Drawing the ball

[ainley87simon]

I may be totally wrong here, but why is that that most golfers I play with speak to - yearn to have draw in their shot? What is it that makes a draw more desirable than a fade?

I have just started hitting a draw and the reason I am happy is that I feel so much more in control of the ball when hitting right to left, I feel less likely to hook an attempted deliberate draw, where as if I try and hit a cut/fade I fill like I am likely to hit a huge slice.

 

[la_lucha]

I normally use a 0.7mm pencil when I draw the ball. Shading skills really help when it comes to the dimples.

 

[dufferman]

Right to left gives you more distance. Simple.

 

[guest100718]

Right to left gives you more distance. Simple.

Not really true at all.

 

[la_lucha]

Not really true at all.

Really? It's my understanding that it does too. Please explain?

 

[JackBrocklehurst]

I may be totally wrong here, but why is that that most golfers I play with speak to - yearn to have draw in their shot? What is it that makes a draw more desirable than a fade?

I have just started hitting a draw and the reason I am happy is that I feel so much more in control of the ball when hitting right to left, I feel less likely to hook an attempted deliberate draw, where as if I try and hit a cut/fade I fill like I am likely to hit a huge slice.

The draw is a hell of a lot easier to learn, plus in my experience the draw goes a hell of a lot further!
I think most golfers, myself included, just love to have a range of shots that you can be able to play. For me personally it makes you feel a lot more skilled and that all that time learning the fundamentals of the Golf swing and all that time I couldn't hit a ball, worth while.

 

[JackBrocklehurst]

Not really true at all.

I think it's true, it makes sense to be true when you think about it?
Hitting a hook is bound to be a lot further than cutting across the ball to make it go the opposite direction? You can generate more turn power through when set up for a draw in my opinion, causing the ball to fly!:smirk:

 

[Ethan]

I think a lot of this comes down to terminology. A hook goes further than a slice, partly because a hook is delofted where a slice has extra loft, but a pro fade and a pro draw don't differ so much in distance. The pro dade flies straight and then the ball falls 5 feet to the right on its descent from its apex. A shot which starts at the left edge of the fairway and just manages to finish on the right edge is not a fade. One reason is that hooks and slices are due to swing faults but fades and draws are not.

I speak as an incorrigible hooker who dreams of a soft fade.

I doubt it is a coincidence that the best players in the world (Nicklaus, Hogan, Woods) dominated when fading the ball.

 

[JackBrocklehurst]

I think a lot of this comes down to terminology. A hook goes further than a slice, partly because a hook is delofted where a slice has extra loft, but a pro fade and a pro draw don't differ so much in distance. The pro dade flies straight and then the ball falls 5 feet to the right on its descent from its apex. A shot which starts at the left edge of the fairway and just manages to finish on the right edge is not a fade. One reason is that hooks and slices are due to swing faults but fades and draws are not.

I speak as an incorrigible hooker who dreams of a soft fade.

I doubt it is a coincidence that the best layers in the world (Nicklaus, Hogan, Woods) dominated when fading the ball.

My draws are a lot better than my fades, main reason being I've had to play the draw shot more I guess but there's a much bigger success rate of pulling that shot off. Everyone I know personally who can play both shots, their draws are further.

The fade is also a lot more awkward on set up for me, draw almost feels natural.

And yeah I agree, because if you can hit a correct fade you're a superb golfer! But you also see a lot of pros double crossing when setting up for the fade, it is in general a harder shot to master. But yeah, the pros that have dominated can hit all shots spot on.

 

[fundy]

I think a lot of this comes down to terminology. A hook goes further than a slice, partly because a hook is delofted where a slice has extra loft, but a pro fade and a pro draw don't differ so much in distance. The pro dade flies straight and then the ball falls 5 feet to the right on its descent from its apex. A shot which starts at the left edge of the fairway and just manages to finish on the right edge is not a fade. One reason is that hooks and slices are due to swing faults but fades and draws are not.

I speak as an incorrigible hooker who dreams of a soft fade.

I doubt it is a coincidence that the best players in the world (Nicklaus, Hogan, Woods) dominated when fading the ball.

This for me, was the 1990s last time I hit a controlled fade lol

 

[Alex1975]

Draw looks sexy to me.... that is all....

 

[USER1999]

A five yard draw and a five yard fade will go pretty much the same distance. There is no need to move the ball more than this unless you're blocked out. Big movement of the ball is the sign of a swing fault to me.

 

[JackBrocklehurst]

A five yard draw and a five yard fade will go pretty much the same distance. There is no need to move the ball more than this unless you're blocked out. Big movement of the ball is the sign of a swing fault to me.

Depends how far you set up for, if I want to I can literally hook the ball. By purpose around things. And that is a lot easier to do than if I needed to do it with a fade/slice.
The only swing fault there is the swing on the tee causing me to be in this position!

 

[Alex1975]

Depends how far you set up for, if I want to I can literally hook the ball. By purpose around things. And that is a lot easier to do than if I needed to do it with a fade/slice.
The only swing fault there is the swing on the tee causing me to be in this position!

I think Chris is really talking about the swing plane and if you are too far one way or another its probably not by choice....re a fault.

 

[USER1999]

Why would you set up to move the ball loads, with nothing in the way? The ball travels in an arc. The further around the arc it has to go, the shorter the straight line from you to the finish position of the ball will be. The longest shot has to be the straightest.

 

[JackBrocklehurst]

I think Chris is really talking about the swing plane and if you are too far one way or another its probably not by choice....re a fault.

Ah I see, misunderstood. Yeah if you mean to only play a small draw or fade an end up 30 yards left or right it's certainly a fault, haha.

 

[JackBrocklehurst]

Why would you set up to move the ball loads, with nothing in the way? The ball travels in an arc. The further around the arc it has to go, the shorter the straight line from you to the finish position of the ball will be. The longest shot has to be the straightest.

You wouldn't haha. But saying that, dogleg holes? Some of the doglegs I've played on need a huge cut or draw, if of course you want to risk it and get there for a birdie chance etc.

But yeah, that makes sense. The straightest shot is always the safest option to play too in my opinion. Just fun to mix things up sometimes

 

[3PuttCharlie]

In an ideal world I would like a draw with my woods and long irons and a fade with my mid and short irons

 

[StrangelyBrown]

Why would you set up to move the ball loads, with nothing in the way? The ball travels in an arc. The further around the arc it has to go, the shorter the straight line from you to the finish position of the ball will be. The longest shot has to be the straightest.

Ask Bubba, he moves it a bit and he isn't short...

 

[tsped83]

I can't hit a draw to save my life, but as a 21 handicapper, I don't much care! I can hit it straight (sometimes) and that is enough for me. Trying to execute a draw complicates things unnecessarily for me and I don't really see why people are so hung up on 'shaping' the ball so often. Hit it straight and you won't go far wrong.

Now a slice I can do on command...