Let me get this right out in the open, the backspin is a shot that is not the easiest shot to accomplish, let alone make sure you know where and what it’s doing. The other thing is,  it’s a shot that’s not really needed a lot. There are very few situations in which you should be using it. I’ll get into the basics of pulling off a backspin shot here, but I need you
to realize that a lot more, in fact almost a whole book could be written on this subject alone, and as a result, it’s a very difficult shot to add to your arsenal if you’re only a recreational golfer.

There are some very basic conditions that need to be met even before you attempt one of these shots, and if they are not all there you might just as well forget about even trying it.
Firstly, the club, the ball, everything should be completely dry. Don’t even think about it if these conditions are not met. Secondly, absolutely no grass can get between the ball  and the club face. So this precludes the shot from being taken anywhere but on the fairway. And thirdly, the greens must be kept very well and cut very short.

In trying to understand the concept of putting backspin on a golf ball, it would be helpful if you could picture the game of pool, and how you might want to put backspin on the cue ball at certain times. To accomplish this you need to hit the cue ball with enough force in a downward motion. The cue ball will be approached at a very steep angle, and the lower portion of the ball is the target if you want to make back spin.

It’s very similar in the game of golf. What you are really trying to do, is to make sure you “pinch” the ball between the fairway and you club face. Your angle of attack must be steep, and there should be quite a bit of club head speed as you swing. As in the game of pool. contact is made with the lower portion of the ball. Taking all these factors into account, is what makes this shot extremely tough for the recreational golfer to pull off, let alone know where it will be going.

What kind of equipment you are using is also a consideration on this kind of shot. You should have a new ball, and one that has a soft cover and is high spin would be best. The club that you are using should be completely clean as well, because it is the action of the ball compressing into the grooves of the club in which backspin is created.

There you have it, enough information to scare you out of trying this kind of shot. If you’re still into it though, you’ll need to gather more instruction to help you pull it off, so stay tuned, or check out our blog at http://www.fixingyourgolfswingnow.com/blog