Seeing a pro hit a wedge shot that takes one hop and spins back five feet is one of golf's most satisfying sights. The good news is that you don’t need to be a tour player to put that coveted backspin on a golf ball. Following the simple and powerful principles taught by Rick Shiels, this article will show you exactly how to generate the speed and contact required for a high-spinning wedge shot. We’ll break down the setup, the swing motion, and the key elements that transform a normal pitch into a shot that stops on a dime.
Before we learn the right way to create spin, let’s clear up a few popular misconceptions that Rick Shiels so often helps golfers correct. Many amateurs think spin comes from an overly complicated or manipulated swing, but that actually kills your chances of success.
Here’s what doesn’t work:
True, consistent backspin isn't created with a trick. It’s the result of doing the fundamentals correctly and powerfully.
Like any good golf shot, high-spin wedges aren't about one single secret ingredient. They are the product of mastering three different but interconnected elements. When you combine them correctly, the ball has no choice but to bite on the green.
Speed is the engine of spin. You cannot create high spin rates with a lazy, slow, or decelerating swing. The friction generated between a fast-moving, clean clubface and the cover of the golf ball is what produces the spin. Think of it like snapping your fingers - a slow movement produces no sound, but a quick, sharp snap creates a distinct “click.” Your wedge and the golf ball work the same way. Rick Shiels consistently emphasizes that power in the golf swing comes from body rotation. For a spinning wedge shot, you must commit to an aggressive swing that accelerates through the ball, powered by the unwinding of your torso, not just your arms.
Dynamic loft is the actual loft on the clubface at the moment of impact. While you’ll use a lofted wedge (like a 52°, 56°, or 60°), you need to deliver that loft correctly. To create maximum spin, you need to strike the ball with a slightly descending angle of attack with your hands just ahead of the clubhead. This slightly "delofts" the club, turning a 56° static loft into maybe a 52° dynamic loft at impact. This action is what "squeezes" the ball against the clubface, creating the friction for spin. Too much forward shaft lean will produce a low, driving shot with less spin, while leaning back adds loft and causes a high-flying, no-spin floater.
Perhaps the most vital piece of the puzzle. To generate spin, the grooves on your clubface must make clean contact with the cover of the goal ball. If grass, dirt, or water gets trapped between the clubface and the ball at impact, it drastically reduces friction, and the shot will come out "dead," with very little spin. This is why you rarely get spin out of the rough. The goal is always ball-then-turf contact. A centered strike is just as important, hitting the ball on the sweet spot of your wedge ensures the most efficient transfer of energy and the highest possible spin.
A great shot starts with a great setup. As Rick teaches in his golf swing guide, standing to the ball in an athletic way prepares the body to do its job. For a high-spin wedge shot, we’ll make a few small adjustments to a standard iron setup to encourage that clean, downward strike.
For a regular middle iron, Rick would advise having the ball right in the center of your stance. To promote a slightly more descending strike and ball-first contact, move the ball about one ball-width back from the center of your stance. This small adjustment makes it much easier to hit down on the ball without having to consciously alter your swing path. It's a simple change that naturally moves the low point of your swing arc just in front of the ball.
Take a stance that is about shoulder-width apart. This gives you the stability Rick talks about, allowing you to turn and rotate aggressively without losing your balance. From there, set about 60% of your weight on your lead foot (your left foot for a right-handed player). This slight-but-noticeable pressure shift pre-sets you for a descending blow and helps prevent the fatal urge to lean back through the shot to try and "help" the ball up.
With your weight and ball position set, allow your hands to naturally rest slightly ahead of the golf ball. Your lead arm and the club shaft should form a straight, continuous line. This setup creates that slight forward lean in the shaft that you need to compress the ball properly. Don't overdo it - you aren't trying to create an aggressive wedge "punch" shot, just a setup that promotes crisp contact.
With the setup dialed in, the swing an be simple and powerful. Forget about complicated wrist moves and just trust Rick's core philosophy: the swing is a rotational action powered by the body.
Don't be afraid to take a full backswing. A short, jabby backswing is a common cause of deceleration. To create speed, you need runway. Make a smooth backswing with a full shoulder turn, allowing your wrists to hinge naturally as Rick demonstrates. Remember to stay within that "cylinder" he describes - rotate, don't sway. You should feel tension building in your core, ready to be unleashed on the downswing.
This is where your spin is born. The first move Rick teaches for a great iron strike is a slight shift of the hips towards the target. From the top, initiate the downswing by bumping your lead hip forward. This action drops the club into the perfect position and ensures the bottom of your a-swing will be in front of the ball.
Once you’ve made that slight shift, it's time to unravel your body with speed. Rotate your hips and chest through the shot as aggressively as you can while maintaining balance. Feel like your chest is facing the target at impact. This powerful body rotation is what pulls the club through and generates massive clubhead speed naturally. Your arms and hands are just along for the ride. Let the club do its job - strike the ball first, then take a shallow, crisp divot *after* the ball.
A balanced finish is proof of a good swing. Continue rotating your body all the way through to a full, high finish. Most of your weight - around 90% - should be posted firmly on your lead leg, with your back heel completely off the ground. If you’re balanced and facing your target, you’ve successfully transferred all your energy through the ball.
While technique is king, having the right equipment and conditions makes a huge difference:
Putting backspin on a golf ball is less about trickery and more about applying solid fundamentals with speed. By using an adjusted setup and a powerful, rotational swing focused on clean, ball-then-turf contact as Rick Shiels teaches, you can create the compression and friction needed for that satisfying one-hop-and-stop wedge shot.
Mastering these techniques takes practice, and a big part of scoring better is knowing when to use which shot on the course. We designed our app for this very reason. When you're facing a tough approach shot and aren't sure if a high-spin wedge is the smart play or if something else is better, you can ask Caddie AI for a real-time strategy. With the ability to analyze your specific lie from a photo, we can give you expert advice right when you need it, removing the guesswork so you can commit to your swing with total confidence.
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