Help Hitting a Fade

[ks8829]

My usual shot is a draw on all my clubs and I like to be able to hit a control fade on all my shots. What is the easiest way to hit the fade?

Thanks for your replies.

[Tiger Spuds]

Well it's personal preference really isn't it? Tiger hits his fade by holding the club face open with his hands as he hits through the ball.Wheras Nicklaus kept his swing the same, but opened his body to the target, ie. - aim to the left of the target for the right hander, but keeping the clubface square to the target, then swinging on the new line, thus slicing across the ball, 'causing the fade.

Some might say Tiger's method is simpler, but I dunno.If you get your hand position wrong at impact you could make a real mess of it.But what would I know, I'm still trying to get rid of a constant 'Fade', if you know what I mean.

Anyway, how did you get to a 4 handicap without being able to hit a fade.?!

[blgsgolfer]

I like the open stance slightly, grip a little tighter and think about hanging on a little through impact before releasing. Getting proper setup and visual really helps me.

[Scott_K]

I learned to hit a fade using Jack's method described above (aim left with clubface pointed at target). I think it's relatively straight forward in that you're not really changing your existing swing. My bends are subtle and appear to be about 5 yards. I can hit it this way fairly consistent with 5i to 8i. 9 thorugh wedges are just straight. My 3i and 4i have a natural draw to them since I tend sweep more with those clubs and take a very shallow divot.

[James_Black]

  Tiger Spuds said:

Well it's personal preference really isn't it? Tiger hits his fade by holding the club face open with his hands as he hits through the ball.Wheras Nicklaus kept his swing the same, but opened his body to the target, ie. - aim to the left of the target for the right hander, but keeping the clubface square to the target, then swinging on the new line, thus slicing across the ball, 'causing the fade.

The course he plays on is primarily dog-leg left?

Well I aim left with my feet and keep the rest of my body aiming straight. That gets me a fade.

[Leftygolfer]

All courses favor a right handed draw.

But to hit a fade all you do is hit an intentional push so to speak. You have to set up way open with a pretty open club face then hit the inside of the ball with a slightly open club face.

There are some really good thread about this with some real insight but this is the way you have to hit it for power. It is all about set up using the exact same draw swing.

[HoosierGolfer]

For me, I just play the ball slightly farther forward, open the club face a little and place my right foot *I'm right handed) out slightly farther than the left to make sure I swing outside to in.

[Chief Broom]

  Tiger Spuds said:

Anyway, how did you get to a 4 handicap without being able to hit a fade.?!

It's probably not as hard as you think. Scoring well is more about hitting the ball where you mean for it to go rather than being able to hit the ball different directions. In other words the OP might not be able to hit that fade around a right dogleg, so he hits his draw and leaves himself a longer approach shot, but from the fairway. Personally I'd much rather have consistancy with one shot shape than the ability to hit any shot shape but with varying degrees of competancy. I play with a buddy who marvels at my ability to play my fade/slice. I'm shooting in the 80's and he's hoping to break 100. The fact is we are both golfers of a similar ability, but I've got a better idea of what my shot will do whereas his might slice one time and then draw/hook another. The difference between us is one of consistancy.

[WUTiger]

KS8829,

Do you have a golf pro you work with, or who teaches your approach to the swing? If so, ask your pro for advice on how to fade it. You don't want a fade technique that runs counter to the general pattern of your swing.

Also, don't be so fast to completely dump the draw. The draw helps...
* On windy days, keep it low.
* When going after a pin on a narrow node of the green: Draw it short into the wide part of the green, and let it release to the pin area.
* On missed fairway left: A draw can help you work it back toward the green.
(I know, this wouldn't happen often if you hit a fade).


Tiger Spuds.... Rocco Mediate plays well without a fade, although lack of a fade probably cost him the U.S. Open playoff vs. Tiger.

[HoosierGolfer]

I think WUTiger is correct. If you have a teaching he/she could do you the most good in your quest for the fade. All of our swings are unique and the best I can do is tell you what works for me.

[keb]

Trevino in a Golf Digest article recommended simply having your hands behind the ball at address and swing normally to hit a fade. For a draw have hands in front of ball so you can't see your seft foot.

