How to get the ball to spin

[mdvaldosta]

If you take a divot and use a good (high spin) ball you'll get your stop and drop.

[Jemehl]

Good players will swing down at the ball. They don't wind up off balance partly due to good flexibility but also partly due to the fact that when they reach the ball their power is dumped into that ball and the ground in front of it.

I see what your saying so your saying take a divot with every club ? 4 iron and up ?

[grantc79]

I see what your saying so your saying take a divot with every club ? 4 iron and up ?

Well now you get technical.

Realistically you want to hit ball then ground with every club except a driver. The longer the club (starting at 3 wood) the less you impact the ground because the low point is further forward. That means you are just a little flatter and sweeping just a tad bit. The shorter the club (down to a lob wedge) the more steep your swing winds up thus the more downward your attack angle. This leads to hitting down more into the ball and thus moving more down into the ground and taking a larger divot. My rule of thumb is that with a wood I want to feel a little brush of the ground when I hit it pure. With a sand wedge I want to see a chunk of ground flying through the air after I hit it pure. The only exception to this rule is the driver which you want to pass low point and be slightly rising when it hits the ball. Everything else you hit down on.

[Jemehl]

Well now you get technical.

Right thats what i was thinking.. we will find out in a few hours if it works. if i magically break 80 today i owe you something

[grantc79]

Bear in mind you are still swinging on the same plane to the ball. From behind the swing should look very similar from driver to wedge because the angle of the shaft in relation to the ground will be the same.

The difference is seen from a side/cross view when you can see ball position and the angle of attack that you come down to the ball at.

The difference will be:

3 wood:

Longer shaft
Low point further forward
Ball position further forward in your stance
Slightly more sweeping swing

Sand Wedge:

Shorter shaft
Low point further backward
Ball position further backward in your stance (in the middle or very slightly back of middle vs. forward)
More steep angle of swing down at the ball



Bear in mind you probably won't break 80 today because you are changing your swing :)

As with any other change this will make you hit some fatties and some skinnies until you get it right. Also you will want to study wrist action a bit to start understanding how that works.

But hey its a start.

[Jemehl]

Bear in mind you are still swinging on the same plane to the ball. From behind the swing should look very similar from driver to wedge because the angle of the shaft will be the same.

Ya i know.. If i knew how to get the ball to spin the day i shoot a 80 and the few days i shoot a 81 i knew i would have broken 80 if i could just get the ball to stop on a dime

[bjw181]

I disagree with ball type. I can hit the range balls and get them to back up a few feet with my 8 iron. But that's with a full out swing and crappy range greens. I think the pro V1s and other 3-piece balls are more for feel with pitching/chipping/putting. Its all skill/technique with spin...and clean grooves help too.

[mdvaldosta]

You can stop ANYTHING if you hit it high enough. Ball does play a big difference when it comes to spinning back though. Rock balls simply don't grab the grooves, and there's no way of putting good spin on the ball unless you do.

[grantc79]

You can stop ANYTHING if you hit it high enough. Ball does play a big difference when it comes to spinning back though. Rock balls simply don't grab the grooves, and there's no way of putting good spin on the ball unless you do.

Sure there is.

You don't need to hit the ball high to do so either. The simple fact is that once you understand how to swing to create spin it is just a matter of how much spin you want to put on the ball. You are limited inside of a certain amount of yards simply because you can't create enough force and hit it such a short distance to make it work. But you can still spin anything.

[Jeffelite]

I thought most 12 handicappers knew how to hit the golf ball correctly? Pretty odd.

[David in FL]

I have to admit, I'm struggling to wrap my mind around "losing 5-7 strokes per round" because you can't spin the ball back ........

[Jemehl]

just shot a 83.. its not 5-7 strokes b/c i cant spin the ball back its more b/c i am just leaving my self with 20 footers instead of 10 or less.. ok maybe my numbers are of a bit and its 2-3 strokes but you guys get the point

[Fourputt]

I disagree with ball type. I can hit the range balls and get them to back up a few feet with my 8 iron. But that's with a full out swing and crappy range greens. I think the pro V1s and other 3-piece balls are more for feel with pitching/chipping/putting. Its all skill/technique with spin...and clean grooves help too.

I'd have to see that. Or your range has balls that are nothing like the typical range ball.

[grantc79]

I'd have to see that. Or your range has balls that are nothing like the typical range ball.

Take a trip to south louisiana

[Shorty]

i have tried everything i just cant get it to spin back.. This is easily adding 5-7 strokes a round.. i need help please ?

Your problem can be solved easily.

Because you don't have the skill to spin the ball, try to land the ball at the front edge of the green. You are making the mistake of landing the ball too far on the green. If you can spin it, aim for the flag. Otherwise, do what the pros do on hard greens and land the ball so that it runs to the hole.

[laconic517]

Good players will swing down at the ball. They don't wind up off balance partly due to good flexibility but also partly due to the fact that when they reach the ball their power is dumped into that ball and the ground in front of it.

sorry but thats completely bullshit. If that were the case no one could take full speed practice swings rofl. And swinging the club and letting the ball get in the way is recommended by just about everyone. AFAIK spin has to do with angle of attack and ball contact......type of ball is important too. I wouldnt listen to a word this guys says after that opening post.

[grantc79]

sorry but thats completely bullshit.

So you expect to be carrying the same momentum after impact as before?

Ever seen, gee I dunno, Jack Nicklaus swing? Ever notice how he will really go after a ball yet immediately after impact be in a very relaxed state? Perhaps you are so stupid as to think that you want to maintain the same clubhead speed after impact? I mean why maximize club head speed just before impact when you could maximize it in your follow through! Let me ask you a simple question which even you may understand. If a player wanted to maximize their distance would they be better off increasing club head speed before or after impact? Is ball speed not determined by the amount of energy you can transfer from your body, arms, and club into the ball? Or is it more so determined by how much energy you store after impact?

AFAIK spin has to do with angle of attack and ball contact......type of ball is important too.

Well lets see, I have been saying this entire time to take a divot in front of the ball. Hit down on the ball. Etc, etc.

If you think angle of attack (obviously the steeper the better for spin) matters. Where the hell is that club going to go after you hit the ball? Perhaps into the ground to make a ****ing divot numb nuts? Or do you advise a steep angle of attack without taking a divot because I'd love to see how you plan to do that. The point remains with a good swing you can spin any ball, maybe not as much around the green, but on full swings you CAN SPIN anything to an extent. With a bad swing even a Pro-V won't make you spin the ball.

[laconic517]

if you really believe that they are slowing significantly and are able to stay in balance because they are taking divots i dont know what to say to you. I never said you shouldnt take divots....but this idea that the ground and the ball absorbing momentum being factors in being able to finish in balance is ridiculous.