What Do SS and PL Mean in Golf?

Caught yourself staring at a screen full of numbers after a swing at the range or in a simulator, wondering what ‘SS’ and ‘PL’ could possibly mean? You’re not alone. These two abbreviations are fundamental pieces of data that, once understood, can unlock a new level of understanding about your golf swing. This guide will break down exactly what SS and PL are, show you how they work together to create every shot shape you can imagine, and give you practical advice on how to use them to fix your biggest flaws and start hitting better shots.

What Do SS and PL Stand For?

Modern launch monitors are amazing tools, but they often abbreviate terms. SS and PL are two of the most important metrics you’ll see. Let’s decode them.

SS: Side Spin (More Accurately, Spin Axis)

SS stands for Side Spin. It measures the amount of spin on the golf ball that causes it to curve left or right during its flight. It’s typically measured in revolutions per minute (RPM).

• A positive (+) SS value for a right-handed golfer means the ball is spinning to the right, causing a slice or fade.
• A negative (-) SS value for a right-handed golfer means the ball is spinning to the left, causing a hook or draw.

For left-handed golfers, the values are reversed: a positive number causes a hook/draw, and a negative number causes a slice/fade.

While "Side Spin" is a common and easy-to-understand term, you might also see launch monitors use the more technically accurate term, Spin Axis. Think of a perfectly struck golf shot that flies dead straight - it spins purely backward, like a tire rolling forward. Its spin axis is perfectly horizontal (0 degrees of tilt).

When you impart "side spin," what you're really doing is tilting that spin axis. A slice has an axis tilted to the right, and a hook has an axis tilted to the left. A gentle draw might have a spin axis of -2 degrees, while a wild slice might be tilted +15 degrees. The higher the SS number (e.g., 800 RPM) or the greater the spin axis tilt (e.g., 12 degrees), the more aggressively the ball will curve.

PL: Push/Launch Direction (or Horizontal Launch Angle)

PL stands for Push/Launch Direction, Push/Pull Direction, or what is technically known as Horizontal Launch Angle (HLA). This metric measures a very specific thing: the initial direction the golf ball starts its flight relative to the target line, measured in degrees.

• A positive (+) PL value means the ball started to the right of your target line. For example, a PL of 2.0° means the ball launched two degrees to the right.
• A negative (-) PL value means the ball started to the left of your target line. A PL of -1.5° means the ball launched one and a half degrees to the left.

This is a an incredibly valuable piece of information because it immediately tells you where your ball is starting, independent of where it curves later. We’ve all hit that shot that starts dead on at the flag only to slice into the right bunker. In that case, your PL would have been very close to 0°, but your SS would have been a high positive number.

The D-Plane: How PL and SS Work Together to Tell a Story

Knowing what PL and SS mean is a great start, but their true power comes from understanding how they are related. They aren’t random numbers, they are the direct result of what your golf club is doing at the moment of impact. Their relationship is best explained by two other concepts: Club Path and Club Face Angle.

A Quick Rundown of Path and Face:

• Club Path: This is the direction the club head is moving through impact (e.g., in-to-out, out-to-in, or straight down the line).
• Club Face Angle: This is the direction the club face is pointing at the moment of impact. This is the "steering wheel" of your golf shot.

Generally speaking, the Club Face Angle at impact determines about 85% of your ball's initial starting direction (your PL). The difference between your Club Face Angle and your Club Path creates the spin that makes the ball curve (your SS). This relationship is often called the "D-Plane."

This sounds complex, but let’s look at some common examples for a right-handed golfer. Once you see the patterns, it becomes simple.

Four Common Shot Scenarios Explained

Imagine your target line is 0 degrees. Both your path and face angles are measured relative to this line.

