What is the difference between a fade and a power fade?

harpo_72

Journeyman Pro
Joined
Feb 20, 2013
Messages
5,502
Visit site
I was playing the other week with a guy who is a good golfer, but he was having a bit of a nightmare. He had been told to do a power fade by his teaching pro, and was generally struggling with where his hands were within the swing. Now I am a bit of the opinion that playing the fade is generally for a right hander something you should only do if the movement is small and its your bread and butter shot. To actually seek it out when you play a relatively straight to draw shot seems mad. But I don't understand how it is a power fade and not just a fade, is there some swing differences?
Also at my course there is more trouble right than left... Having enjoyed a few snap hooks of late I can say they have had very little affect on getting to the green but the blatant block or slice out right has had me well and truly stuffed!!
 

HawkeyeMS

Ryder Cup Winner
Joined
Mar 26, 2010
Messages
11,503
Location
Surrey
Visit site
A power fade to me is when you intend to hit a fade. i.e. you hit a good shot, with good contact that fades deliberately. A fade is just a baby slice which lacks power. The term power fade is only there so the "baby slicers" can call their shots a fade without having to accept they aren't hitting it very well :whistle:
 

Jack991

Assistant Pro
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
118
Location
Aylesbury
Visit site
A power fade to me is when you intend to hit a fade. i.e. you hit a good shot, with good contact that fades deliberately. A fade is just a baby slice which lacks power. The term power fade is only there so the "baby slicers" can call their shots a fade without having to accept they aren't hitting it very well

I would disagree, although it is a shot that is intended to fade from left to right slightly I wouldn't say that it necessarily lacks any power, obviously it won't travel as far as draw but you can still get plant of distance if you play the shot correctly :) I often use it on a dogleg right hole and start it down the left and hit it fairly hard to ensure that I still get plenty of roll, I also wouldn't say that it is for people who "aren't hitting it very well" as I think it is a useful shot for someone to have in their locker! Just because someone hits a fade doesn't mean they are slicer or aren't hitting the ball pure!
 

One Planer

Global Moderator
Joined
Feb 11, 2011
Messages
13,430
Location
Modsville
Visit site
I was playing the other week with a guy who is a good golfer, but he was having a bit of a nightmare. He had been told to do a power fade by his teaching pro, and was generally struggling with where his hands were within the swing. Now I am a bit of the opinion that playing the fade is generally for a right hander something you should only do if the movement is small and its your bread and butter shot. To actually seek it out when you play a relatively straight to draw shot seems mad. But I don't understand how it is a power fade and not just a fade, is there some swing differences?
Also at my course there is more trouble right than left... Having enjoyed a few snap hooks of late I can say they have had very little affect on getting to the green but the blatant block or slice out right has had me well and truly stuffed!!



Yes but what you really need to is the correct ball flight laws an D plane to understand exactly what is happening :D

I only tend to hear commentators saying this when Bubba is on the tee. That's going to be curving a good 30-40 yards in the air to its inteded target.

FWIW, I agree with Bob :thup:
 

robertz

Newbie
Joined
Jul 5, 2013
Messages
1
Visit site
Nothing at all wrong having a fade.. provided that its a true fade, that is just a slight "fall to the right" in the ball through its decent.

People today call a power fade a "power fade" since they are seriously in denial. A power fade can be a slice.. nothing a lot more. I guess it makes the golfer not sound like a hacker if they make use of the term "power fade".









 
Last edited:

USER1999

Grand Slam Winner
Joined
Mar 9, 2007
Messages
25,671
Location
Watford
Visit site
My coach wants me to hit a fade with my driver. Only about 4 yards though. It doesn't lose any distance at all over a 4 yard draw. The trick is to keep it low, and not open the face up.

To me, this is a power fade. Opening the face up and hitting a big carve is not a power fade, it's a weak fade or a slice.

The advantage over the draw is that it requires passive hands, which stops me from flipping my hands and turning my draw into a hook.

Its very much a work in progress.
 

CMAC

Blackballed
Banned
Joined
Aug 5, 2011
Messages
15,121
Visit site
A power fade is a long fade, end of.

100yd skied shot that bends a wee bit aint no power fade.............the clues in the title
 

Fader

Tour Winner
Joined
Feb 14, 2012
Messages
2,533
Location
Medway, Kent
Visit site
A power fade is a long fade, end of.

Can't disagree with that... its just people adding the word Power to it so they don't feel inadequate to those machos with the big slinging draw!

Nothing wrong with a fade at all, I actually find it a more manageable shot and happy to be a Fader.
 

CMAC

Blackballed
Banned
Joined
Aug 5, 2011
Messages
15,121
Visit site
Can't disagree with that... its just people adding the word Power to it so they don't feel inadequate to those machos with the big slinging draw!

Nothing wrong with a fade at all, I actually find it a more manageable shot and happy to be a Fader.

your in excellent company, many many greats were/are faders and make millions
 

USER1999

Grand Slam Winner
Joined
Mar 9, 2007
Messages
25,671
Location
Watford
Visit site
btw "Power" fade? its just a slice, come on now people.

Not really. It's not a swing fault. You don't stand open, chuck the club from the top, swing wildly across the ball and slice the heck out of it.

Its the same swing as a draw, you just hold off the release.
 

Stuey01

Journeyman Pro
Joined
Sep 19, 2012
Messages
2,162
Location
Bristol
Visit site
obviously it won't travel as far as draw

Come again?
Gonna have to ask you to explain that one. It's just off axis backspin. No reason why one should travel any further than the other.

Power fade is just a rubbish term made up to apply to a proper well hit fade that travels as far as the equivalent draw. Had to be created because the term fade has been co-opted by slicers and now people think a fade is automatically shorter than a draw, as if the ball knows.
 
Top