Watching a great golfer hit a shot behind a pin and then back it up several feet is truly impressive. If you want to learn how to do this with your own golf shots, you are in the right place.
After years of teaching students how to put backspin on golf shots and improve both their short game and long game, I’m happy to share some really helpful tips and information.
Here is the best information out there about how to put backspin on the golf ball.
What Is Backspin And Why Does It Matter?
You have probably noticed that all golf balls have dimples. The dimples on the golf ball are there to help golfers get the ball up in the air. The dimples help create lift, and when they interact with the grooves on the golf club, they will also help to create spin.
Backspin is when a golf ball rotates backward as it is flying through the air. Many people think that this would make the golf ball fly a shorter distance, but this is not true. Golf balls that have a lot of backspin will actually fly further.
Not all golf shots will have backspin. A golf ball has to be hit well, and it has to be capable of creating backspin for this to happen.
Some golfers have lower swing speeds, causing lower spin rates; however, most golfers can create some backspin, especially in their short game.
Knowing and understanding how to create backspin is a big part of the battle.
Factors That Impact Backspin
If you are looking to start getting backspin on the ball, here are a few of the things that you must consider and understand.
Loft
It is easier to put backspin on a ball when you are playing with a club with a higher loft.
The higher loft will naturally help the ball to fly higher, and this will help it get the lift that it needs to create more backspin. The loft also makes it easier to hit the golf ball, and that, in turn, will help players to create backspin.
Speed
The faster the swing speed you have, the faster the spin rate you can put on a golf ball.
Golfers are realizing that the spin rate is a huge indicator of total distance. Players are doing everything they can to get more speed in their swings.
Angle of Attack
In order for the golf ball to travel up the face of a club correctly, the angle of attack has to be exact.
If a player comes into the impact position too shallow, they will struggle to get the proper spin on their golf shots. The attack angle can also put a sidespin on the golf ball and send it in the wrong direction.
Grooves
Grooves will help you to get backspin on the ball. If your grooves are filled with dirt and grass, clean them out as soon as you can.
Could you imagine if the reason you were not getting backspin on a golf ball was that your clubs were dirty?
This happens more than you may think.
Lie
Backspin on a golf ball happens when the club face, and the golf ball make great contact at a fast speed and proper angle. If you do not have a good lie, your shot will likely not get a lot of backspin.
When you are hitting out of the rough, the grass will get caught between the face and the ball, and this will cause a ball not to get much backspin.
This is why you see players so disappointed when they miss the fairway; they know the ball will be harder to stop when it gets to the green.
4 Steps To Put Backspin On A Golf Ball
Putting backspin on a golf ball will look a bit different for every golfer.
However, there are some steps that you can follow to make sure that you have the greatest change of spinning the ball back once it hits the green.
Step 1: Choose Club Wisely
Don’t start practicing putting backspin on a golf ball by using your four iron. You should start this process with a wedge or an eight iron, something with more forgiveness. These clubs are easier to stop and spin the ball.
Allow yourself to get the feeling of how to spin the ball before working on the longer clubs. After all, backspin in the short game is the most important.
Step 2: Make Sure The Lie Is Correct
As we mentioned hitting a shot with backspin takes a really good lie. If your lie is not great, you can’t expect too much.
In fact, if you have a bad lie, you may want to try a shot that allows a ball to roll to the target and doesn’t spin backward. Analyze each lie you get in golf and choose your golf club accordingly.
Step 3: Accelerate
Swing speed is very important in golf. Many golfers will decelerate as they swing through their shot. This can happen for a number of reasons. Sometimes it has to do with players trying to control their shots or being worried about where the ball may end up.
If you want to get backspin on a golf ball, you must accelerate through your shot. Once you make the transition from the backswing to the downswing, you have to go after the ball with all that you have.
Holding back once you get to this point will only cause a weak shot that will probably not have backspin on it.
Step 4: Down and Through
The thought that I always found most helpful for golfers who want to put backspin on a golf ball is: down and through.
