Tiger's Low Spinner

[PooOnU107]

shot he hit on #8,round 3, the masters

Does anyone know any specifics on how Tiger hits the shot that he hit today from the right of the green at number 8? From what I could see he plays the ball in the back of his stance and opens the face, but when I try that I just hit it high with very little spin. If anyone can help me out with this shot it would help out a lot.
Thanks
Kyle

[taylormadefan]

I've been thinking about this shot a lot, and while it's an awesome shot, I think the water on the ultra fast greens had a lot to do with the dramatics (in addition to his perfect technique).

 

Usually when the greens are slick, the ball has a tendency to skid forward before it bites and spins back which is what happend to Tigers ball.

 

Other than that, keep your hands ahead, brush the grass, don't take a big divot. You also must play a premium ball, have wide, sharp wedge grooves, and certain fluffy lies just won't produce these shots, the tighter the better your action will be due to great club face contact.

[Yellow Jacket]

Does anyone know any specifics on how Tiger hits the shot that he hit today from the right of the green at number 8? From what I could see he plays the ball in the back of his stance and opens the face, but when I try that I just hit it high with very little spin. If anyone can help me out with this shot it would help out a lot.

Thanks

Kyle

If you're hitting it high with little spin, you're probably not getting good contact and just swiping across the ball. This is usually what happens when I mishit my SW/LW.

[slicefixer]

Your "spooning" or "scooping" the shot........this shot REQUIRES V E R Y precise contact.......the ball is struck a nano-second before the clubhead bottoms out or RIGHT as it bottoms out......with an open face......and a "cutting" action.....it's very, very slightly "trapped"......and the shot requires some speed......you slide/cut the wedge "under" the ball slightly with "speed"......and the conditions MUST be

P E R F E C T.......lie/grass/ball/grooves/LOW BOUNCE on the wedge, particulaly in the heel/slope.....and the conditions of the green have to be PERFECT too......slope/grain/etc.........

 

Get a slightly UPHILL slope.....tight turf, but, NOT too tight.....relatively warm/dry HIGH spin golf ball........damp green......slope towards the player or at least level with the player......and IF you have the necessary technique/skill its not really all that difficult.......at least goofin' off with your buddies......during a round @ The Masters when in contention.......:stop:

[PooOnU107]

I've been thinking about this shot a lot, and while it's an awesome shot, I think the water on the ultra fast greens had a lot to do with the dramatics (in addition to his perfect technique).

 

Usually when the greens are slick, the ball has a tendency to skid forward before it bites and spins back which is what happend to Tigers ball.

 

I don't think that the greens have to be wet because I saw him do it at a tournament late last year and it was very dry.

[slicefixer]

Your correct about the greens NOT needing to be damp/wet for this shot to work.......but to actually spin it backwards you need a damp surface......in all my years I don't think I've ever seen a ball spin back on a low spinning PITCH shot unless the green was wet......or the slope was against the player.....OR it was into the wind......or all 3 at the same time.......but on hard firm fast greens its very difficult, if not impossible, to actually spin it back unless you have at least 1 of the 3 conditions.........IMOP...:stop:

[PooOnU107]

When playing this shot what club do you guys use, a 60* lob wedge or a sand wedge? Also, how far back in your stance do you put the ball?

[slicefixer]

When playing this shot what club do you guys use, a 60* lob wedge or a sand wedge? Also, how far back in your stance do you put the ball?

 

 

ALMOST always with a LW........and the position in the stance depends on the lie/slope/distance, etc. As a rule the more "skips"/"skid" you want before it checks the further back in your stance you place the ball......

[PooOnU107]

I went out on the course this afternoon and tried the shot with all of what you guys are saying in mind; but I could not seem to get this shot down. I think I succeeded twice maybe 3 times, and it felt like I was blading it, is this the sensation you should get when you hit it right?

Thanks

Kyle

[Jim_0068]

fairway conditions and green conditions have A LOT to do with this shot. Take Tiger to your local course and see if he can reproduce it again :stop:

[dannybsj]

isnt this the same thing as david toms "skipper"? He tells how to do it in an issue of golf digest.

[slicefixer]

fairway conditions and green conditions have A LOT to do with this shot. Take Tiger to your local course and see if he can reproduce it again :stop:

 

 

 

AMEN Jim! :D

[jportz]

No...it should not feel like you're blading it. It should feel like you're pinching the ball between your club and the turf....but not at too steep of an angle, you don't want to take a big ol' divot with this shot. You should be able to imagine or sense that the ball is climbing up the grooves on your club.

 

That could also be an issue, how old are your wedges? Your grooves might be old and dull...that will make it hard to bite the ball also. It's also hard to do without a soft ball....even Tiger would have a tough time spinning a Top Flight XL. If you're using a premium ball (ProV1 type) and you hit this shot right....you just might have to replace your ball from tearing some of the cover off with your grooves. That just depends how far away you are and how hard you hit the shot.

 

One of my favorite shots is with my 58* from 30-50 yards to a back pin. I take it in low and land it about 25' short of the pin....it will take one big bounce and then 2 tiny bounces and stop right next to the pin (that's how I plan it anyways).

 

Make sure your grooves are sharp, use a soft ball and keep practicing.

[PooOnU107]

How far is the maximum yardage that you guys hit this shot from under control?

[slicefixer]

Well, that depends......on the conditions, etc. I can hit the 2 skip and stop from about 80 yards with a GW........40 - 50 with the LW......under some semblance of "control" anyway.....:)

[tembolo1284]

haha, love this thread.

[WV-Hick]

Perhaps the most epic bump of a thread I've ever witnessed on a forum.

[tembolo1284]

[quote name='WV-Hick' timestamp='1325104432' post='3997597']
Perhaps the most epic bump of a thread I've ever witnessed on a forum.
[/quote]