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Driving question

• RChapman2010 172 Posts

  Fri, Jul 9 2010 5:37 AM

  Regarding better distance when driving into a tailwind, is it better to put backspin to keep the ball in the wind, or topspin for the roll...?

• RUSTY40 255 Posts

  Fri, Jul 9 2010 6:28 AM

  I can tell you what works for me. It depends. Uphill downwind I like to use backspin or

  no spin. Downhill downwind I like to use topspin. St. Andrews fairways seem to run

  more that other courses-- I use topspin most of the time there regardless of slope.

  Extremely heavy winds downwind have a tendancy to push down on the drive-

  I like to use topspin there too. GL2u.

• resozv 895 Posts

  Fri, Jul 9 2010 6:47 AM

  RC,

  I prefer full bs most of the time. Only use 3/4 bs when side winds are above 15 mph. On the par 3's it's usually 1/3 bs.

  Set up you bag with starter balls & go to BP #10 in practice mode. Mess around with the 3 different wind speeds & try ts, ns & bs. Annotate your results & choose which you like best. Keep restarting the game after you hit driver. Remember that every 1mm you're early or late on the ding will affect distance, but you'll gain knowledge on draw & fade too.

• RChapman2010 172 Posts

  Fri, Jul 9 2010 7:41 AM

  Yeah, sometimes I'll try and work the shot, rather than, or in combination with moving the aim...

  I was mainly just wondering if there was more distance in keeping it in the wind with bs or topspinning the @$#@ out of it - which I usually do anyway with driver - but will try what u suggested...

• wizbang360 411 Posts

  Sat, Jul 10 2010 4:39 PM

  I was thinking that  bs will give you greater loft shortening the shot but  giving it more time to be caught by the wind, while  ts  gives you a less lofted shot but  more roll.  I only use bs if the shot is just at the distance I am comfortable with depending on the club and use it only to shorten the shot. ts I rarely use at all,   is there a tutorial on the loft issue?

• birdwell 561 Posts

  Sat, Jul 10 2010 8:36 PM

  It really depends on the hole. But here are some general rules I follow on particular courses.

   

  On Beth Page Black I use mostly back spin - but this has nothing to do with distance! It's simply easier to keep the ball on the fairway with less roll here. #2 and #11 are good examples. #1 and #16 both have severe drops in elevation off the tee. I will almost always use top spin on #16 - the fairway can accept it. But on #1 I always use backspin so I don't overdrive it into the rough.

   

  At Kiawah - anything goes really. For me here it's mostly about shaping the shot. A lot of the holes set up for a draw.  Of the tee on hole #2, #3,#4 (and sometimes #5) I am moving my marker right and hitting the meter way early to mimic a draw.

   

  St. Andrews, yes the fairways roll out a lot, and top spin can be  your best friend - or it can put you in the fescue! You simply need to consider the loft you need to get to the safest part of the fairway. 

  I think this drive still holds record here at 414 yards. I had just a bit of bs on that shot- wanted a little lift, but still wanted the roll. I really got a lucky bounce there! (30mph wind helped a bit too!)

   

  Oakmont, from the back tees, Is totally a schizophrenic driving course. Lots of elevated fairways, and no matter what you do, you aren't going to get a lot of roll. So for me, I go with BS a lot of the time, more carry usually equals more yardage there.  From the shorter tees, an iron off the tee is sometimes the best call.

• Sargenjd01 366 Posts

  Sun, Jul 11 2010 5:00 AM

  No one seems to be talking about punch shots. If you are really wanting your short shots to have less influence from the wind then look at a punch shot.

• TarheelsRule 5,492 Posts

  Mon, Jun 13 2011 12:18 PM

  I think the discussion is on driving distance off the tee not off the fairway.

  Some of it depends on your driver but the R11 seems to be the one that is more the same all the time.  Full back spin allows much more control downwind and more distance.  Low or no wind it does the same.  Into the wind you can put about a 1/4 bs on it and help get the distance you are losing.

• SweetiePie 4,925 Posts

  Mon, Jun 13 2011 3:21 PM

  Sargenjd01:

  No one seems to be talking about punch shots. If you are really wanting your short shots to have less influence from the wind then look at a punch shot.

  This is quite true. I hit punch driver rarely, but at SA #1 with big wind and cross direction, I find a drive that is straight, plenty long and always dry. This is, at times, useful at Liawah # 4.