“You can talk to a fade, but a hook won’t listen.”
—Lee Trevino
You’ve been playing golf long enough to know that, on the course at least, the shortest path between two points is rarely a straight line. To improve your scoring, you have to master the basic elements of shotmaking—working the ball from left to right and from right to left. The golf course never lets you rest. There are dogleg holes to contend with, tucked pins, wind conditions, trees and other obstacles. The player who has an idea how to affect the movement of the golf ball has a distinct advantage over the player who just hits and hopes.
In this chapter, we’ll cover two of the basic shotmaking elements—the left-to-right fade and the right-to-left draw. Whether you are a beginner, a scratch player or even a professional, you need to practice continuously to improve your shotmaking skills. As your shotmaking improves, you’ll find that not only are you playing better golf, you’re having more fun.
Most weekend golfers live in fear of the slice. To them, a fade is often guilty by association. You should not undervalue the fade as a shotmaking choice, however, no matter what your skill level. Many of the game’s greatest players built their games around a fade. Recreational golfers often complain about a lack of consistency in their games. The fade is probably the most consistent shot they could develop. The elements that produce a fade already exist in their swings, they simply aren’t tamed enough to soften the left-to-right movement of the ball so as to make it predictable and useful.
Even if a fade costs you a couple of yards off the tee, it will deliver greater accuracy and, for most golfers, find more fairways. On approaches to the green, a fade will fly high and land softly, just the characteristics you’re looking for in an iron shot. When executed properly, the fade is one of the most controlled shots in golf and should be the first step you take in building your shotmaking repertoire.
All great shotmakers have great “eyes,” and not only in their heads. These players also have mastered the art of seeing with their mind’s eye. One of the most important things you can add to your preshot routine is visualization. Stand behind the ball and imagine the shot coming off just as you planned it, starting slightly left of the target and gradually bending back to the right. This visualization establishes a goal that your mind will work to achieve. In other words, with proper visualization you begin to move toward execution rather than simply swinging and hoping.
The first adjustments you need to make to produce a left-to-right fade come during the setup. By adjusting your setup, you can influence the path of your swing and the angle of the clubface at impact—the two principal factors in curving the golf ball.
Start with club selection. A faded shot will fly slightly shorter and run less than a straight shot, so start your preparation by taking one or even two clubs more than usual, depending on the amount of curve you are playing. You must also remember that less-lofted clubs will tend to produce more left-to-right movement on the ball than shorter clubs with more loft. So if you really need to bend the shot, you should consider a longer, less-lofted club.
Proper alignment is crucial to producing a shot that performs as you have visualized it. For the basic fade, start by aligning your clubface at the target, just as you would for a straight shot. Your body alignment and the path of your swing will apply the proper spin to make the ball curve.
In this basic fade technique, the degree to which you open your body at address dictates the amount of curve you will get on the shot. Many high-handicappers make the mistake of fighting left-to-right ball movement by opening up even more so they’re aiming farther left. This will only cause more left-to-right movement, since the club will cut across the ball at a greater angle, imparting more sidespin.
Align your feet, knees, hips, shoulders, arms and eyes down the line on which you want the ball to start. Play the ball about two inches forward of where you normally play it in your stance. This ball position complements an open body position and encourages a higher trajectory. Before gripping the club, make sure the clubface is still aligned at the target. Now, use a slightly tighter than normal grip pressure in both hands for the fade. A tighter grip pressure will help you delay the release of your hands so they don’t close the clubface prior to impact.
Now just make a regular golf swing, swinging the club back along the line of your shoulders. The adjustments you have made to your setup and alignment will cause the clubhead to swing slightly across the target line on the backswing and then “cut” the ball through the hitting area.
A good fade setup has the clubface aimed at the target, with the body aligned to the left in order to create the left-to-right shape of the shot.
Focus on your rhythm, particularly the transition between your backswing and forward swing. The most common flaw that will turn a fade into a slice is starting the downswing too quickly with the upper body. Instead, concentrate on fully completing the backswing and starting down gradually, allowing your arms, hands and clubhead to accelerate into the impact area. Rotate your upper body to the left as you swing into your finish, being sure to fully complete the shot.
