High Backspin on Bump and Run Chip Shots

[CintiGolfer]

I have been trying to practice my bump and run chip shots and I am seeing some very large variations in the spin rate. The following pictures shows data for shots I hit with a 6 iron.







As you can see in one of the images, I had one shot that read 5087 backspin. I had one shot last week read over 7000 rpm. I don't think that this much backspin is possible on a bump and run type shot.

Is anyone else seeing large variations in spin rates with bump and run type shots?

[sdrthedj]

Launch angle looks high for a 6 iron bump and run. This may well be the swing and strike and not skytrack as the numbers are pretty consistant. Rollout should be much greater than 50% of carry. You need to check your AoA and stike location on face of club.

[Keir]

I'd be concerned about a (-) backspin number, that would mean it has topspin, which is highly unlikely. Something is going on there.

[CintiGolfer]

I think the launch angle looks pretty close to what I would expect. I play traditionally (i.e. old school) lofted irons so my 6 iron has 31 degrees of loft. I'm pretty sure that this is not the quality of strike nor my AoA. I used to be a scratch golfer (now about a 5 because I don't play as much) and my short game was the best part of my game. The one shot that had 110 rpm of backspin was hit thin but the rest of them were hit well. I would expect way more runout than what is shown. However, I was not chipping to a green so that may have some impact.

Can someone else hit some bump and run shots and see if they are getting large variation like I am getting? I would prefer not to send my SkyTrak back for investigation but if others can't duplicate the issue, then I will do this.

Seth - any thoughts about the negative backspin numbers or the backspin variation?

[hks8888]

Hello, I agree that you need to consider sending it back. The (-) backspin numbers are almost impossible in golf - your club is descending and your ball is lifted upward (launch angle > 0 degree) because of the club face's loft.
However, there might be something in your hitting condition. If I were you, I would pick a new white ball and mark a dot on it. Hit the same ball facing the dot toward Skytrak over and over and compare the data.

I haven't compared data for bump and run shots before, but my gut feeling was that the data were pretty consistent. (I am pretty sensitive to data and I must have noticed it if there were an issue.)

Regarding high back spin, there were some reports including mine that they sometimes get an impossible high number. For example, 11,000 rpm for my 7 or 6 iron. (the normal range is approximately 5000-6000 rpm for my swing speed). I failed to figure out what caused the issue. When it happens I just ignore it. It doesn't happen frequently, so it doesn't bother much to me.

[hks8888]

Hello,

I just hit some chip shots with my 6 iron. As you can see below, my Skytrak put out pretty consistent data. I think that #7 shows a pretty high back spin number and I would just ignore it.

shot #	ball speed	launch angle	side degree	back spin	side spin	carry
1	42	11	center	2029	-262	18
2	40	12	-2	1963	-457	16
3	36	13	center	1981	-372	14
4	39	11	-2	2001	-557	14
5	40	13	center	1868	-758	18
6	26	13	center	3588	-516	7
7	33	14	-2	4255	center	13
8	35	14	+2	3404	-440	14
9	38	11	+2	1967	458	14
10	21	15	center	404	center	6
11	22	15	+2	564	564	6
12	20	14	center	346	center	5

[SkyTrak_Seth]

It sounds like a mismark to me. Are you using fresh white golf balls? Are you facing a black mark (logo, line, etc) toward the unit prior to hitting? That can help us track the spin if the dimples are getting washed out for some reason.