Being able to hit draw or fade shots on the golf course is a great skill to have in your arsenal and can dramatically improve your game. If you want to become a better player, you need to start incorporating draws and fades into your game.
Draws and fades might sound like complicated and challenging shots to hit, but they don’t have to be. With a few tips and a bit of practice, you’ll soon be hitting draws and fades much more naturally and successfully.
What are draw and fade shots?
Draw and fade shots are basically shots that curve rather than travel in a straight line. When hitting a draw or fade, a golfer controls the movements of the golf ball in a way that makes them curve to the left or right side.
For right-handed players, a draw is a shot that curves from right to left, while a fade is a shot that curves from left to right. The opposite is true for left-handed players. (Please note: all the directions in this article refer to right-handed golfers. Information can be reversed for left-handed golfers.)
Why curving the ball can be useful
There are a few good reasons why many golfers favour hitting draw or fade shots. In particular, the draw is one of the most useful and desirable shots in golf. Advantages of hitting draws and fades include:
- A draw is a highly consistent shot – the technical makeup of the swing for hitting a draw means that the ball has a much higher percentage of hitting the centre of the golf club.
- A draw is easier to control and repeat than a straight shot.
- A draw generally leads to more distance and accuracy.
- A draw can help a golfer minimise the damage caused by a mis-hit.
- A draw doesn’t need as much correction work in the swing to achieve a strong impact.
- A draw has a more penetrating ball flight and will cut through the wind more effectively.
- A fade often has more control and accuracy.
- Fades offer a softer landing, as they will come down at a steeper angle and thus will not bounce and roll as much.
- Draws and fades can help you better attack a pin or get around hazards.
If you want to shape your shots like the pros, here are some pointers to get you started hitting draws and fades.
How to hit a draw
The setup
Setting up correctly is the most important thing you can do to hit a draw. Rather than trying to change your swing or the angle of your club face, most of the work for achieving a good daw should be done at address. Here’s how:
- Start with your feet and body closed to your target line.
- When standing behind the ball, imagine a straight line between the ball and your target.
- You need to aim your club face at your target, then align your stance towards the right. Make sure your shoulders, hips and heels are aligned slightly to the right of your target.
- Keep your club head aimed along your target line.
- Find a leaf, twig or some other visual sign that’s on this target line and is a metre or two (or less) in front of your ball. You’ll need to aim for this when you swing.
- Use a strong grip to encourage a draw. Put your left hand at the top of the grip, with your wrist turned towards your body so that you can see some of the knuckles. Cover your left thumb with your right hand, keeping the right-hand crease angled to your right shoulder, and with palms facing each other. This stronger grip will allow your wrists to roll over more easily at impact.
The swing
- Swing where your body is aimed to make the ball curve from right to left. Swing along your body line, not the target line.
- Aim your clubface at the visual sign you selected at setup.
- Keep your right shoulder high and rotate towards the target (try to rotate more horizontally than vertically), which encourages the club face to close at impact. This should help set up a curve to the left.
- Straighten your right arm out on the downswing right when your club begins to come down, creating good club head speed and a right to left flight path for the ball.
- Keep your right shoulder back as long as possible.
- Keep the toe of the club in front of the heel of the club during the swing and follow through. This will cause your right arm to cross over your left arm at the point of contact.
When you perform these steps correctly, the ball should start to the right of the target, then draw to the left as it travels towards the target.
For more tips on how to get more distance off the tee, click here.
How to hit a fade
The setup
Similar to a draw, the bulk of the work of hitting a successful fade should be done at setup rather than through the swing. To get your setup on point, do this:
- Tee the ball low to help your swing level out more at impact.
- Line up the centre of the ball with the sweet spot of your club.
- Start with your feet and body open to your target line.
- When standing behind the ball, imagine a straight line between the ball and your target.
- Aim the face of your club towards where you want the ball to land, then align your body to the left.
- Keep your club head aimed at your target line.
- Set your feet, making sure your stance is well to the left. The lines of your body (knees, hips and shoulders) should all point where your feet point.
- Use a weaker grip to hit a fade, which involves rolling your right hand over the club, so that you can see the knuckles in your right hand but not your left. In other words, move your grip over to the left a little – but not too much or you’ll end up hitting a slice rather than a fade.
The swing
- Swing the club towards where your body is aimed to make the ball curve from left to right. Swing along your body line, not the target line.
- During the swing, think about making your shoulder work down and under – it should rotate vertically rather than horizontally, which encourages the club face to open slightly at impact. This should help set up a curve to the right.
- Try and keep your left hand on top of your right hand for as long as possible.
- Keep the club face square to your release path.
- Hit with a slightly open club face, so that the heel of the club is more in front of the toe. This will help give you the left to right movement of a fade.
- Swing evenly without turning your hands over, and don’t overswing.
When you perform these steps correctly, the ball should start left of the target, then fade to the right as it travels towards the target.
For more tips on how to improve your long game, have a read here.
Common problems golfers encounter with draw and fade shots
- As mentioned above, if you move your grip to the left too much when trying to hit a fade, you’ll end up hitting a slice instead, which is usually not what you want.
- Gripping the club too tight can prevent your hands from releasing at impact.
- Having an open club face at impact makes it impossible to hit a draw.
- Failing to adjust your aim to account for your club will lead to some big misses – keep in mind that the longer your club, the more it will draw, so adjust your aim accordingly.
- Trying to manipulate the club face during your swing is not the way to hit a draw or fade – just make sure your setup is correct and swing as you normally would.
You’ll need to practice these shots consistently to start to feel comfortable hitting them. Once you get comfortable and confident, incorporate draws and fades into your game – you’ll notice the difference. Good luck!
For more on how to practice like you’re playing, have a look at this short video.