Remember, the key to the fade is to start the ball to the left and work it back the same distance to the right. If you can do that, you’ll have a powerful tool in your shotmaking bag.
The alignment-based fade technique we’ve discussed in the past few pages will definitely teach you to hit a left-to-right shot. But I’ve found that the majority of my Tour students have developed their own subtle ways of creating a fade. You may find some of these methods useful in certain situations.
The Outside-ln Swing Path To hit what I call the path fade, align the clubface not to the end target but along the line on which you want the ball to start. Now open your body correspondingly. Still using the setup adjustments we discussed in the previous section, make an exaggerated out-to-in swing, swinging the club back outside the shoulder line. You may feel like you’re lifting the club with your arms and your hands, reducing the amount of body turn. That’s okay. As you swing through the ball, make a conscious effort to cut the shot, swinging across the original target line. Maintain a firm grip pressure to prevent your hands from fully releasing. The direction of your swing path as you approach impact will control the amount of fade on the ball.
The Reverse Release If you’re like most golfers, you strive for a full and fast release in order to get maximum distance. To hit a fade, however, you want to limit the release of the hands. By increasing your grip pressure at address, you have taken a big step toward delaying your release at impact, but now, as you swing through the shot, I want you to get the feeling of leading with your hands and resisting the release. You should feel that your hands are leading the club head into the hitting area. Keep them ahead of the clubhead as long as possible. Rather than allowing the right hand to take over, think of a finish in which the clubhead is above your head, with the left arm slightly bent in a “chicken-wing” position.
To create a path fade, swing the golf club to the outside of the target line on the way back.
Another way of fading the ball is the reverse release, characterized by the “chicken-wing” position of the left arm.
The Weak Crip Some players have very sensitive hands and have the ability to alter their shot shapes by making slight adjustments to their grips. You may want to try weakening your left-hand grip, gradually turning it to the left until you see one or no knuckles at address. A weakened grip will cause you to swing the club more with your hands and arms and will also inhibit the release—perfect launch conditions for a fade.
Experiment with these methods of hitting the fade. As you do, make mental notes of what kinds of trajectories and shapes these various adjustments produce. You may find that a combination of setup, path and release modifications work best for you. Be sure to integrate faded shots into your practice routine. That’s how you develop the feel that good shotmakers are known for.
GREAT FADERS
If you think that playing a fade is really just giving in to your slice, consider that some of the best players the game has ever seen faded the ball consistently. That’s because a repeatable fade keeps the ball on target and in play.
Lee Trevino Though Lee Trevino is one of the greatest ballstrikers in golf history, his bread-and-butter shot was the low fade. Learning the game on the windswept plains of Texas, he knew that keeping the ball low to the ground and being able to predict its movement in flight would let him play with confidence. That confidence allowed him to become one of the top players of his generation and to remain on top throughout his career.
Jack Nicklaus Nicklaus redefined the way the game was played when he emerged from an outstanding amateur career in 1962. With power to spare, Nicklaus focused on strategy and control. By developing a high fade, particularly with his long irons, he was able to go after pins that no one else could touch—without taking big gambles.
Ben Hogan Plagued by an uncontrollable hook early in his career, Hogan poured his legendary work ethic into producing a hook-proof swing. His success spawned hundreds of analyses and articles about “Hogan’s secret.” After making the transition to the fade, Hogan won nine major championships and etched his mark on golf.
Fred Couples When you watch Fred Couples swing the golf club, what strikes you is the easy tempo he is able to achieve. He minimizes his body motion and lets his hands and his great timing do a lot of the work. In order for this to happen, he sets up in an open position and makes a classic fade swing. Looking at the consistency and longevity he’s achieved in his career, it’s hard to argue with his method.
ON THE COURSE
Living with a Slice
Unless you’re an advanced golfer, there will be days when your slice just won’t come under control. While you should continue to work on the fundamentals of producing a more moderate and controlled fade, there are some things you can do during a less than perfect ball-striking round to incorporate the ball’s movement into your game.
