Can't hit a draw

[jrm1493]

For the life of me I cannot hit a draw. I can hit a big hook occasionally but usually my ball fades about 5-10 yards with just about every club except short irons/wedges which go pretty much straight. It is very consistent and has allowed me to put up some good scores recently. My miss is a big slice coming over the top; I try to be very deliberate about hitting from the inside but I just can't produce a draw

Is there anything wrong with trying to run with the shot I have? I know most better players hit a draw but it just screws me up trying to do it. My distance is on the short side, driver average 230-240 on a good one, 150yd club is a 6 iron. I am very accurate with my irons when I'm on and play the 5 yd fade, and the ball usually stops dead on the green where it hits with everything from 6 iron on down. My real strength is pitching/chipping and I can get on a roll with the putter from time to time which has helped me get into the mid/low 80's quite a bit recently. Current index is 16.4 down from about 22 this time last year. I do often have problems with longer courses, since for a 400 yard hole I'm hitting driver-5iron best case. I can't reach many par 5's but I usually play them really well going driver-hybrid-wedge.

I guess I just want to know if yall think there is hope for me getting to single digit not being able to hit a draw. Obviously I've improved 6 strokes in the last year by playing the fade but I just don't know how much farther it can carry me since I think I'm giving up a fair amount of distance with my ball flight (even though its quite repeatable). My driver SS is around 90-94 on average if that helps.

[pshizz]

there is othing wrong with a fade. Plenty of pros play them, including freddy couples and vijay singh. the reason most pros play draws is because a draw is a more likely shot shape for better players.

[SpacklersEdge]

For the life of me I cannot hit a draw. I can hit a big hook occasionally but usually my ball fades about 5-10 yards with just about every club except short irons/wedges which go pretty much straight. It is very consistent and has allowed me to put up some good scores recently. My miss is a big slice coming over the top; I try to be very deliberate about hitting from the inside but I just can't produce a draw

This sounds like you wrote my life story. I played golf on natural talent and ability until recently, and I always hit a fade. I got my HDCP down to a 12 and it hit a plateau. I started getting frustrated that I could never hit a draw. It's one thing to fade the ball as your normal shot, but there are always times when a draw would be more beneficial. I finally got some lessons, and after some time I can hit both shots when I need to.

I used to be able to hit a draw when I wanted also, but not a high draw that starts out right like a push and comes back to center, more like a low draw in which I had to aim right to start a lot. It's not easy to correct this. I bet your swing would look a lot my old one. What is the position of your right (back) foot at impact? Did you used to play baseball? I will say this, when you get your swing "correct", or not over the top, you will surprised how far the ball goes when it feels like you are not swinging at all. I know exactly how you feel, but think about the physics. If you are coming over the top, lets saw your swing is 5-10 degrees off from the target line created by your feet at setup, that means you are losing some of the potential energy. When your swing plane brings the club in EXACTLY on the intended start line, you get 100%, so you can swing 10% less and still hit just as far, not to mention the extra roll-out you will get.

[ks8829]

I think the fade is to your advantage to help hold the greens and keep the drives on the fairway.

If you really want to hit a draw its very easy. take your regular swing and simply close the club face until you have the desired draw.

[laxbballgolf]

I'd say keep trying to learn a draw. Not necessarily to make it your normal shot, but because you will learn a lot about your swing in the process. You might find that you are losing out on some of your natural power, as Spacklers suggested, because your swing isn't quite synched up correctly.

[SpacklersEdge]

I think the fade is to your advantage to help hold the greens and keep the drives on the fairway.

To me, this is like saying, just use a really strong grip and you won't slice. Closing the club face delofts the club itself. So while you may end up hitting a draw, it won't be as high as it would be if the draw were caused by the swing path, and not the fact that the club is closed at impact.

As was stated above, the fade will continue to be your bread and butter, but keep learning to hit a draw. It will cause you to have much more overall control.

[Boeing777]

Well i got stung 500 bucks, cause some club fitter told me i have the wrong shaft and head. He said thats why i slice cause the shaft unloads differently. Well i still send the ball to counties over. And i can't hook the ball to save my life and i've been taped and i don't come over the top on my swing. So i'm still learning.

[senorchipotle]

For the life of me I cannot hit a draw. I can hit a big hook occasionally but usually my ball fades about 5-10 yards with just about every club except short irons/wedges which go pretty much straight. It is very consistent and has allowed me to put up some good scores recently. My miss is a big slice coming over the top; I try to be very deliberate about hitting from the inside but I just can't produce a draw

simple.... tomorrow, go to the range, get whatever club you wish. and at address, move your right foot a step back, and take your same swing. this will make you swing from inside out.

[taylor_made809]

Ok here is the simple fix. Close the club face at address and take the same normal swing. If you want to go more technical, on the take away, take the club on a flatter plane and swing out to the right while keeping your right elbow close to your body until you hit the ball. This allows you to keep yourself from coming over the top and creating a terrible slice. This should allow you to hit that draw. If all else fails buy a draw weighted club :D

[k1993]

i can't hit a draw anymore either. it's been a few weeks now where i've been cutting every drive =/ it's so depressing

[jrm1493]

Thanks for all the tips. The last few days I've been thinking about what I was doing and I think I was letting my left arm just get away from my body which was causing me to come over the top.

I went out today and concentrated on keeping my left arm close to my chest and of 4 times I tried to play a draw I pulled it off 3 times! The best was a low 5-iron draw from about 170 out around a tree that rolled up on the green (ended up going about 180 w/roll, way more than my normal cut shot). Of course I proceed to 3-putt but I was happy with finally pulling one off when I needed it to get around a tree. I did hit a couple of unintentional hooks, and some banana balls but it was nice to actually have a few go right to left when I needed it.

I didn't play great (shot 93) but I played the tips and so it actually dropped my handicap to a 16.1 (I keep it myself with a spreadsheet), and any time it drops I'm happy.

[MiniMoe]

please don't take offense, but can't hit a draw??? That's a problem? You have eliminated 1/2 the golf course. That's a good thing. I bet there would be 1 million guys out there that wish they could "not draw it". It took me years to take the left side out of the golf course, now I embrace it. Sure there are a few holes I need to draw it and I don't do that, so I play a smart shot. Do you know how good it is to be able to aim left with OB left and know it's not going there? I bet Tiger would give a small fortune to be able to not hit it left ever again...... I could teach him, but he is too full of himself to listen to a small fry like me.... For that matter, I could fix his swing in about 5 minutes. It's something he already does when he plays well, he just has not noticed it yet. It's so simple, yet so hard for him to see.

Be happy the left side is gone from your game.

[iacas]

please don't take offense, but can't hit a draw??? That's a problem? You have eliminated 1/2 the golf course. Do you know how good it is to be able to aim left with OB left and know it's not going there?

"Can't hit a draw" is not the same thing as "can't pull the ball."

[jrm1493]

please don't take offense, but can't hit a draw??? That's a problem? You have eliminated 1/2 the golf course.

I'm talking controlled draw when I need it without double-crossing. I hit my fair share of snap hooks. I think I have an excellent pitching and chipping game (I can only think of a couple folks I've played with that were better) but I'm only an OK putter and not great on full shots. I think its because where I practice they have an awesome practice green for chipping and pitching and I love to practice that more than anything, I can stay there for hours. But I'm cheap so I don't hit balls that much and practicing putting annoys me because the putting area is usually too crowded.