We have all seen the way professional golfers spin the golf ball, especially on the green, as a way of controlling it and moving it into a good position for putting. They seem to generate this spin with ease and it can be amazing to see just how much they get on the ball and how they control it. Wouldn’t it be great to produce this ourselves?
Well the fact is, every shot you currently play has some spin on the ball, it’s just a question of how to generate more spin and use it to our advantage.
The first question to address however, is why would we want to generate spin on the ball? In what situations is it useful? A good example, is when the flag is positioned at the front of a green, which is guarded by a bunker or water hazard. To get the ball near the pin, it’s impossible to attack from the front of the green, as there is no room but by using back spin, we can pitch the ball beyond the hole and have it spin back towards it. The only danger here, is by generating too much spin, the ball could roll into the hazard at the front of green and this is always something to be aware of when attempting this shot.
When playing this shot, start with an open stance and aim slightly left of the target, with your hands in-front of the ball. Position the ball slightly further back in the stance, than for a normal wedge shot, this is because backspin is generated from hitting the ball first and having the ball in this position, will help to achieve that. Distribute your weight, so 70% of it is on your front foot and open the face of the club, so it can slide under the ball.
Just before playing the shot, narrow your stance, as this will ensure a steeper swing. Keeping body movement to a minimum, start with an upright backswing and bring the club back down, with the focus being on hitting down on the ball, with weight distribution remaining the same throughout. Keep your wrists firm and do not release the club, as this will help to maintain good club head speed through the shot. As the club accelerates and hits down on the ball, it will start to spin backwards in the air and you should leave a shallow divot.
To play this shot, you should be looking at distances of no more than 150 yards and using clubs from a 7 iron to a wedge. The ball should be sitting nicely on the fairway.
When playing this shot, have a reasonable amount of expectation of what you are going to achieve. You will not be playing shots like the professionals but you can certainly come close, the more you practice.