Align yourself to the left of the target to allow for the left-to-right flight of the ball. Visualize both the starting and finishing position of the ball. Remember that the longer, less-lofted clubs will impart more sidespin for more left-to-right movement, so adjust your alignment accordingly.
Use the entire tee box. If you tee up on the far right side of the tee box, you’ll open up more of the left side of the fairway, allowing more room for your natural shot shape.
Consider a set of offset clubs. Offset clubs, where the clubhead is positioned slightly behind the shaft, help keep your hands in front of the ball and give the clubface more time to square up before impact.
Play a two-piece ball. A two-piece ball that produces less backspin will also produce less sidespin.
If you polled average golfers and asked them to pick the shot they’d most like to hit consistently, the draw would be an overwhelming winner. Golfers see the draw as the mark of a good player, and with good reason. In order to produce a reliable draw that starts to the right of the target and gently curves back, you have to have good fundamentals and excellent tempo, rhythm and timing.
The mistake I see most golfers make when they try to hit a draw is overexaggerating the role of the hands in the release. They end up releasing the club too early and hitting either a smother-hook or a dead-left pull. In reality, with a few simple setup and swing adjustments, anyone can hit a draw.
To draw the ball, aim the clubface at the target and position the body on a line to the right of the target.
The proper backswing path for the draw is to the inside of the target line.
The first modification you need to make is with your club selection. A draw produces right-to-left overspin. Generally, a right-to-left shot will fly lower and roll more than a left-to-right shot, so I recommend dropping down a club. In other words, if your standard 150-yard club is a 7-iron, but you plan to hit a draw to the target, go to an 8-iron.
Now you’ll need to align yourself properly to encourage a right-to-left movement of the ball. With the clubface aimed at the target or even closed slightly so that it points just left of the target, align your body to the right, along the line you want the ball to start on.
Play the ball back one or two inches from your normal ball position. Lighten your grip pressure slightly in both hands to encourage a good release through the hitting area. A slightly stronger grip will also help you draw the ball. To achieve a stronger grip, rotate your hands to the right until the you can see two or three knuckles on your left hand at address and the V between your thumb and index finger on your right hand points to the outside of your right shoulder.
The most helpful swing key for hitting a draw is to stay relaxed. Take a few waggles before the swing. Waggle the club back far enough so that you can begin to feel the swing path. Tension in your hands and arms will restrict the proper movement of the body and the clubhead and will prohibit a good release. Swing through the shot toward the point where you want the ball to start. By approaching impact from an inside path, you’ll help the clubface naturally close as you release through the ball to produce the draw spin. Concentrate on making a good, fast release, with a low follow-through. If you work on these fundamentals, I think you’ll find that the draw is easier to hit than you ever imagined.
The follow-through of a draw swing has right arm rotated over left and a low finish.
LPGA Hall of Fame member and 1999 U.S. Women’s Open champion Juli Inkster recently came to me and said she wanted to convert her standard shot from a fade to a draw. I reminded her that she had had great success throughout her career using the fade as her bread-and-butter shot. But she felt that her swing had gotten away from her and that she was losing power—and strokes—by being limited to a left-to-right shot. Over the course of the next season, Juli and I worked on the mechanics of the draw, and gradually her game began to change. She is now in the middle of the most prosperous stretch of an already great career. By drawing the ball, she has gained distance off the tee and confidence in her swing. Rather than feeling that she is hemmed in by her swing and shot type, she has taken control. The confidence you gain is one of the unseen benefits of honing your shotmaking skills. When you know you can make the ball do what you want it to do, you’re poised for success.
