If you are consistently hitting your short shots past the hole then you do need to learn how to put backspin on the ball. But if you are NOT getting your short shots to the hole there’s no point in learning to backspin the ball until you can get your shots past the hole.
Why?
Although it’s fun to see balls back up on the green it’s not much fun when they come back closer to you and further away from the hole!
So I’ll assume you do get the ball past the hole consistently, so now how can you stop the ball more quickly.
One of the first considerations is your equipment. Having new clubs with new grooves is of huge importance in getting the ball to stop quickly on the green. Also the ball you are using makes a big difference as well. If you are using a softer covered ball rather than a harder covered ball then you’ll find it a lot easier to put spin on the ball. So have clubs with sharp, clean grooves and use softer covered balls.
Now for the swing itself. If you think you need to swing real fast to put spin on the ball you’re wrong. Any golf ball that gets off the ground has spin on it, so it’s not a question of how, but how much. To create spin with the short shots your main considerations should be to swing steeply down on the ball and contact the ball first.
Why?
Because if you hit any amount of grass between the clubhead and the ball then you are reducing the spin on the ball. You must get clean, crisp contact with the ball first so it is squeezed between the ground and the clubface. So if you want spin then do the following.
* Have new clubs with sharp grooves
* Use softer covered golf balls
* Swing down into the ball on a steep angle
* Swing smoothly, and controlled rather than quickly and hurriedly (remember, ball contact is more important than speed)
* Hit the ball first so it’s squeezed between the ground and the grooves on the clubface
Also remember this, you’ll get a lot more backspin on shots that are hit from short grass and lies that have no grass are the best. Practicing from bare lies is also very beneficial for your golf game because it forces you to contact the ball first. This will not only help you to feel how to impart spin onto the ball but it will also do your entire golf game a world of good, because clean crisp contact with the ball first is a fundamental for all golf shots apart from shots out of bunkers.
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January 3rd, 2008 at 3:49 am
Quite informative. Clear, concise and to the point.
January 9th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Typshe is a beautiful baby!!e your comment here.
January 30th, 2008 at 11:33 am
I do not have a radar – How do I measure swing speed.
February 10th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
I really like this tip.It`s easy to forget about how you contact the ball.I just had a short game lesson and I was taught more on the swinging motion and forgot all about ball contact.Thank you for this tip.
February 10th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Type your comment here.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:58 pm
For 70 years old I hit pretty good drivers and irons.
However, I am a disaster 50 yards in, especially short chips-bare ground, uphill, downhill. etc.
Any advice.
JP
September 24th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
I read an article that said that for maximum backspin, you should hit the ball such that the deepest point of your divot—that is the bottom of your swing arc—is FOUR INCHES in front of the ball! I have a hard time understanding this (much less doing it). It seems that contacting the ball four inches behind the bottom point of the swing arc (called the “nadir” of the arc, in case you’re interested) would result in “topping” the ball.
But assuming this is the correct approach, how would one accomplish it? This seems like it would be even more difficult with a steeper downswing as you suggest.
Bruce
September 24th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Bruce,
I wouldn’t get too caught up in specific measurements. The bottom line is that you MUST hit the ball first!
-Nick