Power fade and fade difference?

[Zeph]

Exactly what is the difference of a power fade and a fade? From what I read, you aim to the left fairway edge with your body and open the clubface so it aims at the center to produce a shot going left to right.

So, where does the "power" come into play?

I'm too inconsistent with my driver, I wan't to play a draw or fade, but before I go on the range to practice I gotta have the basics in place.

[Sherpat]

Forgive me, but:

I think you're coming at this the wrong way.

If you're complaining that you are inconsistant off the tee, you should be practicing practicing practicing until you do "get your basics in place" . THEN worry about shaping your shots. If you're inconsistant as a ball striker it doesn't matter what sort of setup and swing produces a fade/power fade. You won't be able to do it if you can't consistantly make good contact first.

No?

[Zeph]

I don't mean to fix my swing with this, but I see that a shaped shot is preferable. I have no intention to play a fade before I'm able to hit it reasonable straight, but I would still like to know the difference.

Isn't the reason for hitting a draw or fade to be more consistent? It's partly to get around obsticles, I know, but still many hit a draw or fade onto a straight big fairway. From what I understand the reason is that it's hard to get the shots dead streaight all the time. By aiming in the middle you have little fairway to land on if you hit it slightly left or right.

[st0wgolf08]

Hm, one thing, I don't know much about it I would think a power fade would be:

1. Some guy trying to act macho, being like yeah power fade!
2. Possibly make the fade with swing path instead of club head
3. It could mean you just tried to fade it.

[Sherpat]

Ok, I understand what you're saying. But I personally think it's gonna be a lot easier on you if you learn to hit consistant shots of ANY type, as long as it stays in the fairway, before you worry about shaping.

Anyway, to answer your original question: from what I've read, a "power" fade seems to be like a regular fade with a little lower trajectory and more roll. The overall distance achieved is significantly longer than just your average everyday fade.

Here's a wiki describing the technique: http://www.wikihow.com/Hit-a-Power-Fade

If you google it, you'll find any number of sites that also offer advice and instruction. I'm sure some of the guys here also will have excellent input, and maybe even videos they can point to.

Good luck!

:)

[aedoue]

I don't have a handicap to give me credibility, so I will preface by saying my teacher is an old school type who played lots of rounds with Hogan and Demeret, who were masters of the power fade. He has made his living off it.

I believe the difference is that a fade is any shot that starts out straight and spins off to the right. It can be shaped intentionally, or it can be the undesired result of swing flaws. The power fade is a specific type of fade, the result of a particular swing style. By definition, the amount of fade is a yard or a few. For someone who is proficient at it, the carry is comparable to a draw. Some would argue it might be longer. Why play it? Accuracy. At comparable skill levels, the biggest miss with a power fade is smaller than the biggest miss with a draw.

How to do it? Briefly, my understanding. You must come from the inside. At the start down, the upper body rotates left on top of hips that are rotationally stationary. As the upper body rotates, powered by its right side, the lower body shifts weight from right heel to left forefoot. Put another way, the body turns, and the club face goes right. The hands and arms are just along for the ride -- body turn squares the face.

Hope this is helpful to you.

[glebert]

Power fade (noun): A euphimism used by golfers to say that they sliced without sounding like a total hacker.

[CalBoomer]

A draw by definition has slight forward (at the top of the ball) spin as well as lateral spin which causes the ball to move downward and to the left from its main launch trajectory. The slightly lowered effective trajectory usually provides more run-out once the ball has landed. That run-out can provide more distance but makes it harder to be certain where a draw will finally wind up.

A fade (or, in more exaggerated form, a slice) has the opposite spin (backward at the top of the ball) and lateral spin which causes the ball to rise and move to the right. The rising effective trajectory causes the ball to lose some distance but to land more quietly with little run-out.

A truly straight ball has no lateral spin and slight backspin, making it behave more like a mild fade than a draw.

Pros are more interested in distance control on long shots than amateurs. All of them can hit the ball a long way compared to most amateurs (hence power) and many prefer the controllability of a slight fade to the less predictable draw, hence "power fade." This is the basis for the old adage, "You can talk to a fade, but a draw won't listen."

