Backspin from bunker

Question
Hi John,

I would like to ask if (and if yes how?) can we do the backspin from the bunker ?
I know that the backspin we get from groves on the club and in the bunker we dont touch the ball with the club, buty I saw many times professionals getting the backspin from the bunker.
How they do ?

Thask for the answer
Chris

Answer
Hello Chris:  First I would like to say that the backspin you see professionals putting on golf balls take into consideration more factors than what they do to the ball when they hit it or at it.  The speed of the greens (usually much faster than the average golfer experiences) adds to the amount of roll a ball has moving forward or back.  Another factor is the texture of the sand; the fluffier the texture, the harder it is to impart backspin.

Backspin is created by the downward movement of the club when it contacts the ball.  The sharper the angle of attack, the greater the backspin.  I'm sure you've seen how the ball comes out of the sand from a buried lie; with no backspin at all and may even have forward spin.  So, the less sand there is between the club and ball, the more backspin one can impart.  As the distance between the club and ball at impact decreases, the greater the chance of hitting the ball first and sending it flying well past your target.

I'm including a link to several videos addressing this issue and I hope they are helpful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MZwh0PnqxY

Good luck Chris and thanks for your question.

Fairways and Greens,

John
www.golfnutts.com