fade or draw with driver?

[pingman93]

i always set up to the right as i draw the ball but i have just recently learned to fade the ball but i can not fade the ball everyshot need a bit off pratice but it is hand to be able to use both shape in your round if you can control it.

 

[Region3]

Ok this thread has strayed somewhat.

Does anyone have any practical setup preferences they use on how they draw and fade a driver? I am specifically interested in ball position changes.

I can't draw the ball on command, I wish I could.

The most common method I've heard about (but not tried) is to set up normally, aiming at your starting line, then move your right foot (rh golfer) back a few inches.

 

[Slime]

I can't draw the ball on command, I wish I could.

Stack & Tilt........................................................
Sssshhh...........who said that?

#####.

 

[Region3]

My natural shot shape is straight too, when i catch it right the ball goes straight down the line. Is this a rare thing? and also is it desirable?
Cheers
Pete

Firstly, do you mean "dead arrow straight" or roughly straight?

A pro that plays with a natural fade/draw, unless they were trying to move one around a corner, might only move the ball 10-15' in the air.
To a lot of people I play with that is classed as straight, and what they call a fade/draw would be a slice/hook to a pro.

I find it easier to visualise the shot if I aim straight and hope it doesn't move too much either way.
The problem with that is if I'm aiming a a flag cut on the left edge of a green and I don't know which way (if any) the ball is going to move, I might be dead on, middle of the green, or miss it altogether left.

A player that plays with a natural draw can aim at the middle of the green knowing that it isn't likely to go right of that so he'll finish middle of the green if it doesn't move or near the flag if it draws.

 

[Region3]

Stack & Tilt........................................................
Sssshhh...........who said that?

#####.

I tried it. Only for about 10 weeks admittedly, but it just wasn't for me as a long-term thing.
Not the swing pattern's fault I'll be the first to admit, but my body's inability to do what was requested of it.

I ended up so steep I made richart's divots look like air shots.

On the plus side I learnt a reasonable amount about the (and my) golf swing.

 

[JustOne]

My technique for my irons is as follows:

Draw - Aim feet/body right of target and clubface aiming more towards the target. Ball back in stance i.e. back of centre.

Fade - Aim feet/body left of target and clubface aiming more towards the target. Ball forward in stance i.e. forward of centre.

As you can see from my description the ball position, for me, changes to hit these shots. First off is this correct?

Hmmmmm...... I don't agree with either of these......

If you have the ball in the middle of your stance and then close your stance to the right is the ball now still in the middle? back in your stance? or off the front foot?

 

[JustOne]

In answer to your question (fade or draw with driver) I'd err on the side of FADE even though a draw is my natural shot... reason? The misses are better.

 

[bobmac]

If you have the ball in the middle of your stance and then close your stance to the right is the ball now still in the middle? back in your stance? or off the front foot?

I see this alot in bunkers. Ball centre then aim left....ball opposite the back foot

 

[jdchelsea]

it would be slightly back in my stance. I know what your getting at though if you change your stance the ball position moves relatively.

I suppose i setup as if i'm hitting right of target with the ball back in stance. i.e. the feet are set last. I dont setup for a neutral shot then make adjustments. not sure if that makes sense.

 

[jdchelsea]

in the below picture is the second picture for a draw correct (in your opinion) or should the ball position be further back or even forward.

ps i know some of you out there (yes JustOne i mean you ) wont agree with the neutral setup but humour me.

 

[bobmac]

To hit a draw, your swing path has to be, for example, in the direction of the right rough and your club face pointing at the right semi rough.
If you cannot swing in to out, you cannot hit a draw.
Unless you aim way right and hit a pull draw/hook.

As I said before, there are single figure golfers out there who can draw not fade and vice versa.
As a 19 h/capper, I would suggest you try and eliminate the slice and perfect your fade.
Then you will at least have a 'safe' shot to hit when there are trees, thick rough and OOB about.

 

[JustOne]

in the below picture is the second picture for a draw correct (in your opinion) or should the ball position be further back or even forward.

ps i know some of you out there (yes JustOne i mean you ) wont agree with the neutral setup but humour me.

I agree with both of those positions for a draw but it depends what you are doing with the clubface and swingpath for each.

The 1st position would favour a push-draw but it's hard to hit as you have to swing out so far with a clubface a few degrees open to the target line, difficulty being that it's hard to swing out with the ball forward in the stance and/or your weight hanging back (people often slice from this position as their swingpath ends up cutting across the ball by the time they get to impact).

The second pic would favour a slight pull-draw and is a bit easier to hit however general weaknesses in this method include swingpath going too deep on backswing (hook) hips don't open and clubhead flips closed (snap hook) or the face remains too open at impact (block).


