Spin is King. Prove me wrong

I don't even think about stopping shots on the proverbial dime. I just want the ball to land and then stop in the same ZIP code when the greens are firm. Balls that spin enough for me might zip backwards for a big hitter but not something I have to worry about. So I got that going for me!
 
I remember low spin was thrown aaround alot to amateurs, being praised as the Holy Grail to minimize slices and keep balls in play. I tried a number of those balls, mostly because they were cheap, and nothing pissed mme Off more than when my chips and approaches didn't stop where I wanted them too. Not that I had, or have, great control, but it was annoying.. then I started Playing higher spin balls and all of a sudden my approaches and chips checked up or even had enough backspin to come back.

Low spin balls won't fix a bad swing that would cause a slice, but it could worsen, at least for me, the short game. I still want to try the CS LS, but the standard CS has been great for me
 
I remember low spin was thrown aaround alot to amateurs, being praised as the Holy Grail to minimize slices and keep balls in play. I tried a number of those balls, mostly because they were cheap, and nothing pissed mme Off more than when my chips and approaches didn't stop where I wanted them too. Not that I had, or have, great control, but it was annoying.. then I started Playing higher spin balls and all of a sudden my approaches and chips checked up or even had enough backspin to come back.

Low spin balls won't fix a bad swing that would cause a slice, but it could worsen, at least for me, the short game. I still want to try the CS LS, but the standard CS has been great for me
Almost all urethane cover golf balls spin the same on chips and pitches. The biggest factor is the quality of strike.
 
I remember low spin was thrown aaround alot to amateurs, being praised as the Holy Grail to minimize slices and keep balls in play. I tried a number of those balls, mostly because they were cheap, and nothing pissed mme Off more than when my chips and approaches didn't stop where I wanted them too. Not that I had, or have, great control, but it was annoying.. then I started Playing higher spin balls and all of a sudden my approaches and chips checked up or even had enough backspin to come back.

Low spin balls won't fix a bad swing that would cause a slice, but it could worsen, at least for me, the short game. I still want to try the CS LS, but the standard CS has been great for me
I think that really got a lot of traction around 2010 when Bridgestone was marketing the heck out of the original e6 as having a "low spin cover" for "straighter shots". At the time I had my doubts if such a thing was possible but I did give the e6 and honest try-out using it for every shot, every round for about 4-5 months (maybe 40 rounds?).

Back then my normal iron shot was a kind of weak, upshooty push-slice. And it really did seem that maybe with the e6 some of my 20-yard slices became 15-yard ones or something like that. Or maybe not, I really couldn't say for sure.

So after a while I put my usual ball back in the bag (I think it was a Taylormade urethane ball TP-something) and had my answer. Not a blessed thing changed about my iron shots. I hit exactly the same height, distance and amount of slice as I had been with the e6. The difference was, that e6 was bouncing over the green a couple times a round and driving me crazy.

Bridgestone has somehow lodged two memes in the minds of hackers world-wide. One is that they "can't compress" a ball unless it built especially for their (driver) swing speed. And the other is that "low spin is straighter". Thanks a lot, Bridgestone!
 
As a high capper, I'd like to add this anecdotal info.
I bought a lot of used balls a while ago. I have been using ProV1s and other higher quality balls, since I got them inexpensively. I have noticed the effect on chips/pitches when I strike them well in how the ball reacts. No doubt about it. (As an aside, I have noticed the effect on the rest of my shots as well. Drives seem to stay a bit straighter, irons have a better bite going into the greens, etc.)
 
I think that really got a lot of traction around 2010 when Bridgestone was marketing the heck out of the original e6 as having a "low spin cover" for "straighter shots". At the time I had my doubts if such a thing was possible but I did give the e6 and honest try-out using it for every shot, every round for about 4-5 months (maybe 40 rounds?).

Back then my normal iron shot was a kind of weak, upshooty push-slice. And it really did seem that maybe with the e6 some of my 20-yard slices became 15-yard ones or something like that. Or maybe not, I really couldn't say for sure.

