To draw or not to draw that is the question?

[Parmo]

Well it seems after reading many posts on here from people Anti draw I just wondered if there was anyone pro draw?

When playing and I see people with a natural draw with the odd hook in their game, as someone who has what you might call a hellish battle with the dreaded slice I look at the draw/hook people with nothing short of envy .

My question is really, is it a moral reason why people dislike the draw clubs for example buying draw irons instead of getting lessons or working on the problem rather than buying a quick false solution, having said that is having custom fitted clubs which basically do the same thing except straighten your game not the same as a tailored draw?

 

[medwayjon]

I have a natural fade and would rather have that than a natural draw to be honest as it is less likely to get me into trouble.

Buying draw biased clubs isn't necessarily the solution adn with lessons and pratice the slice can be cured.

Remember as a slicer, aiming left will not cure the problem, in fact it will only open the stance more leading to a bigger slice, if you aim to the right (slightly closed stance) it should help reduce the slice.

If you are a straight hitter and it helps your game, there is no reason for not choosing draw bias clubs but to get them as a quick-fix to a technique problem is not necessarily the best bet in my eyes.

 

[Parmo]

I do have a natural fade, the problem with slicing is when I try and force it thats when it goes wrong.

I was wondered what the difference was between custom fit & buying draw clubs and why people are against one and not the other when in my eyes the are two of the same thing, but as a beginner I would like to understand the difference.

 

[birdieman]

draw bias clubs are for people who have accepted that they hit the ball from out to in and will therefore always fade/slice. They want to partly negate that effect by having clubs that are designed to turn over through impact because of weighting in the heel rather than learning how to get the club on the correct swing path themselves. Poor mobility and lack of takeaway width, leading the downswing with hands/arms instead of body and poor shoulder turn are common culprits for getting on an out to in swingpath.
Anyway I've nothing against draw bias clubs if it helps Mr Bloggs keep it straighter - he will enjoy the game more and score better.
Personally I have a natural draw so the last thing I would want is draw-bias clubs. I like to think I can move the ball either way if required (doesn't always work out that way though! )
Custom fitting can be taken to several levels right down to puring of shafts. I have nothing against it and do undertake it to a point in terms of shaft selection and grip size but I haven't felt the need to go through the formal process with a launch monitor measuring lie angles, lofts etc - you never know I may one day!

 

[USER1999]

I must be unusual in that I actually hit the ball pretty straight. I can draw it, but this can easily become a hook. I can also fade it, but slicing is unusual.

I think the thing with draw biased clubs is that someone is trying to buy an instant fix to a swing problem, along the lines of all the gear and no idea, when lessons could soon sort it out, but would require effort and practice.

 

[MVP]

Remember as a slicer, aiming left will not cure the problem, in fact it will only open the stance more leading to a bigger slice, ......

Ok im going to give an opinion on this comment dont kill me if you think im wrong its just my understanding of it !


If you have a slice and you aim centre fairway then you got half the fairway on the right hand side to aim your ball.

If you aim left of the fairway you will have more fairway to land your ball.

Where jon has said aiming left is not a good idea for slicers it will INCREASE your slice isnt quite right.

If you OPEN your STANCE to the left then yes you will encourage MORE SLICE...

but....

If you AIM your stance/shoulders/hips etc to the left AND your CLUBFACE TOO then it Will produce the same shot but will open the fairway up.

So what i thik jon is trying to say or maybe could of said is that if you aim left of the target, then aim your feet shoulders and clubface to your the left of the fairway. It will not improve a slice but it will give a slicer more room to work with.

And yes if you close your stance and aim your clubface straight then this will encourage a more draw shape. This is how i try and tackle Dogleg left shots being a straight/fade driver its probably the most difficult shot to pull off.


Hope this helps out.

 

[birdieman]

MVP you have a point - I remember reading about Faldo at one of the Masters he won in late 1980's deciding to take the left completely out of play by only playing his irons with a fade all week, he did this by set up alone. Massively talented golfer with a lot more bottle than today's UK 'stars' - Messrs Donald/Casey/Westwood/Monty/Clarke etc etc.

