Forums

Use of spin

• Redmonod 27 Posts

  Sat, Jun 15 2024 6:58 AM

  A couple of questions for the more experienced players here, related to spin: what are your criteria for using different amounts of backspin? Do you tend to have a preference for a particular amount of spin most of the time (for example, I use full back much of the time)?

• CSM111 124 Posts

  Mon, Jun 17 2024 4:53 AM

  I am sure you will get some good advise from some better players then me. But as for me (1) I will always use top spin if the wind is blowing at me head wind (2) I find Aldo I get a lot of roll with top spin on St Andrew’s, (2) if wind is at my back tail wind I usually use back spin for more carry less roll especially if there is a bunker or something I want to carry over. Or approach spots I think it all depends on green contour and speed . In around green i usually always use back spin with a flop shot. To stop quick . Like to see others input on this also.

   

• BlackBogey 555 Posts

  Mon, Jun 17 2024 7:28 AM

  Drives (par 4/5s when using the Driver) - I almost never use top spin with the exception of a few holes at St A into a headwind.  There a few holes on Merion/Olympic I may use a few clicks of TS to get under/around some tree branches off the tee, depending on which tee box and wind.  I almost always use 2-3 clicks BS, I find it optimizes carry/roll.  If I think I need to carry a hazard or get it stop quickly before running through fairway I'll use 3/4 to full BS.

  Approaches - I prefer FBS on as many shots as possible for consistency, but sometimes will need to use less spin to add a few extra yards.

  Punches/Flops - Usually FBS, but punches with the 100yd wedge tend to back up too much so pretty much play them flat or only a few clicks BS.

• garyk49 2,331 Posts

  Mon, Jun 17 2024 1:51 PM

  I determine which spin I use depending on which club I am using, and depending on which course I am playing. 

  I used to use full BS all the time on driver, now at times I use TS instead.  I click the more spin or less spin, with the ball opened up. 

  I find that with a driver using 3 clicks of more spin (TS) I will still get the height I desire and more roll out.  Depending on what the ball needs to do on landing determines my spin.

  PW, I use 3 clicks of BS.  8, 9, I use 4 clicks of BS. 

  5 down to 3 and 3-wood, I use 5 clicks (BS). 

  Wedges depending on slope of green shooting into, I will use only 1 click up or down (TS, BS). 

  With 2 clicks (TS) I can get more carrying distance the club states due to roll out.  About 3 yards.  60 becomes 63, 80 becomes 83, and 100 becomes 103. 

  You need to try with your clubs and ball combo, to see what you can actually get, using different spins. 

  Those numbers all used to be 1 higher until recently WGT has shorted up the amount of BS allowed.  My 5 iron down, I used to be able to click 6 (BS) down, now I can only click 5 (BS) down, before the clicks bottom out. 

  So If all of you have been wondering why the ball is acting different with (FBS), that is why.

  I also don't adjust the aimer for my distance entirely, I adjust it for the direction I want the ball to take, wind, and landing spot. Sometimes I actually don't adjust for the wind, I use the side spin effect.  But that's a different topic of discussion altogether. 

• GreenLaser 231 Posts

  Mon, Jun 17 2024 3:18 PM

  I think my style of play is pretty basic.  Most of the time I don't adjust spin.  Most of the time I use a ball that has spin that i'm comfortable with--a ball with too much spin or too little spin makes the game more difficult for me. I tend to use backspin on 3-wood shots that will make it to the greens. I may add backspin and hit with a bit more power to clear obstacles and still stop the ball on a green. I may add topspin or backspin on my approach shot depending on the slope of the green or backspin if I'm hitting to an elevated green. I sometimes adjust spin to fine tune the distance of a shot--for example, if I have a 105 yard shot and my wedge only goes 100, I'll add topspin to get the extra yardage. I tend to use backspin more on St. Andrews than the other courses.

  i play mostly by feel and still haven't mapped my clubs. I like to experiment with the game. I know a lot of players hit full backspin most of the time, so I may give that a try sometime and see how that works out for me.

• Redmonod 27 Posts

  Wed, Jun 19 2024 8:05 AM

  All of these different approaches to spin are interesting. I never thought about hitting most shots with flat spin. I usually only use flat spin into a headwind, or for approach shots with higher loft wedges. Will be interesting to experiment more with it.

• grampsx3 3 Posts

  Wed, Jul 10 2024 4:05 PM

  I have a straight question:  I have been playing this game for many years.  The only spin I know of is the spin rating on equipment and balls.  How do you manually put top spin or backspin on a ball?

• Redmonod 27 Posts

  Wed, Jul 10 2024 4:28 PM

  There is a dot on the image of the golf ball in the lower right (I'm on mobile, this may be different on a PC). By moving the dot up and down you can control the degree of backspin. "Topspin" in WGT is reduced backspin, not actual topspin. Typically, a ball hit with less backspin will travel lower, and depending on wind direction, will have more or less range, with usually more runout after it lands.

• borntobesting 9,726 Posts

  Thu, Jul 11 2024 9:28 AM

  grampsx3:

  I have a straight question:  I have been playing this game for many years.  The only spin I know of is the spin rating on equipment and balls.  How do you manually put top spin or backspin on a ball?

  You have been playing for over 15 years and didn't know how to add spin to the ball? That is one of  the first things I learned almost 15 years ago, And with the irons and wedges you have you won't get much spin even with the best spin ball.

• SimonTheBeetle 3,656 Posts

  Thu, Jul 11 2024 11:15 AM

  borntobesting:

  with the irons and wedges you have you won't get much spin even with the best spin ball.

  +1

  It's like you put motorsport tyres on a Fiat 500 and expect it to run like a Ferrari. 😆