If you are thinking about hitting down and through your golf shot, you will have a much easier time getting the ball to spin.
Hitting the ball on the upswing or trying to lift it up off the ground is not how to put backspin on a golf ball.
Tips For How To Put Backspin On Golf Ball
Here are a few insider tips from professionals on how to put backspin on a golf ball.
Choose the Proper Wedges
Some wedges spin better than others. It is important to upgrade your equipment from time to time so that you get the most performance around the green.
Golf Balls
A three or four-piece golf ball tends to spin quite a bit more than a two piece ball.
If you want to really start backing the ball up, you may need to start using a high performance ball. It will likely cost you a few extra dollars, but it could be worth it when it comes to performance benefits.
Start With The Lob Wedge
If you can learn how to hit the ball solid and get backspin with a lob wedge, move on to other clubs.
Lob wedges are built for spin, and they will have a high backspin rate. Work with this club around the green until you get the feeling and then move to other golf clubs.
Clean Your Clubs
Cleaning the grooves on your golf clubs is such an easy way to get more backspin on the ball.
You will be amazed by what a difference clean grooves can make when proper contact is made. With all the uncontrollable things in golf, why ignore something as simple as cleaning the grooves.
Backspin Drills
You know how we feel about drills. The more you practice golf drills, the easier it is to learn a new concept and make sure that you can bring your new skill to the golf course.
Here are our favorite drills when you are learning how to put backspin on a golf ball.
Tee Drill
Take a tee and put it in front of your golf ball. Don’t place the tee in the ground; just leave it loose in front of your ball. When you swing and hit your shot, try and hit the ball and the tee.
This will allow you to hit down and through the golf ball. This is a very good visual drill for the golfer that keeps trying to lift the ball when they swing.
Alignment Stick Drill
For the alignment stick drill, you will need to grip your golf club and the stick at the same time. The stick will be placed so that it runs up under your left arm. This drill makes sure that golfers do not flip their wrists when they hit pitch or chip shots.
The alignment stick drill should be used for practicing smaller shots. When a golfer tries to flick their wrists or lift the ball through impact, the stick will prevent them from completing the shot.
This is another great way for golfers to get the feeling that they need when coming through the shot.
Front Foot Drill
Many people struggle to get the ball to spin backward because they are ending up with all of their weight on their back foot. When your weight ends up on the back foot, you will probably try to hit the ball up in the air instead of hitting down and through the shot.
When you do the front foot drill, you will put most of your weight on the left foot and keep it there while you hit some chip shots.
Don’t transfer the weight back to the right side so much, and you will find it much easier to get backspin on your shots. Some players turn this simple drill into a way to start chipping shorter shots that need to spin backward.
Golf Training Aids
There are plenty of golf training aids on the market that will help players learn to get backspin. The best training aids will be ones that focus on getting a descending blow and hitting down and through a golf shot. One option is something like a Golf Impact bag that gives players that feeling of hitting down on the ball instead of flipping it into the air.
What To Look For In A Wedge That Has Backspin Technology
A golf wedge can absolutely help your ability to get backspin on a wedge shot. However, if you are not playing with the right wedge, you may have a hard time getting backspin. Here are a few of the things to look for when purchasing a wedge that will help with your backspin issues.
Groove Technology
The grooves on your golf club will interact with the golf ball to create a backspin. If you don’t have the proper groove technology on the club that you are playing with, chances are you will struggle to get the spin that you need. The groove technology on golf wedges has changed a lot through the years.
Today many companies will vary the size of the grooves; they will also do things like putting grooves inside the grooves or scoring the face of the wedge to increase overall spin.
The key here is to find a wedge that is considered to be a high spin wedge. If you are a golfer that struggles to get the ball to stop on the green or spin back the way you think it should, then a wedge that helps with spin is essential.
Golfers should be inspecting their wedges at times to ensure that the grooves are still in great shape and that they can get the performance they need from these clubs. You can sharpen the grooves on your own, but you must be careful not to change the original shaping and design of the grooves.
