Draw, Fade or Straight?

[theeaglehunter]

Having been told by many people, including my teaching pro, that hitting a draw generates greater overall distance for a golf shot I was wondering how true this is. I have tried it myself and on the occasions where I successfully play a draw starting out right and moving left I have noticed no change in distance at all, although this could be down to my high handicap. Does a draw produce better results for you in terms of distance, and if not whats your prefered shot shape? Or is it completely irrelevant and down to the individual?

 

[brendy]

I draw the ball, on the holes that require a fade, I do notice a slight reduction in distance, as long as it keeps me on the short stuff, im not bothered about a couple of yards.
Draws and fades are equally pleasant to watch, its the hookers and slicers you have to beware of.

 

[RGuk]

Draw = more distance = 100% true.

My preferred shape is straight.....but I can't remember a time when I consistently did this. Sure, short irons and the odd fluked arrow straight drive, but mostly my game shows up a shape that I use to track my way around the course. I do deliberately play all sorts though....

I have been fighting an over-draw or push, which came from an ingrained path, set up by a flat plane and and getting "trapped" into my right side on the downswing. I have got rid of this...FINALY!...but the result is that I'm hitting a few nasty pulls and slices now.

Whatever the "maths" is, it's not worth trying to play with a permanent draw just for a few yards. Better to understand your most common path and work from there.

 

[RGuk]

As an afterthought....a player who basicaly comes through impact in-square-in has the best chance of tweaking the ball one way or the other. A gentle fade is "the" shot for long fairway woods (for h'cap players) because it is easier to control than a draw. Nothing better than being miles from the green, pulling out some big metal and boshing it knowing the result is pretty safe direction wise.

 

[theeaglehunter]

I must admit from a high handicap point of view, I hit my fairway woods with a very slight fade, as any draw I would try often turns into a fairly nasty hook.

 

[Toad]

I tend to hit a gentle fade with the driver I find it easier to control,I have more of a draw with the fairwaywoods and usually have a straight flight with the irons, at least I do when I'm swinging well. Would love to be straight all the time but not possible with my inconsistent swing.

 

[RGuk]

I must admit from a high handicap point of view, I hit my fairway woods with a very slight fade, as any draw I would try often turns into a fairly nasty hook.

Glad to hear this.....I dread to think how good you'd need to be to risk the deadly scuttle hook into the left rough.

Even when I was a regular draw-master, I'd still stand a tad open and relax my grip on the long 3w/5w shots.

 

[shanker]

Eagle
There is no doubt that a draw will give you more length. If you play with a draw you minimize backspin and the ball rolls further when it hits the fairway. Woosnam draws the ball. Some great players, e.g. Nicklaus, played with a fade because they hit it so bloody far that they were willing to sacrifice a few yards in return for having the ball stop more quickly in the fairway and not run into the rough.

 

[theeaglehunter]

yea, the point about the ball running out more is the reasoning I was given by my pro for the ball travelling further. He also pointed out the Tiger's more natural and more consistent shot (despite the fact he can do almost everything) is a fade, which would justify your point about longer hitters not requiring the roll out and prefering to stop the ball quickly for greater control.

 

[medwayjon]

Just call me Darth Fader!

 

[brendy]

We need to convert you to Draw Vadar matey oh yes!

 

[DarthFader]

I tend to hit my driver pretty straight,but draw my 3 wood of the tee.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Draw shots are similar to top spinning forehands in tennis where more overspin is imparted hence the greater roll and more distance.

I don't intentionally play to shape it either way (not sure I could hit a deliberate fade if my life depeneded on it). My stock bad shot is a straight push right but in general terms I'm aiming for a specific pint and trying to hit it straight. My game isn't good enough to be worrying about trying to shape the flight

 

[shanker]

Draw shots are similar to top spinning forehands in tennis where more overspin is imparted hence the greater roll and more distance.

I don't intentionally play to shape it either way (not sure I could hit a deliberate fade if my life depeneded on it). My stock bad shot is a straight push right but in general terms I'm aiming for a specific pint and trying to hit it straight. My game isn't good enough to be worrying about trying to shape the flight

So you do agree then, Homer, that a draw gives more length. I bet you COULD hit a deliberate fade if you wanted to. Hitting a deliberate draw is more difficult.

 

[Leftie]

but in general terms I'm aiming for a specific pint

I'm sorry Homer and I do really feel for you not being able to touch the amber nectar but this must have been a classic Freudian Slip

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Never realised. Just taken my latest blood count (was diagnosed diabetic on Thursday) so maybe I took too much and its made me delirious. MMM what I'd give for a cool Fosters right now. Looking forward to buying realgolferuk one though when we win the GM challenge