Are we predisposed to our "natural" shot shape or can we change it?

[turkish]

I know a lot of you will come on and say you can hit both ways but talking about natural shot shape- will it always be there or can we change it and practice so much that the alternative becomes the natural shape?

Like most new golfers I have struggled with a slice. As a beginner it was so bad it was always a danger but after 2 years can hit a nice fade... But the danger is always there and even my straightish shots can be quite cutty and lose quite a bit of yardage.

I've worked on hitting draws in the past using alignment and it's worked but then when it stops working end up worse as its block slice even further right.

I've played with some people who said they had chased a draw for years before just settling on what they have because it just ended up getting them in more trouble.

Ideally I'd like to develop a draw as my natural shot shape with no compensations: ie parallel alignment, not too strong a grip so really just working on path and face to path but how hard is it gonna be?

I want To try over the winter as tried early season and just got me into trouble in medals.

Anybody else done it and been successful?

 

[351DRIVER]

Re: Are we predisposed to our "natural" shot shape or can we change it?

Firmly of the belief that you have a natural shape and you should learn to make it work consistently.

For me, it would require a completely disproportionate effort to the value derived to spend the thousands of hours required to turn a left to right default shot into a right to left.

I believe Left to right is better anyhow

I can hit it right to left, but it requires manipulation

WHY do you want to hit a draw anyway? How the ball arrives on a fairway or green is irrelevant, you will obviously have more success using a fade than a draw

Straightish shots losing yardage? They are spinning too much, or launching to low or high, fix that

 

[Hobbit]

Re: Are we predisposed to our "natural" shot shape or can we change it?

I chased a draw, after years of fading the ball. I've now got the occasional wicked hook, which was never part of my game. Decided several years ago to forget the draw, and just go with what I've got.

 

[fundy]

Re: Are we predisposed to our "natural" shot shape or can we change it?

i have a draw (for draw read hook lol), would love to hit it left to right, just nowhere near as destructive.

i actually hit a fade as a kid (when i was a far better golfer), over the years my decrepit knee has led to me using more hands and less body rotation meaning the natural shape for my current shonky swing is right to left, almost all the time I spend practising long game is trying to straighten it up a bit

 

[One Planer]

Re: Are we predisposed to our "natural" shot shape or can we change it?

When I first started I was a pull/pull fader of the ball.

After 2 years of lessons I now hit it the other way from a neutral address position.

I don't manipulate my hands or grip, infact my grip is slightly weak and I don't stand closed.

It is 100% possible to change your shot shape, but as Fundy says the Hooks are a much more destructive shot.

Be careful what you wish for.

 

[One Planer]

Re: Are we predisposed to our "natural" shot shape or can we change it?

Here's a few visual examples.

Here's me, circa 2011. Watch how far left the ball starts before it moves back to the right.[video=youtube_share;wM3iQcztdPE]https://youtu.be/wM3iQcztdPE[/video]

I can only add one video per post. Below will be a more current swing hitting a draw.

 

[One Planer]

Re: Are we predisposed to our "natural" shot shape or can we change it?

[video=youtube_share;CX3e6biMYnQ]https://youtu.be/CX3e6biMYnQ[/video]

 

[chrisd]

Re: Are we predisposed to our "natural" shot shape or can we change it?

I've always been a fade/slice player with the occasional draw. After a game with my pro 2 weeks ago he said the fade was getting weaker and given 10 to 15 minutes he could get me drawing a ball. I had that lesson and have, so far, drawn the ball pretty ok with up to the driver which goes straighter now with some draw.

I'm very happy to continue with th change

 

[USER1999]

Re: Are we predisposed to our "natural" shot shape or can we change it?

I see the world right to left. I can hit a fade, but it doesn't suit my eye. I'd rather not do it. My coach wants me to hit a punch fade, as for me, technically it's a better swing, less handsy, but I hate it.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Re: Are we predisposed to our "natural" shot shape or can we change it?

as Fundy says the Hooks are a much more destructive shot.

Be careful what you wish for.

Agreed with that

I went though a period at the beginning of this year of hitting duck hooks(and slices), oh my fruity pancakes, are they a shockingly destructive shot. Lost ball almost everytime it was with a driver.