[blgsgolfer]

  keb said:

Trevino in a Golf Digest article recommended simply having your hands behind the ball at address and swing normally to hit a fade. For a draw have hands in front of ball so you can't see your seft foot.

That's a good way too, having my hands ahead of the ball especially with the driver is a easy way to hit small fade.

[Jay-Bird]

Any/all of these work for me depending on my desired amount of fade.

1. Swing slightly outside to inside. (also try keeping your right foot flat during impact through follow through. This will help force some weight to stay back - and you'll likely fade it.)
2. open the face a bit at address.
3. move the ball back a bit in your stance.
4. Heel it on purpose.

My favorite thing about a draw is playing in a left to right wind and hitting a draw dead at the pin and watching the ball and wind work together to make a beautiful shot.

[ks8829]

Thanks for all your feedback, I will work on the tips you provided and report back.

Happy Thanksgiving!

[CalBoomer]

Let's start by assuming that you really want a power fade, not anything resembling a slice.

1. Keep the inside-out swing for power. I absolutely disagree with any of the comments suggesting an outside-in swing. Any technique using an outside-in swing loses power and can easily turn into a serious slice.

Then add any or all of the following:

2. Set up with open clubface or open stance, but takeaway remains inside target line or otherwise you'll just have an outside-in swing).

3. Move ball slightly back in stance which promotes contact before the clubface closes during release.

4. Use a very weak grip. That was how Hogan did it.

5. Delay or minimize swing release. Kind of like a mild "block." Suposedly that's how Tiger does it. But I find it hard to do consistently and would not recommend it.

[Dub]

  ks8829 said:

My usual shot is a draw on all my clubs and I like to be able to hit a control fade on all my shots. What is the easiest way to hit the fade?

It took some experimenting for me to get a feel for what would work for me. It may or may not work for you.

There is the school of thought that you set up with the face angle open and etc. I don't really focus too much on that aspect. Here is what I do....hope it helps:

• weaken grip slightly
• use slightly more grip pressure
• follow through to a high finish...not around the body but straight up from the target line

Hope it helps. There are many ways...this is the way that I pull it off. On my round Monday the course we played had numerous par 4's that set up for draws. We finally came to one that doglegged right...thankfully. I set up a tad open and then did as stated above and went ahead and put some muscle into it. Tee ball came out down the left side and then cut back to the center of the doglegged fairway....beauty of a fade....fairly powerful shot compared to my other drives. Set me up for a short iron approach. I tend to set up like this for many of my wedge shots, too. Ball comes in at a nice angle and bites or spins back when I do it properly. One other thing to consider is the impact that undersized grips have.....they may lead to excessive hand action (right to left shots). Building up a couple of layers of tape beneath your grips may help in your efforts to pull off fades more often. Good luck......I really appreciate the statement that, "You can talk to a fade, but a hook won't listen".

[Laxplayer201092]

When i want to hit a fade, depending on how large, heres what i do,

small fade- open stance a small bit, just kick your left foot back and inch, and imagine swinging down that line,

Slightly larger fade, open stance, try not rolling your hands thru the shot as much, like try keeping the face square to the line as long as i can.

big big fade-the above two, but i also come over top, rather then dropping to the inside, i bring my hands outside the line.. the compilation of these three can produce what some would call a slice

Try and one of those, and then add them together and hopefully your ball will be going higher with more spin and right.

Remember, fades are easier to hit out of rough, but they dont go as far as draws do, (for me atleast) so be sure to account for that as well.

[kevink2]

Try this- envision exactly the fade you want to hit. Imagine it taking off on path you want, see the fade in mid-flight, and watch it land where you want it to. The more detail you can imagine the better. Now, take a normal stance, aiming left to accompany the fade. Divide the ball in half in your mind, parallel to the target line, and simply imagine hitting the inside edge of the ball first with a normal smooth swing.

Hit the outside edge for a draw.

This gets rid of all the mechanical stuff that you probably already know subconsciously, and lets your body do what your mind is telling it to, without confusing it. I learned this watching Eddie Merrin's videos: "Swing the Handle".

This is what I found helped me more than any technical swing thoughts.