Straight shot vs. Draw and Fade

[Ruari]

So this year I have been working on the short fade shot. This shot used to be my mistake, but now I have been hitting it as my go to shot, since the swing is so easy. Example was 150 yrds out into a stiff wind today on a difficult dog leg par 4. I pull out the 5 Iron and hit the high, soft, fader and it hits the green and spins towards the pin. It was an incredible satisfying shot but it made me think.

Should I only focus on hitting the ball straight or work on moving the ball when I hit it?

As always all thoughts and ideas are welcome.

[mrobbie]

I'd say hitting straight is something of a fundamental to work on, but as you progress, being able to work the ball will help you out (doglegs,trees in the way etc)

[iacas]

Nobody hits the ball straight (except maybe Moe Norman, and there's a funny Ben Hogan story that involves Moe and "accidents").

Every ball tends to curve a little bit. The margin of error is so small to hit a truly "straight" shot that it's not even worth trying to hit a "straight" shot.

What you should do, however, is figure out what your swing is and what your normal shot pattern is. For me, it's a little fade - obviously a bit more with the driver than the wedges (which go pretty straight), but the swing is the same. My stock swing is a baby fade swing.

To work the ball more or in the opposite direction, you don't change your swing (except in extreme cases, like needing a 50-yard hook). You change your setup.

I work the ball somewhat on every shot. Sometimes that's just hitting my stock shot gripped down half an inch. Sometimes it's a truly stock shot. Sometimes it's a bigger fade. Sometimes it's a lower ball, or a higher one, or a draw or a hook.

[DJYoshi]

i play with a natural fade....i rarely try to work the ball right to left unless I really have to... i can't control the flight and path of the ball right to left... but left to right..i can pick a spot and know where my ball will turn.... sure it lands softer and doesn't go as far....but hey..i know where my next shot will be

[wolverine318]

  DJYoshi said:

i play with a natural fade....i rarely try to work the ball right to left unless I really have to... i can't control the flight and path of the ball right to left... but left to right..i can pick a spot and know where my ball will turn.... sure it lands softer and doesn't go as far....but hey..i know where my next shot will be

Same for me. I also love working the trajectory of the shot.

[Wisco-Kid]

  iacas said:

Nobody hits the ball straight (except maybe Moe Norman, and there's a funny Ben Hogan story that involves Moe and "accidents").

It is a great story and here it is:

One day in the 1950s, Moe and Ben Hogan were on the practice tee together at a pro tournament when a spectator asked Hogan to take a look at Moe. Hogan believed any ball hit dead straight was an accident. After each of the first six balls he watched Moe hit Hogan said, "Accident." After watching Moe hit several more Hogan said, "Just keep hitting those accidents, kid."

[DougM]

If you ever figure out how to hit it straight then please tell the world.

If there is a harder shot then straight then I have yet to see it..