oneeyedjohn: I believe, or rather I have read that when u put full backspin on a shot it doesn't go as high as the normal shot, which I found rather disconcerting, especially when one has to deal with elevation.
That's the wrong way round, with fbs the ball goes higher.
To put some numbers on it I tried the shot mentioned.
BB15 wind was only 3-5 and at 10 o'clock,134 yds from the front pin. I hit an 8 iron full power (think that's what you meant) fbs and without bs and there was little difference in the distance (fbs 142yds and 144yds without) but both were way long in a horrible place. I then tried them with 95% power fbs came up 2yds short and without bs carried 131 but ran on 9yds giving a horrid 15ft downhill putt.
The main point being; with the full shot with fbs the apex was 109ft, without bs 97ft. 95% power + fbs 95ft, 95% power without bs 90ft.
So the ball goes higher with fbs and height is also lost by taking power off, hitting without bs and less than full power leaves a very small window between the fringe and running past the hole.
Wind also affects the apex, a shot into the wind goes higher.