Tour Pros: Draw v. Fade

[atrapasuenos]

Yes, it used to be.

So, now which is his stock shot? I love that big push-draw with his 3 wood :D

I'm not a Pro, but I will like to say that when I started playing golf I used to slice the ball a lot! So now I kinda hate when my ball goes to the right, so now I like to hit it straight or a little draw. Regards!

[Felenah]

So, now which is his stock shot? I love that big push-draw with his 3 wood :D

I'm the same way, I so dislike seeing my ball fading. I've been slowing working in a draw, really slowly.

The right to left ball flight just looks much nicer to my eye.

[RC]

The whole issue of a draw versus a fade is strongly correlated to the ball strikeing ability of the golfer. A really great ball striker needs his "go-to" shot but can work it either way. Most golfers who have played a long time know that when playing a draw, it is typically reliable but when you miss, the results are long and roll more left than a fade will roll right or fly long. In other words, a mistake where the ball draws past the target line can be a big mistake. A straight shot that falls right a yard or so is the safest shot, but not always the desired shot. I think the longer you play this game the more you want to have good mastery of being able to hit a baby fade because hitting a draw is much easier and natural, but you always know in the back of your mind that if you pull it a little, it could be a very bad shot. This assumes distance is not a problem and for most pros, of course it is not. If distance is an issue, or you want to be super long, hit a high draw.

This is all nonsense for golfers who don't hit the inside back of the ball. If you are an across the line swinger, the fade that turns into a slice is the worst outcome (unless you hit the dreaded pull.) I envy those guys that can play a completely controllable slight fade that doesn't go crazy even when the wind is on their back (left to right wind.) I think almost anyone would trade their "go-to" shot for Trevino's.

[holeinon3]

I really dislike hitting a fade and prefer to hit a draw on every shot.

Same here.

I used to have a fade up until last year and now I've been working with a draw. :)

[shortstop20]

I think it's a personal matter. The fade takes alot of flack because it's seen as a bad shot for some dumb reason. Draw or fade, the face isn't square to the swing path so either way you haven't made a perfect shot, per say.

If you fight a hook, a slight fade that turns into a small draw at worst can be a great shot to play.


......and yes, back in the Butch day's, Tiger played a draw as his "stock shot". Funny thing is, I've heard many announcers say otherwise, apparently they're in la-la land.

[ET-Taylor]

I hit it straight most of the time

[Leftygolfer]

Either or, they don't hit big fades or draws. Most pros hit pretty darn straight balls with 5 yards either way. They can and will hit the big hook or fade, but they don't hit these big sweeping draws. Unless your Bubba who has never won. If I had my choice, I'd hit a push fade exclusively since I am LH and no course sets up well for my LH draw, but right now I can't hit a fade with confidence or power. I will stick with my draw. When it is on, it is almost a dead straight ball with a five yard draw. It isn't a running hook.

[Kieran123]

I hit a 6-10 yard draw, but can play a fade pretty well if I need to.

I personally like a draw instead of a fade....I dunno why?

[MikeLowry5]

If I had my choice, I'd hit a push fade exclusively since I am LH and no course sets up well for my LH draw

THANK YOU!

As a lefty I agree that it would be more advantageous to hit a stock baby cut however EVERY teacher I have seen insists on getting me to draw the ball (its my natural shot anyway). I explained this to one instructor and his response was that the cut shot encouraged bad habits! Luckily for me when I play a course with alot of dogleg lefts I get to use the driver more (pretty much 3W exclusive off the tee these days) and tee up a huge, high slice!

[trumps4]

It sounds like there is not a definitive answer to which shot shape "most" touring pros prefer to play. This seems to suggest that there is nothing inherently better or worse about either shot because the people playing the game at it's highest level are made up of both drawers and faders. I guess the best answer is that the pros hit the ball pretty straight. Period.

[nlowplacez]

It sounds like there is not a definitive answer to which shot shape "most" touring pros prefer to play. This seems to suggest that there is nothing inherently better or worse about either shot because the people playing the game at it's highest level are made up of both drawers and faders. I guess the best answer is that the pros hit the ball pretty straight. Period.

thats true. but list who you think the five best ball strikers of all time are. what do or did they play? everybodys list will be different but mine has 3 fades, a literally straight hitter and a guy who can't make up his mind. i think itd be interesting to see a majors wins breakdown throughout history of the ballflight of the winners and see which one wins. one of yall should do that as an experiment. im too lazy

[Incognito]

I believe when Tiger was talking about his comeback prior to Quail Hollow, he said he was playing better because he was drawing his ball more consistently. He said he likes it when his natural ball flight is a draw because then its easy to hit a fade. But when his natural ball flight is fading, then its hard to work in a draw.

[Zeph]

I like hitting a fade more than a draw, it feels easier to control. I've had an OTT swing for some years, which recently got re-routed to an in-to-out. Too much in-to-out I should mention, but I'm still not a fan of it and set up trying to hit a fade when I can.

[noefi13b]

I have learnt to enbrace the fade and while I won't stop practicing hitting draws until I can hit them consistently I like the fade...

From personal experience I used to hate a fade as when I started out what started as a gental fade used to end up 3 fairways over!!

To the OP - I would say that most pros go to shot would be a draw... This is based solely on what I see on TV!!

[trumps4]

What about LPGA players? Seems like most of them actually do prefer to play a draw.... Thoughts?

[golfandcoffee]

I guess it depends on your skill level. I prefer draw and try to make it. Sometimes a slice appears, but since i 'start/ aim' with a draw i minimize that.

[sean_miller]

When striking the ball okay, I play for the following (typically).

Driver, 3w, 5w/Fybrid = Straight or slight draw
3-5 irons = straight/draw off a tee straight/fade off turf
6-8 = straight
9 = straight/draw
52/56 = straight
60 = slight cut

[McGolf-Doggie]

I have a massive draw all too often; it ain't no "baby draw unfortunately."
I miss straight. I like straight (although plenty say there's no such). But I don't miss slice.

My swing is in tatters right now — bad contact — thin, fat, hosel, all over the place, with the usual dose of pull hooks and a few good ones mixed in, just to keep me confused. I detected some funky footwork, but there's more than that going wrong, I suspect.

I have to get back to a Pro, as soon as the budget will permit.