What Is Backspin Good For?
The real reason for generating backspin is not, as many golfer's think, to get the ball to bite on the green, and then screw back.
The real objective of applying spin is to help you to hit the ball straight, because the more backspin that you generate, the less influence side spin will have on the flight of the ball.
From a perfect lie to generate the maximum backspin, the club should be travelling horizontally directly underneath the ball.
This is almost impossible to achieve, because unless you are playing from a bare surface, there will always be a few blades of grass between the ball and the clubface.
Therefore your aim should be to make as clean a contact as possible, with the club still travelling through impact on as low a path as possible.
Many golfers think that a descending blow is required. This is not so.
When To Expect Spin
The more of the following that are in your favour, the more the ball will spin:
Good clubhead speed
A crisp shallow attack on the ball
Ball then turf contact
Clean clubface, especially the grooves
Good lie on firm, tight fairways
Lofted clubface
Soft cover ball
Green soft and receptive
Shot into the wind
When Not To Expect Spin
Do Not expect to spin the ball if:
Clubhead speed is poor
The attack is too steep
Grass gets between the clubface and the ball
The grooves are full of dirt
The ball is a 2piece construction
The shot is downwind
The green is hard
The green slopes away from you
Equipment
The clubhead has to be clean and the grooves in good condition.
Square grooves work best of all as the edges are sharper, and therefore grip the ball better.
The best type of spin ball is a 3 piece balata cover ball, although the improvement in ball technology is beginning to cover all balls.
The biggest problem with these balata covered balls is that they don't last, especially if hit out of bunkers or sand traps. I hope this now helps you understand the misconceptions surrounding this subject.
May the great golf God give you one decent shot, with plenty of spin, to see and feel how great it is to achieve this shot.
There is more to good golf than producing plenty of spin. Why not find out more by clicking on the link:
