Do you spin the ball?

[HomerJSimpson]

We are discussing spin not direction of bounce.
If the ball has landed short of the hole, stopped dead or spun backwards, then this is generally a worse result than a shot played with a lesser amount of spin in order for the ball to get closer to the hole.

I see many amateurs choosing a type of shot to a green and using a type of ball that is making life harder for them by putting too much spin on the ball.
Reducing spin would see them getting closer to the hole more often than not.
But this is an undesirable and unpopular notion. We all want to play our iron shots they way the pros do on the telly, despite our much limited ability and lower quality courses.

Especially around the green when most amateurs will look to hit the big high shot when the percentage and better return comes from the easier to control lower running shot. There is a place to hit high shots but not as a go to shot

 

[garyinderry]

The type of grass makes a huge difference too.

The length of grass makes an even bigger difference.

 

[Deleted member 35504]

The length of grass makes an even bigger difference.

Well that can't be used as a blanket statement of fact, but definitely for identical types of grass the length of the grass the ball is sitting on and landing on can have a big effect for sure.

 

[clubchamp98]

Okay, I'll rephrase. I do not put sufficient spin on a ball to put it in reverse, or even stop it, on a dry green

Most of us don’t on dry greens.!
Just enjoy the soft ones.

 

[clubchamp98]

The green speed has a big influence on backspin.
As long as it’s soft enough to hold the ball any backspin is multiplied by the speed of the green.

 

[jim8flog]

Compared to 15years ago I would say hardly ever this days, struggling to even get drop and stop

Why

I no longer have the swing speed that I had back then and my latest set of clubs do not apply the same levels of spin (something that was said about them in the reviews).

One advantage - I am no longer afraid of spinning the ball back off the green.

When it comes to length of grass, my opinion - the shorter the better particularly when the grass is very close knit.
It's a bit like back spinning a table tennis ball with you fingers - easier to do on a very smooth surface than on a carpet.

 

[garyinderry]

Well that can't be used as a blanket statement of fact, but definitely for identical types of grass the length of the grass the ball is sitting on and landing on can have a big effect for sure.

It's a fact that grass between the club face and ball kills the spin.

 

[Deleted member 35504]

It's a fact that grass between the club face and ball kills the spin.

That's true but your earlier statement didn't mention that.

 

[srixon 1]

I do, but usually only when my ball lands short of the flag. Anything that lands past the flag always seems to bounce further away. Joking aside, we all get spin if we make proper contact with decent club head speed. It’s just that from 100 plus yards away in a line directly behind the ball you just don’t see it.