How to get Backspin
‘Backspin in golf refers to the ball spinning backwards towards the player once it has landed’
Backspin is commonly seen on the professional tours and has become something of a legend within the amateur game. Many hobbyist golfers seek to spin the ball back as they continue to improve as to some it is seen as the holy grail of short game ability.
Why is backspin important?
Backspin provides control during flight and once it lands. High spin rates particularly inside on 100 yards promote confidence within golfers as it the golf ball will stop quickly. This means that when there is not much green to work with the player can still access the flag with ease. This can be advantageous as golf greens have many slopes that can be hard to conquer when chipping and putting, but high spin rates can avoid these issues.
There are seven variables that the shot requires to achieve backspin these are:
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Soft/premium ball
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New or premium club
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Good spin loft
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Tight lie
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Into wind
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Into slope
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Soft surface to hit into = green.
What equipment do you need to get backspin?
To increase your chances of getting the golf ball to spin backwards you will need the right equipment. This might mean that you may have to use more premium gear to increase spin rates. Usually the inside layer of the ball aids distance and the outside layer/ cover would promote spin rates as a result of interacting with the club face. So, make sure your golf ball is soft enough as it will interact with the club face more and increase the spin. Premium balls like the Titleist Pro V & Taylormade TP5. Are great examples of premium balls that will be highly reactive. However, they are more expensive in comparison to a lower budget more affordable ball. When you next practice chipping compare what ball is best for you. You could even try a premium ball against a range ball and see the difference for yourself.
Does the type of golf club help to get backspin?
Having a more premium golf club or at least a newer non warn golf club will enable you to have the correct interaction with the ball. Likewise, spin will reduce if the club face is wet, or caked in mud. Ensure that you have a clean and dry club face. This will increase the interaction time between club face and ball which will increase the amount of spin put on the ball. If the club face is wet, then the ball would skid up the face and have less spin as a result. Premium wedges come in all shapes and sizes so it depends on which brand you like. But for those who are unaware of premium clubs you could look towards the Titleist Vokey wedge, Callaway, TaylorMade or another reputable brand.
What is the perfect technique to get backspin?
To increase backspin chances, you need to have a high spin loft angle. Spin loft is the difference between angle of attack and loft delivery. For example, if you were to push the ball too far forward in your stance you would scoop the ball and the club face would simply glide under the ball and not spin the ball up the face to the optimum level. Likewise, if the ball is placed too far back the club would deloft. So, in order to have the correct technique you will need to deliver the loft in an efficient way. Similarly, you will need to add speed to the shot. Increased swing speed means increase ball speed and so increased spin on the ball.
How course conditions affect backspin
Ultimately, the course conditions will decide whether you can get backspin. The variables that will decide if you can get backspin will be dependent on how firm the golf course/ green is. If the greens are wet, you will have the highest chance of spinning the ball back. If the course is firm in the summer or a links course, then it may be too firm and act like concrete. Slope also matters, if you are hitting into a slope then gravity will also play its part in helping the golf ball spin back. If you land the ball on a downslope, then the ball will bounce forward and this will also take a lot of back spin away from the ball.
Lastly, what surface are you playing from? The tighter the lie, the more spin you will be able to put on the ball. If you are in the rough the likelihood of the grass interfering between the ball and club face is almost certain so spin will be massively reduced. However, if you are playing from something tight like a fairway or good sand then your chances of backspin increase dramatically. Lastly, wind. If you play into wind the ball will spin more and if you are playing down wind the ball will spin less as the wind will be working against the way the ball is spinning. So, if there is enough wind even on a baked golf course you may be able to see some level of spin even if the ball bounces once or twice and stops.
In the UK the autumn and winter months are usually peak spin times as the courses are wet and windy, so the chances of seeing backspin increase massively.
In conclusion, touring professionals have made backspin on demand a dream for most of us, but we still get super excited when we see them spin the ball or most impressively when we spin the ball ourselves at random. If you put these methods into practice next time you are on the course or chipping green, you will likely see increased spin.
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How to get backspin:
1) Use soft/ premium ball
2) New or premium club is better
3) Create good spin loft
4) Tight lie will help
5) Into wind will help
6) Into slope will help
7) Have a soft surface to hit into = green.