It's finally happened

[Stub]

Went to the range last night to work on my driving...or practice my weak fade! I have been following all the good advice on here and in GM and trying to convert my fade to a draw and add 20 yards or so. A couple of balls in the first 80 or so had a teeny weeny draw but then straightened.

BUT, ball no 86 (approx) set out slightly right and then had a draw of about 4 to 5 feet:whoo:.

Balls 87 to 100 straight or slight fade again. Had to get a further 50 balls to try and repeat ball no 86 but no luck (or skill?).

So, was it a fluke or have I proved that after a year of learning it can be done? Or, was ball 86 a special just pout in by the range to drive hackers like me to distraction trying endlessly to repeat the experience on a regular basis?

Looks like my local range (Snainton) will be getting more of my cash as I try to find ball 86 again.

 

[Oddsocks]

"personally" i wouldnt get hung up on a draw, although its longer it lands with alot more energy than a soft fade, which can give some right nasty bounces on baked somer fairways. yes its a nice shot to hit, but if i had a controlable fade in the bag as a natural shot id stick with it.

My natural shot was a draw, which on off days would be a strong draw, and on very bad days would be massive hooks..... good drives that hit middle of the fairway would bounce off and end in the cabbage, which is where cards are wrecked, Also from experience a soft fade will normally hold a hard green a draw on the other hand ive found wont.

 

[DaveM]

I hit a slight push fade with the driver. Moves about 5/10yrds in the air, 99 out of a 100 times. I have no intension of changing it. I tee up on the left side of the tee box, fire it up the right hand side of the the fairway. With luck it drifts back into the middle/left of fairway. Gives me more fairway to play with.

P.s. I'm a lefty.

 

[Mattyboy]

Alas Stub, I would wager that ball 86 had a slight dink or imbalance in it that made it fly that way!

 

[Threeoffthetee]

"but if i had a controlable fade in the bag as a natural shot id stick with it".

Wise words mate - What's more important being in the middle of the fairway or in the trees 20 yds further? If it's reliable and repeatable it's a shot to keep irrespective of the length, or mates boasting about their draw-flight. Monty played all his career with a fade and it didn't do him much harm.

I used to have a fade and then slice on bad shots which was a pain but bearable....I worked like you on the mythical draw, which I now have sometimes but its 50/50 whether it will be a draw or a snap-hook, which trust me beats a high-slice on the destructive stakes everyday as it goes so far left.

 

[keepersunion]

Ive played golf for only a year now, and have always wanted a draw. Not because its the 'good looking' shot, to impress playing partners, but because I see every shot as straight / draw. My eye simply cannot adjust to seeing fades, even after playing a year with a traditional slice. I don't slice anymore, and have learnt how to play little draws to big draws. If the draw is what you see on a hole, then proceed to see ball number 86. One word of advice though, its amazing for the tee shots, however trying to hold 5 iron draws that come out slightly lower on hard greens is a skill that I'm still mastering.

Now the funny bit, on my home course, there are around four or five shots that require faded tee shots to follow fairways etc. I find them so difficult now, and have found myself at the range learning to practice a fade, something I've always wanted to get rid of! Irony!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I can't move the ball left to right. I'd love to have a soft fade and to be honest if I was the OP providing it stays as a fade and not a slice I'd be working with what I had