So after a while I put my usual ball back in the bag (I think it was a Taylormade urethane ball TP-something) and had my answer. Not a blessed thing changed about my iron shots. I hit exactly the same height, distance and amount of slice as I had been with the e6. The difference was, that e6 was bouncing over the green a couple times a round and driving me crazy.

Bridgestone has somehow lodged two memes in the minds of hackers world-wide. One is that they "can't compress" a ball unless it built especially for their (driver) swing speed. And the other is that "low spin is straighter". Thanks a lot, Bridgestone!
When I hit a softer ball, I can feel it "squish" more with a good iron strike. The firmer ball feels somewhat harder, but not like hitting a really low budget 400 compression rock. On the good strike the "better" ball still has some squish to it.
 
As a high capper, I'd like to add this anecdotal info.
I bought a lot of used balls a while ago. I have been using ProV1s and other higher quality balls, since I got them inexpensively. I have noticed the effect on chips/pitches when I strike them well in how the ball reacts. No doubt about it. (As an aside, I have noticed the effect on the rest of my shots as well. Drives seem to stay a bit straighter, irons have a better bite going into the greens, etc.)
Bunker shots are an area where I see a lot of difference. I talk about not spinning the ball much with my irons but I *really* don't spin it out of bunkers. Nor do I get tons of elevation from the sand. A lot of the low-spin balls will just scuttle across the green and into another bunker if I'm not careful.
 
I think that really got a lot of traction around 2010 when Bridgestone was marketing the heck out of the original e6 as having a "low spin cover" for "straighter shots". At the time I had my doubts if such a thing was possible but I did give the e6 and honest try-out using it for every shot, every round for about 4-5 months (maybe 40 rounds?).

Back then my normal iron shot was a kind of weak, upshooty push-slice. And it really did seem that maybe with the e6 some of my 20-yard slices became 15-yard ones or something like that. Or maybe not, I really couldn't say for sure.

So after a while I put my usual ball back in the bag (I think it was a Taylormade urethane ball TP-something) and had my answer. Not a blessed thing changed about my iron shots. I hit exactly the same height, distance and amount of slice as I had been with the e6. The difference was, that e6 was bouncing over the green a couple times a round and driving me crazy.

Bridgestone has somehow lodged two memes in the minds of hackers world-wide. One is that they "can't compress" a ball unless it built especially for their (driver) swing speed. And the other is that "low spin is straighter". Thanks a lot, Bridgestone!

Spin on full swings comes less from the cover. Bridgestone continues to market ball fitting for both distance and dispersion.
FWIW, many golfers can't compress the ball they are playing and low spin can actually lead to straight flight.
 
I switched this year to a higher spinning ball as I was bouncing over some greens with mid irons with the RX. Strictly playing ProV1 now and my handicap has dropped 23%. It’s not my new driver as I’ve been struggling there still lately, has to be the ball. Well it could be weight loss too!
 
Bunker shots are an area where I see a lot of difference. I talk about not spinning the ball much with my irons but I *really* don't spin it out of bunkers. Nor do I get tons of elevation from the sand. A lot of the low-spin balls will just scuttle across the green and into another bunker if I'm not careful.
That's not the ball's fault.
 
Almost all urethane cover golf balls spin the same on chips and pitches. The biggest factor is the quality of strike.
Yes but the cheaper low spin balls tend to be surlyn, which is a little harder, lower spin, and hence less bite.
 
Almost all urethane cover golf balls spin the same on chips and pitches. The biggest factor is the quality of strike.
If hackers such as myself contacted the ball properly, they'd impart a bit more spin..

Way back in early 2000's Top Flite had a "Tour"(Top Flite Tour). It had a "special ionemer" which bit like crazy for me. It shredded easy so they changed it and it no longer had the bite....... darn. It really doesn't take urethane to spin, but it sure helps.
 
I'm currently testing the "need more spin" theory. I've been ball fit via track man, and video of swing speed. Both indicate that a higher spinning ball would be beneficial to my game. My shot shape is usually a draw and tend to launch lower than ideal. If a ball can help with peak height with an added bonus of better green side control...sign me up.

I will admit that improving the quality of my strikes is and will be the focus of my improvement. But if playing a ball that generates more spin will help in the short term, i'm all for it. Thankfully I'm finally getting to the point I can play a full round on 1 or 3 balls, instead of the 6 to 12 I needed in the past. Thus I can afford to try the premium level offerings.
 
