Spin It

The fact is, if you hit your five-iron only 110 yards, you do not have the strength or ability to make your iron shots spin back. If, however, you can hit a five-iron at least 160 yards, then that suck-back shot you've seen me and other pros hit on television or at tournaments is definitely within your capability.It's a wonderful shot to have, particularly when you're playing hard greens, or when you need to get close to a pin that's positioned just beyond the lip of a front bunker. And the way I see it, if I can spin the ball back and they can't, I have a big advantage on my opponents-they can only make the ball go in from the front of the hole, while I can use either the front door or the back!

To play the shot, you need to have a combination of factors working in your favor, only one of which is your swing. First, it's absolutely vital that you have a firm, clean lie. The ball can be sitting on tightly clipped fairway, on hardpan, even a good lie in a bunker, but that's about it. Don't even think about making the ball back up from the rough. Second, the shot should not be a long one. Since you need a fair amount of loft, don't try this shot with any club longer than a 7-iron. Third, the green should be firm -- not hard like a sidewalk, but firm. If it's hard, you'll be lucky to keep any shot on it. If it's wet, the ball will just plug. What you want is a green that is soft enough to accept the shot yet firm enough to let the spin take effect. It also helps if the green slopes toward you. If it slopes away, you'll have no chance of backing the ball uphill.Wind conditions also play a part. The shot is much easier when played into a wind. A headwind will increase your backspin. But don't try it in a tailwind, which will propel the ball forward.

Finally, be aware that certain balls enhance your ability to apply backspin. Any wound golf ball or any two-piece ball with a cover designed to give maximum backspin is better than any solid-center or hard-covered ball. So if you have the ideal equipment working for you, you have a clean lie, and you're hitting upwind at a firm green that leans in your favor, your chances of backing up your shot are very good. Now all you have to do is hit it. Basically, backspin comes from hand speed through impact. The harder and more crisply you can apply the club to the ball, the faster you'll make the ball spin back. It's also important to hit slightly down on the ball. actually squeeze the ball down against the turf, applying enormous friction and backspin. I don't take much of a divot; it's more like a crease in the turf or a slackening down of the grass. To get this sort of impact, you have to play the ball a bit back in your stance. But not a lot. Some people think you should position the ball well back, as you would for a punch or low shot. That, however, just produces another low shot that may skid and stop; it won't suck back. Instead, you have to play it just a bit farther back than normal, so that you can pinch the ball rather than crashing down on it. My best advice is to experiment with your ball position. When that pinch begins to be a smother, you've got the ball too far back. You must grip the club more firmly for this shot, because although it demands fast hand speed, it doesn't require a lot of wrist action. The swing must be aggressive with the entire body. Keeping the wrists firm, swing forward forcefully with your arms, and lead through impact with your legs and lower body moving toward the target. Strive for that pinching impact, with as little divot as possible. After a while you'll know by the feel of the hit whether you've put "juice" on the ball. It's a great feeling and a great sight to see the ball land past the pin and come back close to the hole. Just trust it and know that it will take lots of practice.