6 Simple Tips to Put More Backspin on a Golf Ball

Many amateur golfers believe that backspin is something only professionals can do. If you’re interested in learning how to put spin on your shots, there are many options.

Even high handicap golfers can turn the ball. All of my shots were forward-spinnable when I was younger. Although I was prepared for it, it made accuracy more difficult.

I eventually learned how to put backspin onto the ball. It made all the difference in accuracy. Here is how I did it…

 

Why Putting Backspin on the Golf Ball is an Important Skill

Backspin is a technique that helps you control the direction and distance of your shots. Backspin can be added on to your shots to help you plan where the ball will end up.

All of your shorts will have forward roll without backspin. The forward roll is the only way to ensure your ball finishes within the hole.

I noticed that my putts for birdie or par were shorter when I started using backspin to improve my shots. I also saved quite a few pars because I was skilled at getting up and down.

I was unable to pick the areas on the green that I wanted to hit the ball, even though I had iron approach shots. In the past, the ball would roll by, but I can now land the shot on a high side of green and it will roll towards the pin.

Backspin helps you score.

 

6 Tips to Help You Put Backspin on Your Golf Ball

Some of the backspin you can control is your own, while others are external influences. Here are six tips that will help you get backspin from your golf ball.

1. Choose the Right Lie

It is not possible to use backspin anywhere on the golf course, no matter how great it may be. The first step is to analyze the lie that you have and verify that it is correct to attempt to get backspin. I like to think of this as whether the golf ball will have a clean interaction with the clubface.

Backspin is possible if the face of the golf club and the ball can connect with one another with nothing between.

The chances of backing the ball up are less if the face or the golf club has grass or water. If you want to get backspin on shots around a green, ensure that the ball is in a shorter grass lie.

In addition, lies where there is a major slope involved, your ball is in a divot, or you are hitting out of thicker grass, don’t expect much spin.

2. Steepen, The Angle of Attack

It is easier to get spin on the ball when your angle is steep.

Shallow golf swings can be great for long distances, penetrating flight, and even a little draw on your golf shots. However, most draw spin is a forward roll, and it doesn’t back up.

To get a ball to spin back, steepen the angle of your attack. I don’t like to think about this too much with my short irons because I feel it changes the swing more than I would like. But, when I am on the greens, I think about being more steep with my approach and allowing the ball to stop on the green.

The wedges are great for shorter shots that I want to spin. I feel like the club rises a little on the takeaway. Instead of the club getting wrapped around, I feel it a little more upright. This allows for a steep angle and more spin.

3. Play with a High Spin golf ball

A high spin golf club can increase the chances of getting backspin from your shots. A Titleist Pro V1 will spin more than a Callaway Supersoft. Higher-spinning balls have a more reactive cover, and the grooves in the face work together with the cover to increase overall spin.

To try something new, I first look at how the golf ball spins around the green when I change out my game. If the golf ball does not spin well, I won’t keep it in play.

The most important difference in performance when I switch from a four- or five-piece ball to a two- or three-piece one is the spin.

4. Clubhead Speed can be a bit increased

To get a higher spin, you must have enough clubhead speed. Many golfers try to have a smooth swing, but speed is necessary to achieve the right amount spin.

Don’t be afraid to get aggressive with your approach shots and your shots around the green. You can spin your golf ball backwards by using a combination of speed and a downward angle.

I don’t like to think about speeding up because it can cause other things to be disrupted. I can entertain the idea of being more aggressive in order to create high spin. I try to get my weight towards my front foot so that I can hit the ball with more speed. This improves the accuracy and spin of the golf shot.

5. Improve Friction between The Ball and Clubface

You can improve friction between the clubface of the ball and your clubhead by making sure nothing is blocking the ball’s interaction with the grooves.

Simply put, clean your golf clubs!

It’s a bad idea to play with dirty clubs. There are many cleaning products on the market that can help you clean the face of your club and clear the groove. If you want to get backspin, your golf grooves should interact with your dimples.

This is a common mistake that amateurs make with their wedges. They think because there are no clumps of dirt on the wedge that it’s good to go. Clean the grooves with a tee to ensure they are clean.

6. Check Out The Grooves On The Clubhead

Last but not least, make sure your grooves are in good shape. Some wedges are more adept at producing backspin, especially from the rough than others.

Each year, manufacturers of golf equipment make improvements that increase the overall spin rate. If you’re not taking advantage of these improvements and still hitting wedge shots using a 13-year-old wedge for your wedge shots, it might be time to make some changes.

If the clubs are in poor condition, it is possible to regroove them. However, for others, it’s just time to make a change.

 

Best Situations to Use Spinback

Backspin can be a tremendous help in your game. Sometimes, however, it is unnecessary. I don’t want my driver backing up. I’m doing all I can to get that one to spin forwards! There are times when backspin can be helpful, and you should try to get more of that in your game.

Short Chips

Hitting short chips around the greens usually means that you don’t have much green to work with. You will need backspin if you want the ball to touch the green and then stop.

For longer chips, you can use less backspin as the ball can roll partially towards the hole. With your short chips, be aggressive and trap the ball slightly before hitting down and through.

Fast Greens with Approach Shots

Personally, I enjoy having backspin on all my approach shots to greens. A higher spin rate is helpful when playing fast greens. It’s difficult to get the ball off the green with fast greens. It just keeps rolling when it comes in contact with the turf.

Your chances of hitting a shot with a higher rate of spin and fresh grooves will increase. Professional golfers would have a lot of trouble without backspin when they hit their iron shots. Wedge shots on the PGA Tour are extremely difficult to hold without spin.

Sand Trap Shots

Finally, it’s important to have spin on sand shots around the greens. A bunker’s most important attribute is its ability to be aggressive. If you can hit sand trap shots and be aggressive, the ball will stop on the green.

The best thing about developing backspin from a bunker is that you can generate spin much faster than you can from the grass if you have a clear lie.