There is also the consideration for each position of whether you are hitting up/level/down on the ball.... assuming you are hitting UP then the closed stance is preferable for driver only... I'd NEVER suggest position 2 for an iron.

 

[jdchelsea]

As a 19 h/capper, I would suggest you try and eliminate the slice and perfect your fade.

This is one of the reasons I want to try and learn to draw the driver to help eliminate the slice. I can hit a 3 and 4 iron as striaght as you like and can move it both ways but my driver fades at best and slices at worst.

 

[JustOne]

This is one of the reasons I want to try and learn to draw the driver to help eliminate the slice. I can hit a 3 and 4 iron as striaght as you like and can move it both ways but my driver fades at best and slices at worst.

Method 2 would suit you best for a draw... your slice probably comes from position 1 as I said above.

If you're a slicer I'd opt for playing a fade as you're naturally suited to hitting across the ball.....

Aim feet/hips/shoulders at left rough, clubface 5-10yds onto the fairway and swing along the line of your toes.... should give you 5-20yd fade ending somewhere just right of center.

 

[jdchelsea]

I agree with both of those positions for a draw but it depends what you are doing with the clubface and swingpath for each.QUOTE]

clubface aiming more towards target and swingpath aimed along body line further to the right.

 

[Alex1975]

I was a fade/slicer for years and years. I chatted to Bob about changing my "natural" shot and as it happens Kid2 did the same thing at the same time. Bob advised that it would be hard work and take a while and advised that we control our fade better and relish it. Kid took the advice and I pushed to make the draw natural. It seemed hopeless for ages, maybe a year but now my good shots are a draw. I would think that my draw shots are a club longer than my fade shots were/are and I have put a couple of balls into hazards off the tee with the extra length with the driver.

I set up a little right but not alot and I have my club head open, this means that its all about my swing path and weight shift. I have a flat swing anyway but I play for a flat swing to help the draw. I would not move my ball position with the driver as I do with irons as I do not want to hit down on my driver.

A lot more trust is required to hit a draw for me than a fade, a fade for me is a very defensive shot.


So for me its swing path(in to straight or in to out), setup a little right and trust!!! your swing. Head back, belly forward and do not get too busy with your hands as hooks are very destructive.


It is important for me to be able to move the ball around so I put alot of time into it, there are many golfers WAY better than me who are all about the "its not how its how many" but I like to control the ball for my own pleasure. Be aware that I am only talking about my good shots, I dont have total control of my ball and am not claiming to.

 

[jdchelsea]

If you're a slicer I'd opt for playing a fade as you're naturally suited to hitting across the ball.....

I only slice with my driver really. Hit the odd one with my long irons but mainly hooks are my bad shot with my irons.

 

[JustOne]

I only slice with my driver really. Hit the odd one with my long irons but mainly hooks are my bad shot with my irons.

You said in your 1st post that you close your stance with your irons... that's what's causing that to happen.

To draw an iron you should stand square, to draw a driver (hit on the way up) it's advisable to stand a little closed (different clubs = different alignment), as I said above I'd suggest you stick with trying to FADE your driver from an OPEN stance.... and draw your irons from a SQUARE STANCE.

 

[jdchelsea]

I set up a little right but not alot and I have my club head open, this means that its all about my swing path and weight shift. I have a flat swing anyway but I play for a flat swing to help the draw. I would not move my ball position with the driver as I do with irons as I do not want to hit down on my driver.

A lot more trust is required to hit a draw for me than a fade, a fade for me is a very defensive shot.


So for me its swing path(in to straight or in to out), setup a little right and trust!!! your swing. Head back, belly forward and do not get too busy with your hands as hooks are very destructive.


It is important for me to be able to move the ball around so I put alot of time into it, there are many golfers WAY better than me who are all about the "its not how its how many" but I like to control the ball for my own pleasure. Be aware that I am only talking about my good shots, I dont have total control of my ball and am not claiming to.

This is eactly the type of response i was looking for. I agree being able to move the ball either way not only aids my knowledge of my swing but also my enjoyment of the game.

I actually read something recently that said address the ball with the driver clubface open. it's not something I would thought to have tried but i'll give it go next time im out.

 

[Alex1975]

This is eactly the type of response i was looking for. I agree being able to move the ball either way not only aids my knowledge of my swing but also my enjoyment of the game.

I actually read something recently that said address the ball with the driver clubface open. it's not something I would thought to have tried but i'll give it go next time im out.

The first part of a balls flight is dictated by the angle of the club face, if you want it to start right to turn left then you have to open the club head at impact but you have to have your body closing. Have a read of the ball flight laws, as I don't want to miss quote. I had a little trouble understanding a particular part of it and Justone wrote it in English for me. Once you understand them you can then stop thinking about them as they become kinda natural but it is interesting.


Oh worth saying.... you will never hit a draw if you remotely come over the top with your swing.