Give me the fade anytime, at least they tend to land softer and fly higher due to the open clubface.

Edit, I think we tend to have our tendencies which some date back to when we first of all start playing the game. I don't think I would ever be willing to practise enough to try to change my tendency to slice to a draw.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Re: Are we predisposed to our "natural" shot shape or can we change it?

Have always wanted to hit draws regularly and for a while could. However I am now more and more inconsistent and now I've a fade as a stock shot I'm staying with it. I can usually keep the left side out of play and so that makes it so much easier than missing both ways. I just need to find a way to make a score. That's a different problem of course

 

[turkish]

Re: Are we predisposed to our "natural" shot shape or can we change it?

Firmly of the belief that you have a natural shape and you should learn to make it work consistently.

For me, it would require a completely disproportionate effort to the value derived to spend the thousands of hours required to turn a left to right default shot into a right to left.

I believe Left to right is better anyhow

I can hit it right to left, but it requires manipulation

WHY do you want to hit a draw anyway? How the ball arrives on a fairway or green is irrelevant, you will obviously have more success using a fade than a draw

Straightish shots losing yardage? They are spinning too much, or launching to low or high, fix that

Thanks all so the general consensus is stick with what you've got and try and improve on it....

351 yeah you are right they are too high and too spinny so yeah working on getting the conditions right is something I need to look at.... On a LM earlier in the season I did have a lesson with a pro and she had me chasing the draw and in that session was gaining 20-30 yards when I was getting it right... Bad blocks right when not so distance is my prime reason. The 2nd being all the trouble at my track is on the right so having a right to left shape definitely an advantage

 

[guest100718]

Re: Are we predisposed to our "natural" shot shape or can we change it?

if you watch pros, they all have a stock shot and stick to it. They can if needed work it left and riight but wheneve I have watched they are certainly not hitting fades and draws every other shot.

 

[Spear-Chucker]

Re: Are we predisposed to our "natural" shot shape or can we change it?

Definitely think we have a natural shot, a tendency under pressure too. I grew up drawing the ball, went to a fade for 10 years and now back with a draw. I don't think it's made much difference but suits me marginally better. It's a 'gnats' at best.

 

[MadAdey]

Re: Are we predisposed to our "natural" shot shape or can we change it?

We do have a natural shot shape and luckily mine has been a nice high draw. But I do believe that you can change that shot shape with practice. I have always hit a draw with my driver and my bad shot was to duck hook it left. After I got fitted for my driver the fitter said to me about learning to hit a nice power fade as that would be far less destructive when I make my bad swing. I did and that is what I play with now to far greater effect when the swing is off.

 

[garyinderry]

Re: Are we predisposed to our "natural" shot shape or can we change it?

Fade driver now and draw irons stock. 3 wood 5 wood hybrid are draws stock but can cut if necessary.

Will fade or draw irons depending on how I want the ball to come in.

Two years ago everything was a slinging hook.

Before that i was the worlds biggest slicer.

It's a straight ball I have trouble with.

 

[351DRIVER]

Re: Are we predisposed to our "natural" shot shape or can we change it?

Fade driver now and draw irons stock. 3 wood 5 wood hybrid are draws stock but can cut if necessary.

Will fade or draw irons depending on how I want the ball to come in.

Two years ago everything was a slinging hook.

Before that i was the worlds biggest slicer.

It's a straight ball I have trouble with.

Straight shot in golf, something amateurs aim for and pros never attempt

 

[Robster59]

Re: Are we predisposed to our "natural" shot shape or can we change it?

I have a fade, more with the woods than the irons, but that may be as I was fitted for my new irons and that really helped straighten me. The fade is (mainly) not dramatic and at the moment I'm hitting the ball pretty straight so I've decided not to chase the draw anymore.

I agree that there is more trouble right than left on our course but I've played with a few drawers of the ball who can still hit trouble. I'd work on trying to get the ball straight.

 

[bobmac]

Re: Are we predisposed to our "natural" shot shape or can we change it?

Straight shot in golf, something amateurs aim for and pros never attempt

Really? never?

 

[Junior]

Re: Are we predisposed to our "natural" shot shape or can we change it?

I'm predisposed....I wish I could fade an iron. I get the open stance clubface aimed and target sand swing along your feet line.....but it just goes left.