How do pros shape the ball?

[jpquinn91]

I know the taught technique to fade or draw the ball is to aim left or right with the body and swing down that line with an open or closed club face but is this how the pros do it or do they use their hands, or both?

I find it easier, more natural to use my hands to manipulate the club face although it's not always reliable. Just wondering if I should be practicing the taught method or stick with what is natural.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I know the taught technique to fade or draw the ball is to aim left or right with the body and swing down that line with an open or closed club face but is this how the pros do it or do they use their hands, or both?

I find it easier, more natural to use my hands to manipulate the club face although it's not always reliable. Just wondering if I should be practicing the taught method or stick with what is natural.

Anyone teaching that technique is wrong. The clubface dictates the initial direction of the ball. It's relationship to the swing path dictates if you fade or draw.

I don't know what you play off of but unless it's low single figures, I wouldn't worry too much about trying to shape the ball.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I know the taught technique to fade or draw the ball is to aim left or right with the body and swing down that line with an open or closed club face but is this how the pros do it or do they use their hands, or both?

I find it easier, more natural to use my hands to manipulate the club face although it's not always reliable. Just wondering if I should be practicing the taught method or stick with what is natural.

It all depends when you are trying to do it, the ball flight laws are constantly changing. How you did it last week won't work next week

 

[jpquinn91]

Yeah, I know... I meant open/closed clubface in relation to the swing.

I play off 8 but should be lower. Sometimes it's necessary. I can shape the ball, just inconsistently.

 

[DaveM]

Im more than happy to hit it straight every now and then.anything else would just confuse me.

 

[the_coach]

I know the taught technique to fade or draw the ball is to aim left or right with the body and swing down that line with an open or closed club face but is this how the pros do it or do they use their hands, or both?

I find it easier, more natural to use my hands to manipulate the club face although it's not always reliable. Just wondering if I should be practicing the taught method or stick with what is natural.

Unless it's some one with the skill sets of a Bubba, or some rare other folks, Lefty etc, the club face should never be manipulated, because of the last part picked out in bold. But my take would be it's never really reliable.

The bit in italics isn't how you either fade of draw the ball either. This vid shows you a reliable ways to fade the ball, I'll post the draw version up as well.
Hope it helps simplify the confusion that always surrounds the issue.

[video=youtube_share;516tSNfIBDs]http://youtu.be/516tSNfIBDs[/video]

 

[the_coach]

Note that the paths & face angles through impact for either a fade or a draw is opposite to the first sentence in your OP.

[video=youtube_share;shMrz6vKVcA]http://youtu.be/shMrz6vKVcA[/video]

 

[RGDave]

I don't know what you play off of but unless it's low single figures, I wouldn't worry too much about trying to shape the ball.

I'll remember that next time I hit a 190 yard 7 iron with 20 yards of draw.

around a tree....

(not that I did that today or anything....)

 

[JCW]

I know the taught technique to fade or draw the ball is to aim left or right with the body and swing down that line with an open or closed club face but is this how the pros do it or do they use their hands, or both?

I find it easier, more natural to use my hands to manipulate the club face although it's not always reliable. Just wondering if I should be practicing the taught method or stick with what is natural.

A slice is not shaping the ball nor is a hook , its a poor golf swing .......................EYG

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I'll remember that next time I hit a 190 yard 7 iron with 20 yards of draw.

around a tree....

(not that I did that today or anything....)

20yds is a hook :ears:

 

[davidy233]

At the Taylor Made SDLT day Justin Rose adjusted his tee height to hit different shots - he got a single figure guy out of the crowd and improved the guy's flight by getting him to move the ball back in his stance - turned a big hit but right to left into a big hit with a gentle draw - not sure if he's available for lessons though

 

[jpquinn91]

I'm not confused about how to fade or draw the ball. That wasn't the question, I've seen all the drills before, I just find it quite hard to actually put it into practice, especially for a draw, to get the club head to turn over a little.

I think I use my hands too much, it's bad for consistency but I can hit different shots. I just wondered if it's a habit I should try to get out of or whether good players actually do this too?

 

[jpquinn91]

A slice is not shaping the ball nor is a hook , its a poor golf swing .......................EYG

No one mentioned a slice or a hook...

 

[the_coach]

Perhaps thats where the confusion lies, the club head isn't, shouldn't be turning over through strike at all. It's not about rotating the face through impact with the hands or forearms to get a fade or a draw, do that & you'll get inconsistency including hooks & pushes, big overfades to slices.

To hit a draw the face you have to deliver the face open to the target line so facing to the right by a few degrees, but closed to the slightly more rightways of the path. The reverse is true for a fade. But to do both (fade/draw) it's just a natural release no hand manipulation at all, brought about by aim, path & the body rotation through the strike, that's what gives you consistent results with either shape.

As both the videos I put up explain if you watch through carefully. You say your not confused & that not the question but in the way they the question is phrased by what your trying to do in practice it seems you still are, some.