Shaping the ball ... when does this become a factor?

[jfrain2004]

Just purchased a used 2007 TM burner and it really is SMOKING !!!! Very happy with distance and accuracy but I am surprised to read this club would not be the club of choice for some one who wants to shape the ball seeing as it has no movable weights and has a high MOI. Now, what I don't understand is what level must you be at where there is more to a tee shot than accuracy and distance. I play off 8 ( on a relatively long course, slope of 130 I think ) and have hit as low as 4 over this year on a few occasions and don't see where I could gain shots if I were able to draw or slice the ball. Were I to miss a few fairways then I would be shooting into the 80s without a doubt. I often wonder why double digit players talk about shaping a shot when if you hit the ball straight ALL the time with a bit of distance behind it then you are a single digit handicapper. When can I expect to be looking to upgrade my "new" club?

[leo3]

I have yet to play a golf course where you could not score well hitting the ball straight. Fades can become slices, draws can turn into hooks, but if you hit it straight where you are looking every time, you stay out of the trouble spots.

[Kcas77]

Draw and fades is more of a control thing Pros do it because they know exactly what the ball is going to do.

[fredloves2golf]

As a low double digit handicapper, I find the OCCASIONAL need to work the ball left or right during a round. Typically, it's to try to gain an advantage on a hole, or avoid trouble. Two examples from my home club:

1) a 545 yard par five where the tee boxes are placed on the right side of the hole while the hole immediately doglegs right and guarded by a long stand of trees. The conservative play with a straight shot is something less than 200 yards or run the risk of going into the rough on the left side, leaving about 350 yards to reach the green. The agressive play, like when you're down in a match, is to take driver and cut/slice it around the stand of trees to advance the ball much further up the fairway leaving 250-280. In the right situations that extra distance gained might afford the opportunity to reach the green in two.

2) a 192 yard par three with a wide narrow green and a large deep bunker guarding the front left. When the pin is front left, I much prefer to try a draw aimed at the right side avoiding a line of flight over the bunker and working the ball back toward the hole. If the ball doesn't draw, I'm left with a long distance to putt. If I were to have gone straight at the pin and not hit it flush, I could be in that bunker and looking at a possible double-bogey score.

[DavidFehertysBike]

I agree with leo3. There arent many courses out there where you need to work the ball to score well. I play my natural shot nearly all the time. There may be one or two times a rouind i would need curve the ball to get into a particular position, but working the ball isnt something i do on every hole.

[David in FL]

You'll never go very far wrong with long and straight!

Being able to work the ball off the tee will leave you some options that you might not otherwise have to take advantage of topography, wind, hole shape, etc..., but most of us can do more harm than good if we get a little out of sorts. I enjoy working the ball, but honestly, I prob cost myself as many strokes by doing so as I save had I simply played my little fade into the center of the fairway rather than trying to hit the hero, hard draw off the bunker, around the dog leg......block it, it's in the bunker. Overcook it and it's in the woods. Ask me how I know.

To answer the question, at least from my perspective, I think straight and smart gets you easily into the low single digits.....and there are certainly pros that have made a living like that too.

[clubchamp]

Rarely if at all you will find a course that will force you to work the ball. I usually only do it if wind becomes a factor or if my natural ball flight won't play on that hole.

[jfrain2004]

Cheers, seems like I'll be sticking with this club then and watching the handi tumble :)

[2bGood]

You'll never go very far wrong with long and straight!

+1 working the ball is "cool" but if I oculd hit long and staright 80% of the time, I would galdly trade that for the ability to work the ball

[Jackemy]

It becomes a factor when there is a tree between me and the pin ;). Personally, I used to love my old forged blades as I loved shaping recovery shots from anywhere. But with the new techonology (or just the fact that I don't have the game I once had) I can't really shape anything with any consitency.

[sp33d]

I play a fade, because thats the way I hit the ball. Only time i hit a draw is dog leg lefts. I have a hard time hitting a draw because of my natural fade.

Its really not nessasary unless you can control it, like a tree 80 yards if front of you tucked by the green if you hit it strait/fade its going to hit tree and go who knows where, but you hit a draw and place it on the green.. thats about it. Then there are diffrent rolls that occur with fade/draws but i dont remember what they are.

[Snakehousehawk]

I find that the only time I ever need to shape a shot on my home course is when I'm not in the fairway. It can be very useful to know how to shape a shot when stuck in the trees which my course is lined with.

[powermatt99]

There are a couple of holes on my usual course where working the ball--particularly right to left--has some shot-shaving advantages. I usually blow the approach shot or three put, but I am usually in a good position after my drive.

My favorite hole (380 yard, par 4) has water lining the left side of the fairway for about 200 yards when it crosses over the fairway. The right side of the green is guarded by a deep bunker and a few large trees. A power draw is great for avoiding the water on the left (in case of a poorly hit drive) but being able to avoid the green-protecting obstacles left. I've made birdie several times with this strategy.

[whetstone]

I'd trade long and straight for my natural fade any day.

[socaltaoist]

I would say only you can answer that question. It is all based on how good at golf you want to be. If you are content to get better without focusing on working the ball then by all means go for it. I will say that it does open up the course a bit more unlocking more of the courses secrets so to speak. Having a complete tool set in this game also breeds confidence and the ability to adapt. So really its up to you. I would say that if you are asking this question now...then now might be a good time to add these tools to your golf shed. Besides learning to work the ball gives you great insight into the overall game of golf and the swing specifically. That is always a good thing no matter what level you want to play at.
james