That’s something that’s not easy to answer without seeing what’s happening, but there are some general things to consider. First, if your wedge grooves are worn, then you have little chance of imparting that kind of spin. Also, if you’re not using a ball that will perform at a higher spin rate (like a distance ball), then you won’t be able to do it very easily.

Beyond that, you need to make sure you’re striking the ball with a descending blow, hitting ball first and then turf. You need to make sure you’re making solid contact, as well. I like to make sure that I’m not letting the clubhead pass my hands before impact and also that my left wrist is flat at impact.

Finally, make sure you’re managing your expectations. A tour pro isn’t going to spin back a 30-yard pitch. From full-swing distance, you don’t need to hit it “hard”. Watch a PGA Tour event and I doubt you’ll ever see a pro crushing a wedge. Their club head speed is generally higher than ours because their swings are more optimal. For instance, if you’re a slicer, chances are that your club head speed is much lower than possible for the amount of effort you expend. That’s true for every club in the bag.

That said, I’m reminded of something I read a while ago. It may have been in Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book or it may have been a quote from one of the old-time pros or teachers. I’m not sure the source off the top of my head. But the person was asked by an amateur how he could make the ball spin backward on the green. And his reply was something to the effect of, “Why would you want to?”

It sounds dismissive, and I know that when we feel like we’re not able to replicate what the pros do, that we’re missing something. But putting that much spin on the ball adds another variable to the short game that you have to account for. Any pro would like his/her shots to stop dead, not spin back, because it’s just another piece of the puzzle that they have to guess at.

I remember being at the Buick Classic at Westchester Country Club maybe ten years ago. I can’t remember the hole, but it might have been the 7th. It was a dog-leg par four, and the green was tiered and sloped back to front. It was morning and had rained the day before so everything was soft and wet. The flag was around the middle of the green. I watched three pros in a row hit the ball within a reasonable distance of the flag, only to have their balls spin back all the way off the front of the green. I don’t remember if any or all of them got up and down, but I know that they would have been looking at birdie had their shots stopped dead or even rolled forward some.

If all else fails, I’m certain that a lesson or two with a pro will show you what you can do to increase your spin on approach shots.

Best of luck.

I have been reading your blog just to get familiar with some of the terms. But hey…I know what a gap wedge is. There was one for $44 for sale at Golf Galaxy yesterday. It was a Ping and even I know that seems low. Maybe a discontinued model.

Phil, by the way is his favorite since he is a lefty!

DAVE PELZ???? Spin out of the bunker??? Groove??

When I go golfing with my girlfriends, we talk about our husbands, our golf gloves and the grandchildren.

You mean you guys spend time reading about the spin of your balls out of the rough??

For shame..

Beth

I think you can be a good player if you play golf scientifically and mathematically. I think that to be a great player, you need to learn the art of golf.