Hitting a fade perfect 9/10.

[emery1990]

Just been up the range, I noticed this tonight and other times. I often practice my fades and draws. What I don't get us why I can hit my fades so well, my draws almost everytime but not as often as a fade, but my straight shots ( I try to hit with the slightest draw, by dropping my arms etc) but may hit them perfect 2/10 times, and with my long irons maybe 1/15 I'd hit it perfect. I feel the way I hit a fade I need to make enough space to get my right elbow through and I find I don't roll my wrists at all ( which is the main reason I hit bad shots I feel) or is there a common answer as to why I hit my fades so crisp and perfect. On my "straight" shots I feel I'm concentrating to much on that initial drop to get the draw working and I hardly ever get the crisp strike I do from the fade.

 

[Foxholer]

It's often stated that the Straight shot is the hardest in Golf.

But I believe that's because any 2-3 yard 'error' is much more obvious than in a Draw or Fade.

You may also have too high an expectation of 'perfect'. Nicklaus has stated that he generally only hit 2 or 3 'perfect' shots round. Mo Norman on the other hand would most likely claim close to the other way around - and could well be right!

I'd suggest you simply visualise the shot, then let the shot happen.

 

[JustOne]

my straight shots ( I try to hit with the slightest draw, by dropping my arms etc) but may hit them perfect 2/10 times, and with my long irons maybe 1/15 I'd hit it perfect.

I've highlighted your problem there, straight shots aren't slight 'draw swings', they are slight 'fade swings', (the club is OPEN TO THE PATH). For a straight shot the path is going LEFT but with a downwards angle of attack. You could try to hit a straight ball with a draw swing all day and not achieve it.... because it's impossible.

If you swing at (for arguments sake) 4 degrees LEFT, and DOWN at 8 degrees you will get a straight shot.... if you only hit down 4 degrees the ball will fade a little because you're not hitting down enough.


A 4 iron is generally hit DOWN about 4 degrees so then you'd need your path about 2 degrees left to hit a straight shot (it's too small to measure but you can try to get the INTENT correct) :thup:


The ratio (for irons) is for every 1 degree left you need 2 degrees down to hit a straight shot :thup:

 

[emery1990]

Thanks for some wise words! Yes I was just reading about that, my golf coach doesn't get me to hit a straight shot, he just gets me to have my normal shot as a the slightest draw, that's why I put straight "" as even though not straight, I don't set up for a draw or fade, ie closing my stance or opening and just shaping the shot with my downswing and coming in the in side. That's my problem I think, I do struggle in get my weight on front foot when hitting from normal shot, whereas with a fade the whole feeling just so much smoother and proper weight transfer. Guess a lessons and practice will sort it out. Maybe I do need to swing about like a fade, maybe I'm swing back to flat. Ill get some videos next time I go up the range.

 

[JustOne]

This is a video that explains a little bit about the difference with iron and driver swings for STRAIGHT shots..

[video=youtube;3v0vsK-0Crc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v0vsK-0Crc[/video]

If you have any questions please ask :thup:


If you are setting up SQUARE your ideal shot (ball flight with NO manipulation) should be a very, very soft draw 2-3yds.

You need to aim a BIT left to hit a straight shot, and MORE left to hit a fade because the path needs to be to the left of the face for both shots!

OR you can stand square and manipulate your path... but doing that is NOT using your natural swing and then it gets more complex as it involes a slight 'over the top' move... which is naughty