How does a wet or dirty battlefield influence spin speed?
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Are you the kind of golfer who gets a little lazy and doesn't clean your clubs at all, on or off the course? I was always curious how much a wet or dirty face would have on your spin speed (especially on wedges), so I decided to test it.
The results can convince you to take a towel with you on the job!
The test
Hitting large wedge shots requires a trajectory and distance control, which are strongly influenced by how much spin you can put on the ball. To generate enough spin, you need clean contact with the face to create friction.
I was interested in figuring out the factors that we can influence in the course of the course. So I decided to test how a face with water on it or dirt would affect the launch conditions.
Using my SkyTrak launch monitor to evaluate the ball flight, I was mainly looking for changes in spinning speed, which I think is one of the most critical factors in controlling your wedge distance and trajectory.
One of my wedge shots with a clean face
I hit a series of wedge shots of different distances. My check was a clean ball and then I tested shots after spraying the face with water and others with dirt on the face.
Yuck!
I also tested on longer clubs such as my 7-iron and driver to see if there was any noticeable effect. My theory was that any kind of debris or moisture would affect my ability to generate an optimal spin speed.
The results
Here are the results of different distances with my lobwig:
Club Launch AngleTotal Spin (rpm) Wear yards
Clean Clubface (LW) 32.5420825
Wet clubface (LW) 32.4365724
Dirty Clubface (LW) 31.5392526
Clean Clubface (LW) 29,756,151
Wet clubface (LW) 31.1463550
Dirty Clubface (LW) 30,4521249.5
Clean Clubface (LW) 286786789
Wet Clubface (LW) 28,9698791
Dirty Clubface (LW) 28.2743290
I saw fairly consistent results across the board with wigshots. In general, a wet face had the most effect on spinning speed . On a 50-yard shot, I saw a drop of almost 20% in the spin.
Interestingly, dirt did not seem to have as much influence on the spin speed as water seemed to have, but there was still a marked decline. I suspect that soil conditions can change how much or how little it would affect the spin rate. But I still believe that dirt will limit your ability to run well (shockingly, I know).
There was much less difference at longer clubs. On my 7-iron there was no noticeable change with a wet face and only a small decrease in spin speed with dirt. With my driver I only tested with water on my face (who would have a dirty driver ???) – there was no difference in starting conditions either.
What does this mean for you
With golf you want to give yourself the best chance of success. It is a challenge to control every wedge without the right amount of spin on the ball. Some things affect the golf course and we cannot control others. For example, if you have a hard time, it becomes more difficult to spin the ball because you cannot create enough friction due to disturbance of the grass. But that is your punishment for landing the ball there!
I think this test shows that it should be wise to wipe your face before taking a wedge photo. Also the use of a premium golf ball and no use of wedges with worn grooves has a major influence on the amount of spin that you can generate.
Long story, I think it makes sense to carry a towel with you and clean your clubs if there is noticeable moisture or debris on your club before you hit. You could leave a few shots on the table if you cannot make good contact with your wedges.