Club up one or two clubs (e.g., the distance calls for a 6-iron, but use a 5- or 4-iron when fading the ball)
Open the clubface first, then grip the golf club
Aim clubface at the end target
Align body where you want the ball to start (to the left)
Position ball two inches forward
Tighter grip pressure in both hands
Swing along the line of your shoulders in the backswing and forward swing
Focus on a smooth transition to start the forward swing
Maintain a firm grip pressure throughout the swing
Outside-in swing path
Reverse release
Weak grip
This shot will fly higher and roll less than normal
Less-lofted clubs produce more sidespin than more lofted ones
The amount you open your clubface and body determines the amount of curvature
Setup and swing increases the effective loft of the club you’re using
Know the trajectory and amount of curve for different clubs
Know how the fade affects distance control
Visualize the left-to-right ball flight
“Hang on”—keep hands and wrists firm through the shot
Drop down one or two clubs (e.g., the distance calls for a 6-iron, but use a 8- or 7-iron when drawing the ball)
Close the clubface first, then grip the golf club
Aim clubface at the end target
Align body in direction you want the ball to start (to the right)
Position ball two inches back
Lighter grip pressure in both hands
Swing along the line of your shoulders on the backswing and forward swing
Release hands and forearms fully through the hitting area
Low finish
This shot will fly lower and roll more than normal
The setup and swing reduces the effective loft of the club you’re using
The amount you close your clubface and body determines the amount of curvature
Know the trajectory and amount of curve for different clubs
Know how the draw affects distance control
Visualize the right-to-left ball flight
Stay loose—allow the toe of the club to pass the heel through the hitting area to close the clubface
Low finish
Golf is not a game you can easily master. And though the shots you’ll find in this book are simple enough that anyone can use them, you will be much better off if you practice to develop consistency. Consistency isn’t always about avoiding scrambling. Preparing for your difficult situations is one of the most vital keys to good golf.
At the end of each chapter, you’ll find a short section on practicing the shots discussed in that chapter. I recommend that you integrate these drills and games into your practice routine. Not only will practicing these shots help you become a better player, it will make your range time more fun.
There are two basic types of practice—fundamental and competitive. In fundamental practice, you work on the technique required to successfully make a shot. Competitive practice introduces game-day Simulation so that you get the feeling of making the shot when there’s something riding on the outcome.
Most of the competitive practice you’ll read in these pages focuses on the five-ball drill. The five-ball drill is simple. You have five tries at the shot. Using your own standard of an acceptable result, try to make three of five shots acceptable. Give yourself three chances (three sets of five shots) to achieve the goal. If you achieve it before the third set, you’re done. But next time, up the ante by making it your goal to hit four acceptable shots out of five. I think you’ll agree that competitive practice produces results. Good luck!
Being able to curve the ball from left-to-right and from right-to-left demonstrates your ability to control your body and the clubface at impact. Practice the following drills to help you master the fundamentals of shotmaking: curving the golf ball.
Set up a workstation on the range to practice imparting fade and draw spin on the golf ball. Lay one club down parallel to the target line. Lay another club down to indicate the starting direction of the ball (to the left for a fade, to the right for a draw). Using a 5-iron, aim the clubface so the leading edge is perpendicular to the target line, and align your entire body along the club that indicates the starting direction. Hit curving shots, imagining the shape and trajectory as you hit each shot. Take note of the starting direction of each shot and where the ball ends up relative to your end target. Notice how much carry and roll is produced with each shot when you fade and draw the ball. Also notice the trajectory produced with each shot—this is especially important if you need to curve the ball out of trouble and back into play. Then experiment at working the ball by changing 1) the amount you open and close your clubface and your body alignments, and 2) strengthening and weakening your grip. Your goal is to discover the setup and swing adjustments that make it the easiest for you to hit fades and draws while controlling distance and maintaining accuracy.
You can chart your progress at executing fades and draws on the range by using the five-ball drill. You’ll use your odd clubs for this drill during one practice session, and your even clubs the next session—that way you will be using all your clubs and balancing out your practice between short irons, mid-irons, long irons and woods. Start by choosing a target on the range. If you start with your odd clubs, you’ll hit your SW, 9-iron, 7-iron, 5-iron, 3-iron, 3-wood and driver. Your goal is to hit three of five what you would consider acceptable fades or draws with each club to your target, and you’re allowed three attempts before you move on to the next club. Acceptable will, of course, be different for different players, but your score should take into consideration how effectively you 1) impart the desired spin and, 2) control distance and accuracy.