More spin on short shots means more control. Many golfers struggle to spin the ball because of inconsistent contact, worn-out equipment or improper mechanics. To get greenside spin, you need clean grooves, the right golf ball, a good lie. Get out to the practice area and give these tips a try.
Maintain loft through impact
The first time I saw one of these magnetic loft sticks, I thought it was a gimmicky training aid. I’ve since discovered that it can be helpful in situations like this (and it’s cheap).
Many amateur players do not preserve the club’s natural loft at impact. They force too much forward shaft lean and forget that the clubface needs loft through impact.
This drill aims to use the Magnetic Loft Stick as a visual aid to see how loft changes during your swing. Take a slow-motion swing and see if the stick points in the same direction at impact as it did at address.
By maintaining the right amount of loft, the grooves can engage properly and create the friction needed for spin. Too much forward lean can de-loft the club. Flipping the club through impact will cause inconsistent strikes. Focus on maintaining a consistent loft so the ball and the grooves have time to interact.
Let the club pass your hands
This concept is a little more difficult to understand. I included a video from Chris Ryan Golf that should help explain how this move works.
On short wedge shots, you want the clubhead to pass your hands after contact. It’s a natural release where the club finishes close to your lead high. A good drill to get this feeling mastered is the One Handed Drill.
Try the One Handed Drill
- Grab your wedge and make a few practice swings using only your trail hand (right hand for right-handed golfers).
- Let the wrist hinge naturally going back and feel the clubhead swing past your hand after the low point. Always let the clubhead pass after impact.
- Then go back to two hands and copy that same feel, wrist hinge on the way back, soft release through.
- Try this hitting balls around 20–30 yards. You’ll quickly feel when you’re forcing it versus letting the club work.
A good release helps preserve the loft and lets the clubface stay in contact with the ball longer. That’s what creates friction and friction is what creates spin. Most golfers try to steer these shots but the best results come when you let the clubhead flow through the shot
Swing short and strike fast
When you watch professional golfers create spin on short shots, they aren’t taking long backswings and guiding the ball. It’s a compact, confident motion. There’s a lot of speed through the bottom of the swing.
One way to feel this is to imagine hitting a soft, glancing shot that works gently left of the target (for a right-handed golfer). This promotes a slightly shallower path and allows you to maintain loft while still accelerating through impact.
How to practice
Hit short pitches (20–50 yards) where you aim slightly left and let the clubhead move across the ball naturally, almost like a “mini fade.” Focus on swinging from hip-high to chest-high with a committed, accelerating motion. No slowing down. The goal is a crisp, spinning strike that checks up fast.
Bonus tips for more spin around the green
Still looking for more spin? Here are a few more ways to get it done.
- Keep the clubface dry and clean – Moisture or dirt between the grooves and the ball kills friction which kills spin.
- Use a premium golf ball – Look for urethane-covered models like the Titleist Pro V1 or Pro V1x designed for greenside spin.
- Replace old wedges – Grooves wear down over time and if you have played the same wedges for years, chances are it’s time for an upgrade.
- Check your lie before the shot – Wet grass, long rough or anything between the ball and clubface makes it harder to spin. Tight, clean lies are ideal.
- Strike the ball lower on the face – The bottom part of the clubface creates more friction.
- Watch your launch angle – If your wedge shots are floating too high, you may be losing spin. Lower flight with a quick stop is usually the sign you did it right.
Final thoughts
If you want to control your golf shots, you need to be able to put spin on the ball. Allowing the grooves on your wedge to interact with the golf ball will help improve your spin rates. Practice these shots to better your short game and lower your scores.
I miss, I miss, I make
1 year ago
Always thought the key was spin loft. Dynamic loft is just one key. One needs to consider attack angle also. If dynamic loft was the only metric the “low spinner” would not exist.