1. The Push-Slice (The Most Common Amateur Miss)
   What it looks like: The ball starts right of the target and curves even further right.
   The Data: Positive PL (e.g., +3.0°) and high positive SS (e.g., +900 RPM).
   The Cause: Your club face was open to the target at impact (let's say +3°), making the ball *start* right. Your club path was "out-to-in" or "over the top" (let's say -1°), and your face was even *more* open relative to that path. This large gap between face and path creates massive slice spin.
2. The Pull-Hook
   What it looks like: The ball starts left of the target and curves even further left.
   The Data: Negative PL (e.g., -2.5°) and high negative SS (e.g., -800 RPM).
   The Cause: Your club face was closed to the target at impact (let's say -2.5°), making the ball *start* left. Your club path may have been straight or even "in-to-out," but your face was significantly closed relative to that path, creating that strong hook spin.
3. The Straight Push
   What it looks like: The ball starts right of the target and flies dead straight, just offline.
   The Data: Positive PL (e.g., +4.0°) and very low SS (e.g., near 0 RPM).
   The Cause: This happens when your club path is "in-to-out" (e.g., +4°) and your club face is perfectly square *to that path* (also +4°). Since the face and path match, there’s no side spin, but since both are pointing right of the target, the ball starts right and stays there.
4. The Pro's Draw (The Desired Shot Shape)
   What it looks like: The ball starts slightly right of the target and curves gently back toward it.
   The Data: Slightly positive PL (e.g., +1.0°) and moderate negative SS (e.g., -300 RPM).
   The Cause: This is the sweet spot! Your path was "in-to-out" (let's say +3°), but your face was *closed relative to your path* while still being *open to the target line* (let's say +1°). The face being open to the target makes it launch right. The face being closed to the path creates that gentle, an in-to-out hook-spin (a draw).

Putting Your Data into Action: Practical Fixes

Reading data is interesting, but fixing your swing is the goal. Here’s how to translate your PL and SS numbers into real, actionable changes on the range.

Fixing the Slice (Positive PL and high positive SS)

Your data shows your ball starts right and curves away. This is the classic "over-the-top" push-slice. You have two primary jobs: fix the outside-to-in club path and square up the clubface.

• Drill to Fix the Path: Take an empty water bottle or a headcover and place it on the ground just outside and slightly behind your golf ball. If you swing "over the top," you’ll hit the object. Your brain will instinctively adjust, encouraging a motion that comes more from the inside to avoid the obstacle. This helps shift your path from negative (out-to-in) to positive (in-to-out).
• Tip to Fix the Face: An open clubface is often linked to a "weak" grip (your lead hand is rotated too far under the club). When you look down at your grip, you should be able to see at least two knuckles on your lead hand (left hand for righties). This slightly "stronger" position makes it much easier to naturally square the clubface through impact without having to actively manipulate it with your hands.

Fixing the Hook (Negative PL and high negative SS)

Your data tells you the ball is starting left and curving away. This is a pull-hook. The primary cause is your clubface closing too quickly relative to your swing path, often because your arms are outracing your body.

• Drill to Feel Rotation: Your body is the engine of the swing. A hook often happens when your arms and hands take over and flip the club shut. To fix this, practice half-swings where you feel your chest and sternum rotate through a the shot *with* your arms. The goal is to feel connected, ensuring your body turn leads the way and prevents your hands from becoming hyperactive. You don’t want your arms to finish the swing long before your torso does.
• Quick Grip Check: Just as a weak grip can cause a slice, an overly strong grip (seeing 3-4 knuckles on your lead hand) can promote a hook. Try softening your grip to a more neutral two-knuckle position. Also, reduce your grip pressure. Squeezing the club too tight creates tension and can make you "flip" the club shut at the bottom.

Building a Draw (Slightly positive PL, slightly negative SS)

You’re ready to start shaping the ball like a pro. This means intentionally engineering an "in-to-out" path combined with a face that is slightly closed to that path.

• Set Your Path Intentionally: Place two alignment sticks on the ground to form a "track" or "gate" that points slightly to the right of your target (about 3-4 degrees). Practice swinging your clubhead down this track through impact. This trains you to deliver the club from the inside.
• Get the Feel for the Face: As you swing down your new "in-to-out" path, your goal is a face angle that ends up somewhere between your path and the target. To get the "start right, curve left" motion, you simply need your face to be less open than your path. Practice feeling like your arms extend down the line of the alignment sticks through impact. This feeling of extension helps keep the face from shutting too fast, allowing for that tour-quality draw.

Final Thoughts

At first glance, SS (Side Spin) and PL (Launch Direction) can feel like confusing technical jargon. But as you can see, they are simply the results of your swing's recipe at impact. By understanding that your clubface primarily controls where the ball starts (PL) and the relationship between face and path controls how it curves (SS), you can become your own best coach. You're no longer just guessing, you're diagnosing problems with real evidence and applying targeted fixes.

We know that analyzing data and remembering swing thoughts can feel overwhelming, especially on the course. That’s where technology can feel like a true partner. For those tricky situations or when you just need a second opinion on strategy, I've designed Caddie AI to give you that instant, expert-level feedback. If you're wondering how to play a hole or stuck with a difficult lie in the rough, you can describe the situation or even snap a photo of your ball and get a clear, simple recommendation in seconds. It’s like having a 24/7 golf expert in your pocket, taking the guesswork out of the game so you can play with more confidence.