How to Spin a Golf Ball

1. 1
   Examine the grass. You'll want the grass you'll be landing your back-spinned ball onto to be closely cropped. Long or irregularly groomed grass will create more resistance to your ball, hampering its spin. It also increases the chances of the grass getting caught between the ball and your club-face, reducing the backspin.

   • Backspin is possible when hitting your shot in longer grass, though it'll likely be easiest for you to practice hitting your shots from close cropped, well-groomed grass.
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1. 1
   Choose your golf ball. Most regular golf balls come in 2 types: soft core and hard core. A soft core will make it easier for you to backspin your ball than one that has a hard core. For this reason, you may want to begin practicing backspin with soft core balls.

   • Hard-core balls are used to get more distance in a shot and frequently have a compression rating of 100. Soft-core balls typically have more backspin when struck, which results in more control. For backspin purposes, a compression rating of 90 might be best.
   • Softer cover balls will also grip your club better, creating a greater backspin effect. For this reason, you may also want to choose golf balls with soft cover and core.
   • If you only have hard-core balls available, practice the technique using them. Once you have soft-core balls, you can apply what you’ve practiced and greatly backspin the ball. ^[2]
2. 2
   Determine the type of golf club you'll be using. You should prioritize lofted clubs, like irons, wedges, or lob wedges. Clubs with more loft on them are the easiest to impart backspin with, especially the lob wedge, so beginning with one of these can help you master this difficult shot with greater ease. ^[3]

   • Lofted clubs are preferred because there is a greater distance between the loft of the club and angle of attack of the club head, which increases the backspin.
   • Since height is an important factor when choosing the type of club you'll be using for your backspin shot, you should avoid clubs over a 7-iron (like a 6-, 5-, 4-, or 3-iron).
3. 3
   Inspect your club. Bits of grass or turf can sometimes stick to the head of your club creating an uneven surface on it. This can negatively impact your backspin game as it causes grass or turf to come between the ball and the club-head. To prevent this from happening, inspect the clubface to see if it is worn or dirty.

   • Grass, dirt, or other gunk can be wiped away in most cases with a rag dampened with water. For more intensive cleaning, you should follow your club's care instructions.
   • If you notice wear, like scuff marks, scratches, or other blemishes that may affect the performance of the club, you may want to select a different iron, wedge, or lob wedge.
   • Damaged clubs can often be taken to a professional golf-club repair person to get the clubface re-grooved if it is worn down.
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