Fade or Draw?

Interested to know what people prefer. I have always tried to play a draw and hit the ball longer that way but found every so often my draw would be very uncontrollable. I also had a tendency over time to subconciously close my stance more and more until I was effectively hooking the ball straight

The last few weeks Ive actively squared everything up, got my backswing a little steeper and wider (club in front of me) and finished higher. Ive found I can play a very controllable cut this way, the more I open up the more it cuts. It takes some distance off sure but the way I seem to have so much more control (esp on irons into greens) im thinking i'll happily take a club extra going into greens traded off against the accuracy im getting

I've always fought off a fade but I've found that a draw can easily become a hook... So, why not hit moft of 'em straight?

I would always go for the draw. Not only does it go further, but it tends to be a lower shot - useful on the course where I play which can be windy. Just feels easier to control for me but, then, I actually struggle to hit a fade.

I guess, the real question is; what sort of swing do you have? If your natural swing produces a fade, work with it and don't try to change it.

Sorry, I meant most not "moft"...

Now here in the UK its been a very dry spring (so far) and the fairways/greens are hard, I find it better to hit high cuts into greens and stop the ball quickly. I also find I can get some spin with a cut

Natural swing? Dont have one. Its always a struggle! I can work the ball both ways but find more control over a fade than a draw. Although I lose up to 30-40 yards with a driver playing a fade im not finding I hit one or 2 big hooks a round straight into the rubbish

I guess my point is I find it much easier to guage a fade (i.e. 10 yards from the left, 20 yards into a left to right wind etc) than I do with a draw where I feel its always a bit of a lottery for me although the distance is always good

Having played a lot of competition tennis as a younger (read fitter) fellow, my natural shape of shot is a draw. My best guess is that after years of trying to hit top spin forehands on the tennis court, I have no problem whatsoever rolling my wrists through impact.

Given I don't play all that regularly and I hardly if ever hit practice balls, consistently timing the rolling the wrists is a problem. Sometimes the draw becomes a massive pull hook.

On most of the courses I play, it isn't always possible to set up to start the ball way right to allow for the hook. Many times, where I can set up on the left side of the box and aim way right, I will hit it straight and finish way right, just where I aimed.

It is definitely all part of the fun of this great game.

I love it simply because it challenges me and affords me the opportunity to learn about myself as we go.

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Look at the Target, Look at the Ball, Swing... Dr Bob Rotella...

Draw, or fade? Kind of trade off for me. What ever ball flight I have off the first tee is what I play the rest of the round with. However, I think that if a person can control a draw, that is the better ball flight. Better yet is being able to hit both a draw, and a fade as required, do to course conditions, and terrain is the absolute best way to go. GJS

I would absolutely agree with you. Drawing the ball requires an active hand/forearm action through the ball which of course relies on timing - whilst a fade does not - indeed you are actively trying to hold off the release a little. Its interesting to me that most of the great players played a fade (woods, jack, trevino etc) and im sure Hogan actively moved away from his draw to the Hogan fade as he got older to prevent the same occasional hooking issue im also battling against?

I now never try to hit a ball straight unless im under 120 yards in to a flag. The reason being a straight shot requires TOTAL perfection in terms of the club face striking the ball. I would guess even a pro could not guarantee to hit the ball dead straight more than 5 times out of 10. Thus setting up to hit a fade/draw gives you slightly more percentage for an off centre hit. Add in other factors like wind and green contours and I think you just get way more control in your game if you can learn to shape the ball consistently at least one way. To way the best percentage shot now seems to be the fade

JMHO

I'm of the camp that you should play the shot that is required (if you can. Sadly, I cannot). So, since I cannot play the shot that is required, I have to play my standard move - which is an OTT slice when I fail to keep turning and hit with my hands), and a little pull (if I keep turning) or pull hook (if I keep turning AND hit with my hands).

In other words, I play for pull-type misses early on in the round, then as I get tired, I play for slice-type misses.

If I could only have one ball flight, I'd pick a fade. Sure, you're not as long with a fade, but it's easier to hold a green with a fade than it is with a draw.

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I say it too often: If it's golf club shaped, you can play with it.

For the record, I'm a club doctor, not a swing doctor.

Out of interest have you tried strengthening your grip a little by turning the left hand to the right so the left thumb is on the side of the grip? You can then still have that slightly OTT move (which you need for a fade) but having the club face squarer at impact should negate the amount of spin put on the pull? Kind of work with what you have got but make it more controllable?

This is essence is how Im playing my fade and holding the club a little tighter in the fingers of my left hand

Got my new Golf Digest. Great article in the back in the "Breaking 100-80-90-70" section.

With wedges and scoring clubs, you should think of your swing like a Ferris Wheel. Upright and moves up and down, NOT around.

With your driver and fairway woods, you should think of your swing like a Merry-Go-Round. Moves around on a flatter plane, NOT so much up and down.

Now, personally, when I want to hit a fade, I use the "Ferris Wheel" approach. When I want to hit a draw, I use the "Merry-Go-Round" approach. I was actually going something about my "New Favorite Shot" which I found on the range the other day.

Some people swing better with a more upright swing, but I tend to see those people play fades. Those with flatter swing planes (like Tiger and his stinger) tend to play draws (Tiger can do both very well however). You have to find what works best for you. DON'T force a draw or a fade, the results are usually ****. If you don't think you can hit the "perfect shot" for the given situation, get creative. If the pin is close to the front and a high fade is the best shot, but you don't think you can hit it....try taking 1 additional club, gripping down, and hitting a punch shot that will chase up on the green. Stuff like that will go a LONG way for your game.

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Cleveland VP 2 Blade Putter
Ping Tour Wedges, 54 & 60
TaylorMade rac LT2, 4i thru PW
Tour Edge Exotics Iron-Wood 21* 3i - Aldila NV 90 Stiff Shaft
Ping G5 18* 5 Wood - ProLaunch Blue 75 Stiff Shaft
Ping G5 15* 3 Wood - Aldila NV 75 Stiff Shaft
Cleveland HiBore XL 9.5* - Fujikura Fit-On Red Stiff Shaft

It comes back to baseball, for me. Strengthening my grip too much encourages fanning the clubface open, then taking a cut at the ball (ie never shutting the face again). The poor thing about baseball is that you never have to square the bat up in a torsional sense - you can fan it open all you like, and it won't have a bit of impact on your hit.