The bottom line is that the majority of pros seem to prefer to avoid the draw and hit a ball which straight or fades slightly, sacrificing a small (for them) amount of distance.

[mirv]

ben hogan preferred the power fade, which (i think?) he achieved by having his stance/setup actually looking like he would be playing a draw, but his grip allowed the clubface to be slightly open at impact, so the end result was a long, low ball flight that curved right slightly.

[Flatswinger]

Given the subtlety of a tour player’s power fade, 1 to 3 yards, it’s not really all the meaningful to the rest of us. How you’re going to see a well-hit driver fade one yard is beyond me.

So what we’re talking about is virtually a straight shot from players who might be able to switch from one to three yards of fade depending on the circumstance.

You are right that being able to rule out one side of the fairway, in this case the left, is a way to consistently hit fairways because you have virtually the whole width of the fairway to work with if you know you’re not going to draw or hook it. That’s the way most all of them play on the tour.

For me, I’m behooved to hit a draw or, when I’ve hit it badly, a hook because I’m not long enough to give up the extra roll that comes with it.

[xTsUnAmI]

For my driver, I will aim my body and club head where I want the ball to start and naturally will hit what I would describe as a power fade. 3-5 yards, it starts on the target line and "snaps" right off the bat about 3-5 yards and pretty much goes straight from there. I can also hit draws if I have to. My misses are straight shots, or blocks right. But I've been on pretty well lately.

[iWALK18]

Power fade (noun): A euphimism used by golfers to say that they sliced without sounding like a total hacker.

For the most part, agreed.

And for the record, a draw does not have topspin. No full-swing shot has topspin unless you have topped the ball. It is true that in general it does have less backspin than a slice though. As for the original poster, find your natural shot shape and play it. I personally think a draw is best, but thats just for me.

[LongballGer]

A power fade is like a fade...just more powerful.

[neudi]

If you play a fade by opening the face do you close the face to play a draw/hook? If so, how often do you actually hit it where you want it. The only time I open or close the face is when I am trying to hit a huge hook, otherwise I open and close my stance which changes my swing plain. I know it didn't answer your question, but I was curious about that logic.

[LongballGer]

If you play a fade by opening the face do you close the face to play a draw/hook? If so, how often do you actually hit it where you want it. The only time I open or close the face is when I am trying to hit a huge hook, otherwise I open and close my stance which changes my swing plain. I know it didn't answer your question, but I was curious about that logic.

To hit a fade:

Aim where you want the ball to start. Then open the face and aim where you want the ball to end up. Make your normal swing. Same thing for a draw except you close the club face. It's much easier to hit a fade or a draw than to hit it straight. Jack Nicklaus said a shot that goes dead straight is a fluke. It's pure luck. That's why tour pros always aim at one side of the fairway and then shape the ball. That way they got a bigger margin for error.

[Zeph]

Of course you need a consistent swing in the first place. Something I don't have, so I won't be trying to fix something just yet, but to put a small fade in the ball with the driver sounds like a good idea. No other club is swung as hard as the driver.

The problem with hitting a draw or fade is that the setup looks weird and that your body will try to manipulate the shot if you're not being consistent and hitting along the line you are aiming. When practicing this, it's a good idea to put down a club or some sort of line to help you visualize the way you are swinging. Also, first take your stance, then rotate the club, then take your grip. In the beginning I took my grip and then turned the club, not ver successful, result is often a huge hook. Try not to think of the clubhead or to much of the ball, just try to swing on the right plane.

[DavidFehertysBike]

Ive hit power fades with a driver (most of the time by being a little late) and noticed that the ball come off dead strait and will only tail right at the end of its upward arc. I dont loose much distance between that and my regular slight draw. A fade ive noticed will move from left side of my body over to the right more. I'll lose about 20 yards with my driver when this happens.

[ebough]

For the most part, agreed.

The most extreme form of the draw, a duck-hook, is a full-swing shot, is not topped, and obviously has forward topspin to do what it does. Obviously the straightest possible shots have the least spin of any kind.