someone who really traps it well will always get more spin regardless of the equipment or ball used.

[verse214]

As a sweeper, you can't really do that.

I may have to disagree with the above statement.

I am not a sweeper, however my impression is that in order to create the spin, you want to bottom your swing out slightly in front of the ball which would pinch the ball between club and earth, and thereby create spin. Right below your hands at impact is where the divot should start (right in front of the ball, as your hands should be out in front of the ball at impact)... so if i were a sweeper, I would try to bottom out the swing in front of the ball and an easy way to do that would be to stack your sternum and nose slightly in front of the ball at address.. anyone agree with me on this or am i totally wrong?

[iacas]

Spin is derived from compressing the ball into the ground.

No. The ball moves immediately upward. It does not get "compressed" into the ground at all. Ever. Well, unless you top it.

That is why you see pros taking huge divots when hitting their shorter wedges because they are really compressing the ball.

They're compressing it against the clubface. They're hitting downward. The two are not the same.

[Laxplayer201092]

works like this, you hit down on the ball, this shoves the grooves into the ball, when you hit down on it, obviously you take a larger divot, thats where the divots come from, they dont compress against the ground, they compress against the club face,


Ekkab

[grantc79]

No. The ball moves immediately upward. It does not get "compressed" into the ground at all. Ever. Well, unless you top it.

Ok, I don't see how any of this is wrong........

If you want to spin the ball backwards you will be striking the ball downwards with your club. Immediately after contact of the ball you contact the ground and take a 3 inch or so divot. The best way to explain that to a sweeper to get that feel is to tell them to try to trap the ball with your wedge. That might not be the 100% scientific explanation for why it happens, but it is 100% the thought that a sweeper needs in his/her head to put spin on the ball

[verse214]

Ok, I don't see how any of this is wrong........

you just have to hit the ball cleanly and the club will do all of the spin work for you...

the club has a loft so you should try to picture what would happen if you hit a round object with a slanted surface: it would automatically create backspin.. i think the amount of backspin created has to do with the loft of the club (more lofted, more spin) and the speed that you hit it at (faster, more spin, not so sure about this part).. and grooves i guess will help also... personally, i don't really think there's that much of a difference between a sweeper and a hitter; you either hit the ball clean or you don't... right? could someone please elaborate?

[Wisconsin Golfer]

I just learned how to do the backward spin and the ball bite and stop. They didn't take as much time to learn as I thought it would. I am no pro, but I can tell you how I do it.
First of all I bought a 60* VOKEY and started using HX HOT BITES. The VOKEY will tear them up some but the ball is still good for a round or two.
To spin it back, I swing my club and at impact I am " pinching the ball" against the ground then as the swing goes through it makes a long thin divot. By thin, I mean it is long and as wide as the club, but not extremely deep about a half inch deep.
To stop the ball, just keep doing what you are doing. Maybe move your hands a bit behind the club face, It makes the ball stop an a "dime'.

[marpr]

If the ball stops within 1 - 3 feet then why would you want to change it? thats perfect. backspin is unpredictable id rather a stop dead wedge shot than backspin.

I totally agree with Caddyshack. I personally dont like the ball ripping back too much at all. I would take a 'drop-and-stop' over a 'big rip' anyday.

[UP&DOWN]

You mentioned the following.
" Second, I use soft ball but not a high dollar ball like the pro v1 or callaway tour balls."

Make sure your not confusing the soft compression balls for soft spinning balls. There are soft compression balls with harder covers (distance). Then there are balls with softer outer layer which are the balls that will spin.

A wedge change should help as well.

[tjy355]

The OP doesn't need to buy any new wedges.

Semantics aside, spinning the ball has mostly to do with technique - a descending blow is required. Brand new Ping wedges should spin just fine. A ball with a softer cover helps.

[Zeph]

With most wedges and balls you can at least stop or prevent most of the roll with the right technique, but to get backspin the equipment plays a bigger part. With a combination of, lets say Vokey and Pro V1 you can get huge backspin, more than you really want.