Spin, I Don't Get It

[David Hillman]

Everyone is constantly talking about spin spin spin. Balls that spin, clubs that spin, shafts that spin. I don't get it. If I hit a Pinnacle Gold FX Long with an eight iron, and it does this on a dry October green...



Why should I spend $4 a ball for the B330s I've been buying? They do the same thing.

( The second nine I played yesterday was slow, and I remembered that I had my camera in the bag... )

Honestly confused... as usual.

[Pa Jayhawk]

Not sure that would be a good example as it left a pretty big pitch mark, which likely caused the ball to back up (hop back).

Not saying there is not merit to your comment, but I have back balls up with a pitch mark similar to that with my driver. I don't know that that really has anything to do with spin. Do the same with a really small or zero pitch mark and I think you may be on to something. Based on the size of that pitch mark I doubt there was any spin on the ball after it left the pitch mark.

[JEFF4i]

Spin is an interesting thing. I'm guessing, based off of your clubs, etc...you hit the ball at least somewhat high? Well, because of this the ball is more prone to simply land, and bounce back. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this.

A great way to check if you are getting more than a base amount of spin is look when you hit a slope going away from you. Did you go off the green? How far? Are you behind your pitch mark? How far? Sometimes spin can be a bane, my sandwedge is spin-milled, and because of it I hit an approach shot once, landed it where I wanted. The problem was, even though it was a downslope and I wanted it to lightly trickle down the flag, it actually came back a good few feet. Doh!

[David Hillman]

Originally Posted by Pa Jayhawk

Not sure that would be a good example as it left a pretty big pitch mark, which likely caused the ball to back up (hop back).

Not saying there is not merit to your comment, but I have back balls up with a pitch mark similar to that with my driver. I don't know that that really has anything to do with spin. Do the same with a really small or zero pitch mark and I think you may be on to something. Based on the size of that pitch mark I doubt there was any spin on the ball after it left the pitch mark.

Hmmm. I did hit a drive like you describe on Wednesday, but that was a sky ball into a couple club wind. I'm pretty sure it was coming back before it landed ( the lip on the pitch mark was backwards ). When I do hit the green, which isn't all that often lately, the ball hops about that far back with an 8 or less, and that far forward with a 7 or more. I don't know if that's spin or angle of descent, or what. But the ball doesn't matter.

Originally Posted by Jeff4i

Spin is an interesting thing. I'm guessing, based off of your clubs, etc...you hit the ball at least somewhat high? Well, because of this the ball is more prone to simply land, and bounce back. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this.

Yes, I hit it high. I know it isn't bad, I'm just going to stop wasting money on fancy golf balls.

A great way to check if you are getting more than a base amount of spin is look when you hit a slope going away from you. Did you go off the green? How far? Are you behind your pitch mark? How far? Sometimes spin can be a bane, my sandwedge is spin-milled, and because of it I hit an approach shot once, landed it where I wanted. The problem was, even though it was a downslope and I wanted it to lightly trickle down the flag, it actually came back a good few feet. Doh!

I used to play a 57* SW, but I couldn't get it to go anywhere without skulling it. Now I'm down to a 54* it works great.

[JEFF4i]

Originally Posted by David Hillman

Yes, I hit it high. I know it isn't bad, I'm just going to stop wasting money on fancy golf balls.


Quite so, only time I use the fancy stuff is in tournaments. Otherwise I do quite well enough with most balls. Technique is usually more important than your ball.

I used to play a 57* SW, but I couldn't get it to go anywhere without skulling it. Now I'm down to a 54* it works great.

Well, whatever works.

[Esox]

My problem with the Pinnacles and Top Flites of the world is they don't hold on little 20-40 yard pitch shots the way I want them to. I love to hit that type of shot in low and have it skip once and stop shortly thereafter. They also don't hold the same way (or at least don't seem to) when I move the ball back in my stance and hit a knock down from longer range in windy conditions.

But that's just me. It could be a mental thing, but I like Titleists. I have for many years. At least the ProV's are pretty tough. In the balata days I had to change balls all the time because the slightest miss-hit, and they were smirking at me, if not outright grinning.

If you have confidence the Pinnacle will do you what you want it to, when you want it to, you are certainly better off in the dollars per ball category than I am.

Kevin

[LyleG]

Exactly, everything spins good with full shots. Its the short shots, inside 50 yards, where the premium balls earn their keep.

[David Hillman]

Originally Posted by LyleG

Exactly, everything spins good with full shots. Its the short shots, inside 50 yards, where the premium balls earn their keep.

Okay, that makes a lot of sense. I rarely, if ever, play 'spin' shots from that distance. I just bump it up there and let it run out, or hit it straight up in the air with a sand wedge.

[keithpbz]

The only courses i use good balls on are private courses, they usually have firmer greens than public, every public course here have soft greens and it doesnt matter if you play a top flite rock or a prov1 because they all do the hop back when they hit the green. But you do have to allow all your chips to release with the cheap balls

[xamilo]

I don't want to hijack this read, but I have had a question for a long time which maybe someone here could help me with. What makes a ball to spin more than other? I'm not referring to the shot you make, bu what in the ball makes a ball spin, technically speaking?

Thanks mates...

[natex14]

I was looking at your picture up there, and the real question is, did you make the putt?

[twofast2s]

usually on hard and fast greens, the ball will bounce w/o much of divot (more of indention). this makes the ball bounce forward, and you need more spin to hold the green. this type of the green is also the one that will zip the ball back 10ft.

also like someone mentioned, you need spin/control w/ short pitches and chip shots.

[Pa Jayhawk]

Originally Posted by xamilo

I don't want to hijack this read, but I have had a question for a long time which maybe someone here could help me with. What makes a ball to spin more than other? I'm not referring to the shot you make, bu what in the ball makes a ball spin, technically speaking?

Thanks mates...

A thin soft cover, assuming you are refering to spin off a wedge or iron and not side spin on say a driver. Although this would be influenced by comparing a two-piece to three-pieced golf bal.

[David Hillman]

Originally Posted by natex14

I was looking at your picture up there, and the real question is, did you make the putt?

Nope. It was a little longer than it appears, though The lens compresses the field of view.

[SilverUberXeno]

That green is still soft compared to the ones you really NEED spin on. When you play on greens that don't take craters like that, you need the brakes to stop it.

In all honesty, on a shot like that, the spin is gone once it pops out of that hole.