Age of Wedge
How old is the wedge that you are considering purchasing? When buying new wedges, chances are the wedge will be between one and two years old. Most companies stop making a product after about a year, and you can find the leftover models sold at a considerably lower price. This is still considered new technology even if it is not the latest release.
Groove technology, materials, and weighting has changed significantly in the last five years. If you are thinking of purchasing an older wedge that is more than five years old, you may want to look at whether or not this is a smart decision.
The age of a wedge is a major consideration when looking to put the most backspin possible on a golf ball. In addition, if you are purchasing a used golf wedge, you must be sure that the wedge is not in need of groove sharpening. If you sharpen the grooves of the wedge, they may get closer to the way they originally were but probably not brand new again.
Wet Weather Conditions
Golf manufacturers have realized for quite some time that when you are hitting a wedge shot out of wet grass; it becomes pretty difficult to get the spin you need. This is because of the interference between the grooves of the club and the dimples on the golf ball.
The water on the two surfaces essentially causes the golf ball to have a hard time getting enough friction from the club head. This is something that golf manufacturers have started to address.
Many of the newer wedges on the market will have grooves that allow water to flow out. This helps ensure that even in wet conditions, it is much easier to get backspin on a ball. This is not a perfect method, and you still may not get quite as much spin, but there will be enough to certainly see a difference and to start getting the necessary performance that golfers are looking for.
How To Choose A Golf Ball for Backspin
As we have mentioned, if you want to get a backspin on a golf shot, you will have to choose the right golf ball. The golf ball and the club interacting, along with your precise hit and connection with the ball, will help you get the performance you need as a player. Part of this decision becomes making sure that the golf ball selection is the right one.
The best golf ball for your game is not necessarily the one that will give you the most backspin. There are golf balls designed with very impressive greenside performance, but this does not always mean that you will like this golf ball off the tee.
Here are a few things to consider when choosing the best golf ball for backspin.
Iron Spin/Driver Spin/Wedge Spin
In golf, there are different areas of the game where spin will impact performance. For some players, extra spin off the tee is a significant issue. This high spin from the tee can make a golfer hit the ball further to the left or the right. It can also cause a driver to stop as soon as it lands, and this can be problematic.
The idea is that you will want every drive to roll as far as it can, and it is important to choose a golf ball that allows for a higher spin around the greens and lower spin off the tee.
Iron spin is essential, and golfers should be considering this when they choose a golf iron. The iron spin allows players to be more accurate in their approach shots and get the ball to stop precisely where it needs to.
For golfers that want backspin, a high greenside spin ball is best. Expect these to cost a bit more money and require a player to have some accuracy off the tee.
Compression
The compression of a golf ball can matter when it comes to spin. However, as long as the compression of the golf ball is within an acceptable range of what will work for your golf game, then you should not have any issues.
Before purchasing golf balls, it makes sense to get a measurement of your swing speed. If you don’t have an idea of your swing speed, you can purchase a device that gives you this measurement or go for a simple club fitting where you get some basic measurements on your game.
Choose a golf ball that has high compression if you have a higher swing speed. Choose a golf ball that is low compression if you have a slower swing speed. The key is to find a golf ball that is a good fit for your swing speed, and when you do that, you will end up with the right performance and technology.
Number of Pieces
We find that the number of pieces a golf ball is constructed of becomes one of the most important considerations for players. A golf ball that is five pieces will have much more variation in technology than a golf ball that is only two pieces. Something with three, four, or five pieces has the ability to offer performance from the tee and from the green.
When players are looking for a backspin, chances are they don’t want to give up distance or accuracy either. This is understandable. As golfers, we want it all.
Therefore if you can purchase a golf ball with some extra layers of performance, you may be able to get the best of both worlds. Golf balls that have quite a few pieces are going to be higher in price, but they have some of the best technology on the market.
Brand
Some golf manufacturers have better golf ball technology than others. The brand of the ball you choose is important. If you are looking for a backspin around the greens, Titleist makes some of the best golf balls on the market. In addition, it is a good idea to consider the premium balls from Callaway, TaylorMade, and Bridgestone.
