Working the ball

[Crafty]

I was just interested in how people manipulate themsleves or their body/club to work the ball.

With the driver, I have recently realized that my tee height is one of the key factors in shot shape. I've been trying the power fade that Tiger hits where he tees the ball very very low and just plasters it. I love it and it is surprisingly easy to hit. You don't have to manipulate your swing at all!

With the irons, i am starting to work the ball more and more as i progress. I like hitting the "trap draw" with the ball back in the stance and farther away from the body.

How often do you work the ball?
What helps you decide how you want to work it?
How do you change you setup to hit a draw or fade?

[golf_junkie27]

For a draw, I put the ball back in my stance. I align myself with the point where I want the ball to start, perform and inside-to-outside swing. The club is aligned with the actual target. I try my best to rotate my arms as smoothly as possible. Generally, I'll hit a draw with my lower irons and hybrids when I'm approaching a green that is elevated.

For a fade, I do the exact opposite. Ball placed a little closer to my front foot, open clubface, outside to inside swing, I'm aligned to the left of the target as is the club. I'll do this with my short irons, 8I-PW, from 160 yards and in, downhill lies, flat lies and ball below my feet.

I will work the ball, mostly, depending on pin placement and of course, the location of my lie and distance. Fade works great with short irons because it just drops with minimal roll.

It's taken me a lot of time and practice but it's well worth it.

[jamesjay20]

My favorite driver shot is a hard, low fade. Tee it low, aim down the left side of the fairway (rough line on most holes), put the ball up in the stance just a tiny bit, bring it back slightly outside, rip it. When it works, the ball stays out of the wind and gets some roll (as opposed to a high fade). When it doesn't work, it seems like the misses stay within a reasonable distance of the fairway (as opposed to trying to hit a draw and overcooking it and ending up 50 yards left of the fairway).

[Shindig]

Changing alignment without changing the clubface seems to do the trick on the range. I picked up the ideas on how-to from Corey Pavin's Shotmaking book. I can do it maybe 50% of the time on the range ; good enough to convince me I can do it with more practice, not enough to be willing to try it on the course unless there isn't a heavy penalty for attempting it (such as a straight shot still being in a fairway).

[Leonardite]

I just keep my clubhead square to the target and align my feet to where I want to start the ball, then swing on a path similar to my feet. I can't say it works all the time (works more with fades then draws for me) but I don't hit too many shaped shots anyway.

[Wisco-Kid]

I cant reliably work the ball so I don't do it. It would be nice, but everytime I have set up to do it I end up O.B. It is something I want to work on this season.

[Avid Golfer]

I was just interested in how people manipulate themsleves or their body/club to work the ball.

I set the club face aimed where I want the ball to finish, align my body where I want the ball to start, and then take my normal grip and swing. Its the same way Greg Norman, Ernie Els, Nick Price, Nick Faldo, Retief Goosen, Annika Sorenstam, and the vast majority of pros work the ball.

It depends how well I'm swinging, my lie, and the obstructions or trouble areas in between me and my target as to when I try to work the ball and when I don't.