How To Hit a Fade and a Draw

Curving the ball at will is a necessary skill for the advanced golfer, and it's not hard to do. Let's first review the impact geometry that will curve a golf ball. The direction the clubface faces at impact is the major determinant of the initial direction the golf ball starts along, club path having a lesser role. The ball will curve if the clubface is not square to the path the clubhead is moving along at impact. A clubface that is closed to the club path will curve the ball to the right. A clubface that is open to the club path will curve the ball to the left.

To curve the ball intentionally, some adjustments must be made to set up the desired impact geometry. We hope to keep them as simple as possible so that you have to make the least deviation from how you normally swing the club. Both the fade and draw will be hit with an open clubface. The difference between the two shots will be the aim point and the club path.

To fade the ball:

• Set up aiming at point A to the right of the target T. 
• Open the clubface so it faces point C, between point A and the target T (dotted line).
  
• Swing normally toward point A.

The ball will start to the left of the aim point A and curve further left (arrowed line) toward T, since the clubface facing C is open to the club path toward A.

To draw the ball :

• Set up aiming square at the target T.
• Pick a point A to the left of the target T.
• Open the clubface so it faces point C between points A and T (dotted line).
• Swing into the ball from the inside out toward point A.

The ball will start to the left of the aim point T, but curve right (arrowed line). Even though the clubface is open to your stance, it is closed to the club path, and the ball will draw. This push-draw is easy to hit and the open clubface gets the ball in the air. It avoids the risk of smothering the ball, which can happen by bringing the clubface into the ball closed.

When hitting into fairways or greens, these corrections to your setup and swing need only be tiny ones. The clubface needs to be opened only two or three degrees. That isn't very much. The inside-to-out swing for the draw does not need to be exaggerated. You must experiment with the variables for both shots to determine how much of an adjustment you need.

If you have to curve the ball around an obstacle, then make larger corrections and give the obstacle a wider berth as the angle between the clubface and swing path increases.

Learn these shots, then keep them in practice by hitting ten balls each way every time you go to the range.


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