When you find a golf ball that helps you spin the ball around the green, try to stay with it. Changing golf ball technology often can make it a bit more challenging to stay on task and develop the consistency that you need in your game. Choose a brand or a product and then use it for a few months to see how it impacts your game.
Chances are you will find that one golf ball simply has the feel that you need in order to play well and get impressive overall performance.
Frequently Asked Questions: Backspin
There are quite a few questions that come up when talking about backspin and how to put backspin on a ball. Many newer players think that they are years away from being able to create golf shots that have backspin. This is entirely untrue. With the combination of the right equipment and the proper technique, any golfer can get backspin on their shots.
Does the golf ball matter for backspin?
When trying to get more backspin on your golf shots, you have to consider the golf ball that you are using. If you take a look at any golf ball testing that has been done, you will notice that the way the golf ball spin is going to vary considerably from one manufacturer to another.
Some companies have great golf ball technology that allows golfers to spin the ball back across a green. Others are more about distance and promoting lower spin. Most golf companies provide enough technology that players who hit a good shot can get a ball to stop on the green.
However, only the leaders in the golf ball industry truly provide enough technology to help players stop the ball and spin it back.
Can beginners get backspin on a golf ball?
Beginners can get backspin on a golf ball. The key is that they are following our recommended method for getting spin on the ball and that they are using the right equipment. Many beginners will struggle with backspin because their equipment is more about forgiveness than precision.
Although a player’s style blade wedge will not have as much forgiveness, many beginners will benefit from putting this club in their bag and learning to play with it. Even if you have to put a little extra practice time in, the performance blade style wedges actually help players to spin the ball.
Is backspin a good thing?
Backspin is a great thing when players know how to use it properly. There are, however, some players that will get too much backspin, and this can cause issues in their game. If you are getting too much backspin on a driver or if you are simply zipping your wedges off of all the greens you play with, you should probably look into a chance of equipment.
Chances are, if you are capable of hitting these types of shots and getting this high level of spin, you have some great technique in your game. The key is to fine tune this so that you can improve the overall performance that you have as well.
Backspin is a good thing; just make sure you know when to expect it and how to get it.
Why do professional golfers get so much backspin?
Have you ever watched golf on a Sunday afternoon and seen the way these professionals can spin a ball directly off the green. They may put a shot ten feed past a hole and spin it all the way back to the cup. This is impressive to watch and makes most amateur golfers a bit envious that they don’t have this in their game.
Professional golfers make very solid contact with the ball, and they hit their wedge and iron shots with a descending blow. Sending the golf club down and through the ground while the grooves on the club interact with the dimples on the ball is a sure-fire way to get backspin on the ball.
Professional golfers make very solid contact with a ball, and this is a major reason they can spin the ball in a different way than amateurs can. If you start dedicating the majority of your days to playing and practicing golf, chances are you will get some extra backspin as well!
How can I get more backspin on my iron shots?
There are several ways to start getting more backspin on your iron shots, and one of them is to put a little extra weight on your left side as you set up to hit a golf shot. When this weight is on the left side and stays there a little more throughout your swing, you have a higher chance of hitting a shot with a descending blow.
This type of golf iron shot that allows the club to travel down and through the ground is going to help increase the backspin that you can get on your iron shots. Many golfers will know this feeling as taking a divot after their golf ball.
Players that try to lift a golf shot into the air or flip it with their wrists will struggle with getting a ball to stop and spin back on the greens. More backspin on your iron shots is attainable; it just makes sense to learn the proper technique and pair it with the right equipment.
Conclusion
By now, you should feel as though you know how to put backspin on a golf ball. Grab your wedge and head out to the chipping green to get some work done.
You can also go for lowspin golf balls for a better shot and more distance.
Backspin is most important when you are hitting shots around the green. As you get further away from the hole, you will want to ensure that you can stop the ball on a dime, and if you have the proper spin rate, you should be able to do that with ease.
Ball spin, high spin rate, and backspin are all positive things that great players have as part of their golf game.
