What Is the Difference Between a Draw and Fade?
There are a lot of different things that professional golfers must do to improve their game and stay on top. Practice is, of course, one of the bigger aspects. Tiger Woods reportedly would practice for 13 hours consistently over several days.
However, what you do while you practice matters as well.
Golf is a knowledge game as well as an action game. You can just keep hitting the ball for those 13 hours and see what works. It's better, though, to learn what's worked for others and practice it.
Our Fort Myers golf lessons can teach you these techniques and help you improve on how to use them. Before you get to the Fort Myers golf course, though we'll give you a little sneak peek. Read on to learn a bit about the draw and fade shot techniques.
What Are the Differences Between Draw and Fade Golf Shots?
Expert golfers will put their bodies and clubs in particular positions to change how their golf shots will fly. This is called 'shot shaping'. By shaping their shots, golfers have more control over getting their ball to land in a particular spot.
Draw and fade shots are the names of two particular golf shot shapes. At the basic level, there isn't too much of a difference between them. They both cause the ball to fly in a curve shape down the fairway and, usually, land slightly to the side of the intended target.
The difference is in the direction the ball travels at the start and middle of this curve. A ball caught in a draw shot will start off moving to the right. Then, at the midway portion of the shot, it will turn and start going left.
The opposite is true for fade golf shots. The ball caught in them starts moving toward the right and then turns to the left.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Draws and Fades?
Despite how similar they seem, draws and fades don't completely share the same pros and cons. This is because of some of the different features that occur as the ball flies. For this reason, there are many golf tips to help golfers choose wisely between either of them in various situations.
Pros and Cons of Draw and Fade Shots
Still, both of these shots are excellent for guiding your ball around hazards such as trees and bunkers. They're also great for fairways that have a dogleg (bend) in them.
By hitting a shot over the rough, you're risking the matter that the ball could fall into the rough. A draw or fade shot will curve around the dogleg rather than over it and keep your ball in the green.
Pros and Cons of Draw Shots
Draw shots, for example, fly with a lower trajectory and less backspin than fade shots. This allows them to fly farther. Therefore, they're great for golfers whose shots are landing too short.
However, the sidespin from a draw shot puts you at a disadvantage when playing on dry and hard fairways. You also have to get your technique exactly right or else you're going to end up with an unwanted duck hook.
Pros and Cons of Fade Shots
Fade shots are better for golf course goers who are hitting their shots too far. The high trajectory and high levels of backspin cause it to travel a shorter distance.
The main problem with fade shots, though, is that it's easy for them to become a slice when the player hits the golf ball wrong.
How Can I Hit a Fade or a Draw Shot?
Golf classes such as ours should teach you a variety of techniques to hit draw and fade shots over time. There is, however, a particular pair of techniques that most beginners will find easiest to grasp.
Keep in mind that these techniques are for right-handed golfers. Left-handed golfers should switch left for right and right for left to get the best instructions.
The first step is to find your target. This can be the hole, but it doesn't have to be. You may want to play it safe and get your ball to land in another spot.
Set your tee down so that there's a straight line running between your target and the tee. You can use the handle of your club to get this to line up. Once you're ready, stand to the side of the tee and get into position.
For the Fade Shot
The main goal is to aim your body and club face in the direction that you want the ball to go.
For a fade (if you're right-handed), aim the face of the club so that it points slightly to the left. You should also do this with your left hip, foot, and shoulder, but point them more to the left. Your right hip, foot, and shoulder should be slightly farther to the right than the matching left body parts.
Once you have this position set, it's time to swing. Move the club along the line that your right and left feet make.
For the Draw Shot
The draw shot technique is pretty much the same. The difference is in the direction you're pointing your body and club.
Your club's face should aim slightly to the right of the target. Your hips, feet, and shoulders should point slightly more to the right than your club face. This should result in your left hip, foot, and shoulder being farther forward than the left ones.
Then you need to move your club to the right over the line that the tips of your feet make.
Take Our Fort Myers Golf Lessons and Better Your Game
Now that you know these techniques, you can practice them for 13 hours. You probably don't want to continue practicing these techniques once you master them, though. There are plenty of other techniques that can help you improve your game.
We can teach you these during our Fort Myers golf lessons. To get more information about these, call our Fort Myers golf course, The Plantation. You can also leave us a message on the linked page if you prefer.