That's not the ball's fault.
This isn't a "fault" question. My bunker game is what it is. If I get marginally better results from one type of ball than another I'll take it.

On my usual low-spin bunker shot a Urethane ball will still roll out a lot. But the Surlyn ones roll out even more. Therefore I choose the Urethane ball because it suits my game better. No different than choosing a 12-degree driver instead of a 9-degree one because I hit the ball low and short and get better results from more loft.
 
Well yeah. And if I could play like Phil Mickelson I'd win more tournaments.
point is; if you don't contact the ball properly, urethane is not gonna help to its fullest potential. I see guys with ProV's roll off the back all the time.
 
I love the CSX LS. It flies straighter for me than the CSX that I previously liked a lot. I can’t tell you how many times I aimed on Saturday expecting a draw with irons or fade with driver from my time with CSX and the LS went straight. My teammate @tucsoncacti got tired of me saying “I expected it to…” and told me to just aim straight.

I am sure there is some club path thing I could fix that would make a higher spin ball work great for me, but for now, I just stick with lower spin.
 
point is; if you don't contact the ball properly, urethane is not gonna help to its fullest potential. I see guys with ProV's roll off the back all the time.
Point is if you hit a bad shot you get a bad shot. Period. The ball has nothing to do with it. I've seen guys playing Pro V1's shank the ball into the woods and never see it again. Was that the ball's fault?

Bryson made a quadruple bogey in the US Open. Does that mean he shouldn't be playing a Tour B X?

Do you choose a driver that goes straight when you make a good swing? Or does it not matter what driver you use since you sometimes hit one in the woods?

I mean why bother with any equipment choices at all. It's all meaningless unless you hit every shot perfectly.
 
This isn't a "fault" question. My bunker game is what it is. If I get marginally better results from one type of ball than another I'll take it.
Do you think, maybe just maybe, confirmation bias mght be at play here? It's fine if there is, the mental side is really important.

On my usual low-spin bunker shot a Urethane ball will still roll out a lot. But the Surlyn ones roll out even more. Therefore I choose the Urethane ball because it suits my game better. No different than choosing a 12-degree driver instead of a 9-degree one because I hit the ball low and short and get better results from more loft.

I'm genuinely really curious if ball cover plays that much of a role in greenside bunker spin, based solely on the nature of greenside bunker contact.
 
Spin is very important. Having the right amount of spin is even more important.
 
Do you think, maybe just maybe, confirmation bias mght be at play here? It's fine if there is, the mental side is really important.



I'm genuinely really curious if ball cover plays that much of a role in greenside bunker spin, based solely on the nature of greenside bunker contact.
I don’t think it plays a major role and sure, it might just seem it helps (a little) when it really doesn’t. But on average the Surlyn balls do seem to take that hot first hop more often. Slightly.

If there were any downside to a urethane ball in other parts of the game I certainly would weight the bunker thing way down the list of advantages. But I am pretty sure it’s an advantage.
 
I love the CSX LS. It flies straighter for me than the CSX that I previously liked a lot. I can’t tell you how many times I aimed on Saturday expecting a draw with irons or fade with driver from my time with CSX and the LS went straight. My teammate @tucsoncacti got tired of me saying “I expected it to…” and told me to just aim straight.

I am sure there is some club path thing I could fix that would make a higher spin ball work great for me, but for now, I just stick with lower spin.
OUmagic hole 12, - I'm gonna play a draw here, should work perfect
Tucsoncacti snorts loudly - just aim it dead straight man! 🤣🤣🤣
 
I’m in a weird spot where I want less spin to deal with the wind better and want more spin to stop on the green better. If the greens weren’t always so hard it would be easier.

I like a lot about the standard Chrome Soft but am playing the X as I need all the spin I can get right now.

I’m not a high spin player but not low, Apex pro 7i and CSX I’m around 6500 rpm. It is more the conditions.
 
The correct spin is king. Lower launching players need more and higher launching need less. I see a big loss in distance with anything 2600+ off the driver.
 
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