Fading and drawing the ball

The Jack Nicklaus method is what I use as well essentially and I have totally agree with Mcdizzle. Your whole alignment must be parallel with your feet. Your club face is the only thing that stays the same.

If you are someone who draws the ball naturally, it is more difficult to fade the ball (and vice versa for someone who fades). So for a drawer (me), you will have to feel like you are making sure your wrist arent releasing and the opposite for a fader.

Now, for people who this doesnt work (and who usually hit it straight), here is another method that works also:

- For a draw, lean down slightly more from the waist
- For a fade, feel more upright

Then swing normally. (I think I read this from Tiger Wood's How I play Golf book). It does seem to work as well.

As has been stated, the key is to keep the club pointed at the target, then swing down the body (or toe) line. This will open or close your clubface respective to the swing.

It's the easiest way to work the ball, the concern is (like Walker has stated) that you either a) swing down the target line (creating a push or pull, and a horrible feeling swing) or b) you adjust your clubface so that when you swing down the body line, your clubface is square to the body line as well.

OK, this is what I was taught and it works for me.

First point: you cant shape the ball with wedges, they produce too much backspin that negates side-spin.

Next: align your feet in the direction you want the ball to take off, then rotate the club-face in your grip to the direction you want the ball to end (rotate the club in your grip, not by turning your wrists) this will create an open or closed club-face.

finally: Hit the ball with a normal swing in the direction of your feet, the open or closed club-face will apply side-spin that will bend the ball back to the direction the face is pointing. Its just physics, no black art required.

Regards
Brian

just open or close your stance to hit a draw or a fade.
Liam,

Liam

If you only open or close your stance what will happen is the ball will push off straight right or left in the direction of your aim. To get a draw the ball must have an amount of counter-clockwise side spin to bend it from right to left, this is achieved by closing your stance and hitting on an in to out path with the club-face pointing straight down the line, the opposite is required for a fade(open your stance and hit out to in) The same action but with excessive amounts causes a slice or hook by applying greater side spin. It's just physics!

Regards
Brian

Brian liam is right, just close or ope ur stance but dont have the club face aiming the same direction as your feet. Club face should point straight at the target but just open or close ur stance.

Its that simple :-)!

Close ur stance for a fade and open your stance for a draw? Where do you live? Mars?

Please look at my previous two articles, that's exactly what I said with the addition that you must hit on an In to out path for a draw, the opposite for a fade.

Regards
Brian

Dear Sir

Oh dear! I did make a mistake, maybe it's the thin Martian air affecting me. Thank you for pointing this out to me in your quaint Celtic manner.

Brian
Nano Nano

I love this thread................


All of you are saying the same thing aim the club face at the target and open (fade) or close (draw) your feet/body and swing along the line of your toes.


The point of my thread is none of you have mentioned how much, like the guy who says he hit a draw to a left hand pin position etc. To a degree he is spot on and I suppose subconiciously I do the same but please note that we are talking around ONE INCH of open or closed is enough to create the effect.

Please guys don't go rushing up to the range aiming your feet at the guy next to you, I blame Tiger with his unbelieveable escape shots aiming his body in directions only a snake could achieve.


Great thread.



Ian.

__________________
Once you learn the swing, your next step is mastering golf psychology................

Would I be right to assume that if, like me, you are using cavity backed "ganme improvement" irons that the very features that provide forrgiveness also make it harder to change the shape of a shot?

I don't think so. The cavity back will lower the centre of gravity on the club face which tends to make it easier to make a crisp contact with the ball. Shaping the shot is achieved by applying sidespin to the ball due to the clubface being open or closed at contact.

As mentioned previously it is difficult to shape a ball with a wedge, the high backspin negates any sidespin.

Regards
brian

Ah.

I had been practising this at the range with a pw - that might explain the lack of success.

cavity backs are perimiter weighted so it does make it harder to shape the ball. this is why cavity backs are much easier to control then blades as blades are not normally perimiter weighted

hope this helps

adz

Just thought I'd add, that especially for beginners (I think I'm just out of this bracket), only really try to draw with your driver and long irons. It will stop you slicing. It did with me.

Your shots also go much farther when you draw (why is this?) so take that into account if you are approaching the green.