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How to Put Backspin on a Golf Ball: A Practical Guide

By Chris Moore •  Updated on 04/04/22

Putting backspin on a golf ball is a crucial skill for any golfer who’s looking to improve. It not only helps you control the ball better, but it also helps you get more loft on your shots!

In this post, we will discuss how backspin can help your scoring, how to put backspin on a golf ball, and the other factors you’ll want to consider.

What is Backspin?

Backspin is a rotational motion of a golf ball caused by hitting it at an angle. The backspin will cause the ball to travel higher through the air and be more controlled when it hits the ground, giving you a lot more feel on the course.

How Backspin Can Help Your Golf Game

Adding backspin to your golf shots will definitely help improve your scoring. By having more control over the ball, you’ll be able to hit straighter and longer shots – which will result in lower scores!

In addition, backspin will also give you more loft on your shots. This means that your ball will be launched higher into the air, allowing you to have much more control when it lands.

This is great for approach shots since backspin will allow you to be precise with your shots!

And on the other side, if it’s windy and you need less spin on the ball, hit a stinger shot.

5 Tips To Put More Backspin on a Golf Ball

Swing speed

The most important factor in how much backspin you can put on a golf ball is how fast your swing speed is. If you have the ability to hit at higher speeds, it will be easier for you to add more backspin and control when hitting the ball!

While this isn’t always possible (especially if you’re just starting out and don’t have the proper equipment), it is definitely a good idea to try and increase your swing speed, if you want to add backspin.

Club loft

The loft on your golf club is also important when it comes to how much backspin you can put on the ball. This means that if you’re using a driver, for example, and have more swing speed but don’t have enough club-loft, then there will be less spin placed on the ball – which results in shots traveling shorter distances.

On the other hand, if you have a club with more loft (like a sand wedge), then you’ll be able to put more spin on the ball – even with a slower swing speed!

Attack angle

Having the right attack angle is also crucial when it comes to how much spin you can place on your golf ball. If the club is hitting at a close-to-horizontal angle, then there will be less backspin on your shot!

Therefore, it’s important that you keep your angle of attack as steep as possible so you have the best chance of creating backspin on the shot.

Your lie

In addition, your lie matters a ton when it comes to how much backspin you can put on the ball

If you’re in the rough, it’ll be a lot harder to put backspin on the ball than if you were hitting from the fairway.

This is because there are more blades of grass in the way, meaning that your ball will be bouncing off at different angles – which can drastically change how much backspin you get.

The same thing happens when you’re chipping with a wedge from around the green! If the ball is on an incline or decline, then there will also be restrictions on how much backspin you can put on the ball.

Face angle

Last but not least, the face angle of your club is also important when it comes to how much backspin you can put on the ball.

If you have a closed or open face angle (clubface pointing towards the target), then there will be a limitation on how much backspin you can have on your shot.

This happens because your ball will naturally draw or fade, meaning it’s spinning to the left or right inside of backwards or forwards.

How to practice and increase your backspin

My favorite drill is using an impact bag if you’re looking to increase your backspin.

An impact bag is a heavy bag designed to help you practice your swing indoors, without any risk.

Here’s how to make the most of your efforts:

  1. Line up behind the impact bag, making sure your face angle is squared up.
  2. Take hard swings with a steep attack angle to get comfortable with the motion.
  3. Rinse and repeat until you’re comfortable

Focus on swing speed, attack angle, and face angle when you’re hitting the impact bag for the best results.

Conclusion

In conclusion, learning how to put backspin on the ball is critical for any golfer looking to improve.

Whether you’re a beginner, amateur, or scratch golfer, it’s something everybody should work on!

And by practicing on the range or with an impact bag at home, you’ll be on the right track soon enough.

Chris Moore

Hi, I'm Chris Moore and I'm the guy behind Golfah.com. As an avid golfer since 2010, I decided to create this blog to share everything I've learned over the years. Whether it's golf equipment, swing tips, or anything in-between, I want to make sure you have everything you need to become a better golfer.