TrackMan Golf
  • Workshops
  • Coach of the month
  • Tour Stats
  • Contact

What is Spin Rate?

TrackMan | 10 | by TrackMan
What is Spin Rate?

Spin Rate is the amount of spin on the golf ball immediately after impact

Spin rate has a major influence on the height and distance of a shot.

Spin rate is one of the least appreciated numbers, especially in windy conditions.

A high spin rate is the enemy, particularly when hitting in to the wind. One way to reduce spin is to hit a lower lofted club.

Practice taking one or two clubs more (5 iron instead of 7 iron) and swing easier. The will help you control your ball flight and distance.

More loft generally increases spin rate. All things being equal, more club speed will also increase spin rate.
 


 

 


 
Technical Definition: 

Spin Rate – The rate of rotation of the golf ball around the resulting rotational axis of the golf ball immediately after the golf ball separates from the club face

 


 

Tour Averages

PGA TOUR

  • Driver – 2686 rpm
  • 6 iron – 6231 rpm

LPGA Tour

  • Driver – 2611 rpm
  • 6 iron – 5943 rpm

For a full list of Tour averages, visit TrackMan PGA and LPGA Tour Averages

TrackMan Combine Averages

Male Amateur (Driver)

  • Scratch of Better – 2896 rpm
  • 5 HCP – 2987 rpm
  • 10 HCP – 3192 rpm
  • Average Golfer (14.5) – 3275 rpm
  • Bogey Golfer – 3127 rpm

Female Amateur (Driver)

  • Scratch or Better – 2831 rpm
  • 5 HCP – 3027 rpm
  • 10 HCP – 3207 rpm
  • 15 HCP – 3287 rpm

Learn more about TrackMan Combine, visit TrackMan Combine Explained

 


 

The standard assumption for spin rate comes from the TrackMan Optimizer.

  • For a driver, a club speed of 94 mph, attack angle of 0 degrees, and optimized carry results in a spin rate of 2,772 rpm.
  • For a 6-iron, a club speed of 80 mph and mid-trajectory results in a spin rate of 5,956 rpm.
  • For a PW, a club speed of 72 mph and mid-trajectory results in a spin rate of 8,408 rpm.

 


 

What our TrackMan Masters say about Spin Rate…

Mark Anderson

Mark Anderson Philadelphia Cricket Club, USA

“Controlling the spin rate is pivotal to controlling the flight of the golf ball.

The idea launch angle and spin rate numbers are crucial to achieving the optimal trajectory give a golfer’s club speed.

It is so important to look at contact point when looking at spin rate.

Vertical gear effect can have a massive effect on spin numbers.”

christoph bausek

Christoph Bausek Progressive Golf, Austria

“It is fascinating how much the spin rate can change the flight of the golf ball.

It often happens that a student can improve their total distance of a drive by more than 30 yards within a couple shots.

Spin rate is mainly produced by spin loft, speed, friction, and centeredness of impact. Vertical gear effect has an enormous influence on drivers.

If a golfer understands how spin is produced, they will also have a big advantage in their short game.”

jamie mcconnell

Jamie McConnell JM Golf Academy, Ireland

“Controlling the spin rate of the golf ball is an important factor particularly in the short game.

Being able to produce more spin on a 50 yard wedge shot when it is needed can be the difference between winning and losing a tournament.

In the same sense, the ability to produce chip shots with less spin can be the difference between playing to or playing under a golfer’s handicap.”

Ball Flight DatauniversityTMUSpin Rate

Related Posts

  • Improve your golf lessons with TrackMan University

    Improve your golf lessons with TrackMan University

  • Learn How Carry Is Measured

    Learn How Carry Is Measured

  • Ball Speed – TrackMan University

    Ball Speed – TrackMan University

  • How Altitude Affects The Distance Your Ball Flies

    How Altitude Affects The Distance Your Ball Flies

10 comments

  • David Shoff June 9, 2015 at 3:55 pm

    is a left handers fade the same as a right handers draw more distance with a draw compared to a fade

    Reply
    • Niklas Bergdahl August 31, 2015 at 10:56 am

      David,
      The simple answer to your question is no.

      The distance is based on the launch conditions ball speed, launch angle, spin rate and spin axis. The ball has no clue and doesn’t matter if you are righty or lefty.

      The reason people are saying that “a draw will carry further than a fade” is because the draw tends to have a lower loft (closed face -> less loft) and that will – all else equal – produce a higher ball speed -> longer carry.

      A ball curving to the left for a lefty is hit with an open face and has most likely more loft than the closed face for the same player. The more loft from the open face will make the ball speed lower and the carry shorter – all else equal.

      Please feel free to contact us at support@trackmangolf.com if you have further questions.

      Thank you,

      Niklas Bergdahl
      Support Manager Europe & Asis
      TrackMan

      Reply
  • Martin October 27, 2016 at 10:43 am

    Hi thanks for that. The averages for the different ability levels was helpful. What would you say the ideal spin rates are for the ‘bogey’ golfer with the 6 iron. I was fit recently and id say the averages above were about what i was coming with. I was wondering whether this was too low. I know one teaching pro said he would look for his spin to be equal to the club playing. eg 6 iron spinning at 6k. Would this be ideal for a bogey golfer? Or simply unrealistic. Would i be right in assuming the ball effects these spin rates too. Thanks Martin

    Reply
  • Flo July 6, 2017 at 12:48 pm

    Hi,

    Does the Trackman system meassure the spin rate or is it calculated with data like club head speed and attack angle?

    Thanks Flo

    Reply
  • Jerry jacob March 18, 2018 at 5:51 pm

    If your spin rate is 2194 mile an hour swing speed what mall should you used increased spin swing Speed 94

    Reply
  • Adam Champy June 24, 2018 at 7:03 am

    What loft are you describing for the Driver and 6i spin rate?

    Reply
    • Zane July 25, 2019 at 7:09 am

      Its literally the average lol. Pros play all sorts of different lofts for drivers and 6 irons and the stat shown is just an average spin for all of the people they collected data on regardless of the lofts of those clubs

      Reply
  • Donavan Brown July 12, 2018 at 5:50 pm

    How much side spin indicates a correct draw? Say 3 or 4 iron at PGA average backspin?

    Reply
    • Zane July 25, 2019 at 7:11 am

      A few hundred at most. Any higher and it would probably start to look like a hook. Maybe closer to 1000 if you start the ball right (push) and draw it back to the center

      Reply
  • Ivan May 2, 2019 at 7:12 pm

    On the Trackman is there a way to determine a directional vector to the angular velocity of the spin, or is the spin rate of the ball only calculated in terms of pure backspin on the trackman?

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Categories

  • Gear
  • Tour Pro
  • Tour Stats
  • TrackMan
  • Insights
  • Drills
  • 360
  • Coach Of The Month

Subscribe and get the latest Insights!

Categories

  • Gear
  • Tour Pro
  • Tour Stats
  • TrackMan
  • Insights
  • Drills
  • 360
  • Coach Of The Month

Recent Comments

  • Christian Hahn on How to gain more distance without swinging faster?
  • Danny Beck on Coach of the Month: Greg Smith
  • Deez on What is Attack Angle?
  • Deez on Brooks Koepka, winner of the US Open 2017 and 2018
  • Deez on Brooks Koepka, winner of the US Open 2017 and 2018

Stay updated

Stay up to date and receive free notifications of new posts by email.

  • Workshops
  • Coach of the month
  • Tour Stats
  • Contact