 

[USER1999]

Trouble is, most peoples idea of alignment is so bad, they haven't a clue how to aim left, and just open their stance.

 

[Parmo]

Do you move your front foot forward for a draw?

 

[RGuk]

I've been enjoying a draw for many years...but it was getting too dangerous and at my lesson, my pro decided enough was enough and we needed to calm down the in-out as my swing was getting flatter by the day and with almost no downward attack at impact......I could hit balls off tees, but almost nothing off the fairway.

I purchased a draw driver, and contrary to birdiemans opinion (I do listen to him!) it can assist a player with a slight push as much as a player with a small slice. When I got it, I was definately coming through a few degrees open, but as my swing has settled, trouble getting it square (or in harmony with the path) has lessened....hence the hooks.

I am happy to go back to a square faced/neutral driver.

Only you will know how it goes on a bad shot.....a draw club won't get you a draw if you are coming through from out-in, it'll just calm down the slice or go straight(er) left. However, if you can get your path straight (in-straight-in) and then "because" of the bias/offset you might get a lot more consistency.
Horses for courses, if any of us have a wicked uncontrollable slice, then working on technique is a cheaper and better fix for the whole game.

 

[birdieman]

Not really Parmo.
Draw - pick a target say 20 yards to the right of the actual target then line up normally to that new target (feet, knees, hips, shoulders all aligned). Now without altering you body set-up simply turn the clubhead to point at the original real target. Make sure you haven't turned your hands to the left, you grip normally but with the clubface closed a little. Now swing normally with a little inclination to turn the hands over through impact.
Do not have feet aiming right and shoulders aiming at target, everything should be aiming right except the clubface.

Reverse the above for a fade, also thinking about not turning the hands over through impact.

I'm sure half the forum will disagree with this but that's how it works. Get down the range and try it.

 

[Parmo]

Cheers birdie will try tomorrow, a day of 36 holes is planned for a little course practice.

 

[RGuk]

Do not have feet aiming right and shoulders aiming at target, everything should be aiming right except the clubface.

I'm sure half the forum will disagree with this but that's how it works. Get down the range and try it.

I'm agreeing for one!

 

[TonyN]

I have just purchased the callaway FTI in draw bias. I was a massive slicer and have been trying for 5 months to rectify it. It was getting to me so much i actually feared driving and started to dislike it, therefore using a 4 iron off the tee and lossing yards, always playing catch up. I went and tried various drivers and found the FTI to be superb. I can still slice with it, but after alot of practice at the range and on the course, i am now able to hit a drive down the middle about 230-250 yards on a good day. I now find i am enjoying golf 10 times the amount i was before because i dont have to stress about getting down the fairway. I am right handed and play with my right hand at the top, i think this was contributing to my slice and is something i can not rectify because i will never be able to use play left hand at the top. I for one, am for draw bias!

 

[The23rdman]

Have to say I think it's a nonsense to say one is better than the other. You can play great, good, average or woeful golf with either shot shape. I play with a slight fade when I'm not playing great and with a slight draw when I'm really firing my right shoulder through the shot.

 

[daveyboy17]

Jack nicklaus said that the hardest shot to hit in golf is a straight one! i think we should all strive to hit the ball both ways just like you parmo im stuck with a fade or a powerslice! so i too envy those who can draw the ball i would love to do it, but they say i draw off a tee and a fade into the green is best! i agree having draw biased clubs to solve a technical problem is just wrong in the long term it may be great for a quick fix which im not disagreeing with any of you out there who do this but thats what it is a quick fix i would rather slice it for the nect ten years (which i probably will) but eventually be able to bend it both ways, thats my goal anyway. everything i try to do i try to do it correctly and if it takes me a long time to achieve it then thats ok as long as i do eventually achieve it. That my view anyway and great post by the way lol all play well! except your drawers out there grrrrrr

 

[The23rdman]

Why? Most pros have a shot that they stick too for alomost everything. Ok, they probably can work it the other way, but they don't very often. You'll get much more out of the game by learning to hit it low or high at will then left and right.