Do you "shape" the ball?

[garyinderry]

when i started golfing properly in 2009 everything was left to right. everything it draw these days. currently practising to fade in shorter irons. i was able to do this quite well before the end of last season.

ive only had one lesson and swing with all my swing a faults so hitting the ball straight is next to impossible. what i can do is hit a repeatable distance with most clubs and work in a draw towards my intended target.

 

[virtuocity]

I pick a target and try to hit the ball straight at it. If it draws/fades a touch then so be it.

Honestly, I think any mid/high handicapper who says they can shape it "at will" is a liar. Even pros struggle to do it consistently.

Stack and tilt may be the answer....

 

[TEDSTAR]

I hit a natural draw but can straighten it up if I choose (on a good day) .As for fading I have learnt to do that as there is often a call for it to get out of trouble, or access a tricky pin.
I think to have the ability to move the ball can really help bring your scores down.Although I don't agree with trying to shape shots for the sake of it.Most of the time straight is good!

 

[Pin-seeker]

I pick a target and try to hit the ball straight at it. If it draws/fades a touch then so be it.

Honestly, I think any mid/high handicapper who says they can shape it "at will" is a liar. Even pros struggle to do it consistently.

My thoughts exactly. I wasn't calling everyone liars. I don't doubt some can shape the ball at will.

 

[Five&One]

I pick a target and try to hit the ball straight at it. If it draws/fades a touch then so be it.

Honestly, I think any mid/high handicapper who says they can shape it "at will" is a liar. Even pros struggle to do it consistently.

As a high handicapper I really struggle to hit anything straight. Hitting a draw or a fade deliberately, the mechanics of which are simple gives me a much higher success rate in terms of accuracy and distance.

As a high handicapper I don't hit ANYTHING terribly consistently and I didn't pretend to. But I DO hit draws and fades at will because I learnt how to do it and I didn't claim to be able to 'shape' it accurately.

i can't 'shape' it at will. I CAN get it going left to right or right to left AT WILL and its very very easy to get the basic mechanics of it.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I don't try and shape it. My natural shot is a draw although my pro is trying to change that. At the moment the only shot I am hitting to order is the socket rocket. My glass half full persona has left the building (short term)

 

[StrangelyBrown]

No, not on purpose. It just kinda happens.

 

[Neddy]

As a high handicapper I really struggle to hit anything straight. Hitting a draw or a fade deliberately, the mechanics of which are simple gives me a much higher success rate in terms of accuracy and distance.

As a high handicapper I don't hit ANYTHING terribly consistently and I didn't pretend to. But I DO hit draws and fades at will because I learnt how to do it and I didn't claim to be able to 'shape' it accurately.

i can't 'shape' it at will. I CAN get it going left to right or right to left AT WILL and its very very easy to get the basic mechanics of it.

You can't shape it at will but you can get it going left to right/right to left at will......eeeeerm, contradiction?

Hitting the ball consistently well is a million times important than whether it draws or fades IMO.

 

[Lump]

Can hit both with irons but really have to work at hitting a draw and feels very un-natural. Let me put it this way, if I have an obstacle that requires a 10 yrd draw or a 40yrd fade I'd hit the 40yrd fade everytime.
I can't even think about hitting a draw with my driver (Hitting it straight is enough of a struggle for me) but can hit my 3 wood right to left with some success.
I would prefer to hit straight shots but not that not going to happen.

 

[SRLongball]

Through messing around with mates this was all we ever practiced on the range! I can hit most shots but find I over hit a played hook but can judge and control a slice quite well and is a shot I will turn to if I need toobut as others say normally it is a shot I don't have to use straight or straight ish is normally easier!

 

[garyinderry]

lump - i was the same as that even last year. i think it takes a bit of a leap of faith for someone who fades the ball usually. trying aiming right next time you are at the range.

 

[JustOne]

I've mastered the 'low thin' and now working on the 'higher thin' :mmm:

 

[Val]

My natural shot is left to right,not through skill may I add. I prefer to try and keep it straight. I don't even attempt to draw it.

I'm with this chain of thought

 

[Bomber69]

I'm with this chain of thought

I can vouch for this Big Man, the power fade..........

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I've mastered the 'low thin' and now working on the 'higher thin' :mmm:

just lean to the right when playing off a high tee, you can thin it miles into the air that way.

 

[Birchy]

Its easy enough shaping it left or right one way or another. Its getting it to land in your target area which is the hard part :rofl:

I can pull or slice every shot into the trees on demand no problemo

 

[One Planer]

I don't shape the ball per say.

I play a fade.

Until recently I played the push fade with my longer clubs as I found it a useful, powerful shot and had more control. Since I started taking lessons a few months back I now play just a fade.

The ball starts straight on my toe line, gets toward the top of it's flight, then begins to fall off to the right.

I've never been a drawer of the ball. I can hit a push draw with my irons but it's hardly to command, quite ofen I'll ge the push but no draw

I really do take my hat off to people who can work the ball both ways as required.

 

[guest100718]

Having followed many a pro round at various Euro events and Majors, I can't say I saw any of them doing a great deal with ball, all had a stock flight that they stuck to in the main.

 

[bobmac]

Straight shot for me.
The only time I try and shape the ball is to get out of trouble.

If your stock shot is a fade, perfect it
If your stock shot is a draw, perfect it
trying to perfect 3 shots?
Nigh near impossible.

If your stock shot is a fade and the pin is on the left, LEAVE IT ALONE.

 

[Robobum]

No, not unless I absolutely have to.

Repeating 1 stock shot is out of our capabilities as h'cap golfers so why introduce more variables that we can't repeat?