The Golfaholic's Blog

Make the Ball Dance
Posted by Shelby (shelby) on Oct 13 2008
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This is another one of my favourite shots to play, although sometimes I get carried away with it and use it too often. Try not to get hypnotized by it, use it when you need it but don't forget there are lots of shots you can play around the greens. This is a great one to have in your arsenal but it shouldn’t be the only one.

Make the Ball Dance

By David Howell

People think that generating backspin on the ball is a mystical, magical thing that only Tour pros can do. The truth is everyone can put spin on the ball. It's all about getting a good strike. Here are a few tips to help you get the ball to stop on the greens.

Come Clean: Make sure the grooves on your club are clean from soil and grass. With dirt in the grooves of your club there is resistance between the ball and the club so there will be less interaction to help generate the spin.

Hit it hard: Commit to the shot. A positive blow into the back of the ball is much more likely to impart spin than a gentle hit.

Golf ball: Don't forget it's not all about the way you swing. Using a high spin ball will help get the control you're looking for.

Remember: It's much easier to get your wedges and short irons to spin than your long irons. This is because you are making a steeper swing with the short irons, they have more loft and the club is coming in on a steeper angle of attack down into the back of the ball.

Set up

Hands ahead: A slightly forward hand position, encouraged by moving the ball back in your stance, will help generate that descending blow into the back of the ball.

Ball position: Place the ball a tad further back in your stance than normal for this type of shot. It helps you hit down into the back of the ball, encouraging extra spin.

Last changed: Oct 13 2008 at 2:44 PM

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