Shot shaping tips

[Mexicanleprican]

I spent a good deal reworking my swing recently (thanks to ben hogan's five lessons). I have been able to learn how to hit a straight shot and a power fade (left to right ball action) using wrist action. I have these two down well enough to hit them 80% of the time at the range and on the course.
Recently, I played and for some reason or another I was hitting what I believe is called a punch shot (shot shape is low, shoots off like a bullet). The wind was 15-20 mph. I went to the range twice after that and can't for the life of me figure out how to do it consistenly. Any tips?

I also want to work on what I think is a draw (right to left action). I've practiced this with my last 10-15 balls and it ends up shanking way right. Any tips on hitting this shot consistently (using wrist action I think?).

[vct33]

I can hit a pretty reliable draw from the tee or from a fairway lie or tight lie. I usually just pull my back foot off the target line a few inches and focus on hitting the inside of the ball.

[Mexicanleprican]

wait is a draw left to right or right to left? I thought left to right was a fade and right to left was a draw. my natural shot moves left to right. I have no problem making it go straight. I just want to figure out right to left action.
I understand the theory behind this, hitting the ball with left to right action you have to swing inside out (I do this with my left wrist), but how do I hit the ball from outside in with power?

[golfro]

wait is a draw left to right or right to left? I thought left to right was a fade and right to left was a draw. my natural shot moves left to right. I have no problem making it go straight. I just want to figure out right to left action.

fade = left to right - slight over the top swing

draw = right to left - inside out swing basic gist of it...its different for everyone. I watched Playing Lessons from the Pro with Chris Dimarco where he talks about how he doens't mess with his swing. He can achieve a fade by opening his club face just a bit, and a draw by closing his face a bit. You can also achieve a bit by playing around with a strong/weaker grip. For me, it doesn't work that easy. I'm a natural fader, always have been. In recently trying to get better at hitting draws, I started hooking shots aggressively. At the range, I'm comfortable with hitting draws and fades with my 3 wood. On the course, on a dog leg left, tell me to hit a draw with a driver and I'll either hook it or something terribly goes wrong and I slice the shit out of it. Either way, the basic idea with your swing path is that a fade is achieved by a slight out-in plane, while a draw is more in-out plane. You'll need to play around at the range and figure it out by feel from there. Its not so easily mechanically achieved.

[Mexicanleprican]

okay. Yeah I have a natural fade too (I read the hogan book so its based on that). I know I can achieve this with basic wrist action (supinating the wrist right before impact) and it'll fade every time. I thought it was something simple but maybe not. So just spend some time at the end of practice just trying to hit a draw?

[Mexicanleprican]

What I am really interested in is perfecting that punch shot, it was really handy playing in the wind and I want it.

[golfro]

hmm i haven't read Hogan's book but using your wrist right befor eimpact to shape shots sounds extremely difficult and inconsistent. Maybe I'm wrong but I wouldn't be messing around my wrist...

as for punch shots, if I need a punch one low, I usually keep in mind "keep my head down, extend my arm out after impact" and i can usually achieve this. I don't play too many links courses, most courses I play are heavily tree lined so I don't use low stingers too often unless i'm hitting under a tree or something. but def not as hard as hitting draws for me.

[vct33]

I understand the theory behind this, hitting the ball with left to right action you have to swing inside out (I do this with my left wrist), but how do I hit the ball from outside in with power?

What you are saying is the opposite of what should create the shot shape you are looking for. An "inside out" swing should produce a draw not a fade.

[Mexicanleprican]

Maybe I am confused? I thought that by swinging inside out your club head moves from left to right, inducing that into the shot. If I am mistaken, sorry for the confusion. Whatever I am doing, I hit a fade and want to learn a draw.

[vct33]

Maybe I am confused? I thought that by swinging inside out your club head moves from left to right, inducing that into the shot. If I am mistaken, sorry for the confusion. Whatever I am doing, I hit a fade and want to learn a draw.

If you are swinging from the inside and the ball is going right, you are probably pushing the ball and not actually fading the ball. If you swing from the inside and strike the ball with a square face, the ball should take off straight and then draw from right to left. The left to right swing path imparts spin on the ball that will move it left.

[Mexicanleprican]

Oh well then I am using the wrong terms. Sorry. I hit a straight shot that fades to the right, I just want to know how to work it the other way.

[vct33]

Well, like I've been saying, you need to swing from the inside and hit the ball with a square or very slightly closed face.

[Mexicanleprican]

okay, thanks. Easier than I thought.

[golfro]

okay, thanks. Easier than I thought.

lol...easier said than done...

[Mexicanleprican]

lol I am sure...how the heck do shhow whats in my bag?

[iacas]

Well, like I've been saying, you need to swing from the inside and hit the ball with a square or very slightly closed face.

Closed to the path, open to the target.

In other words, if you play a draw, you need to aim the clubface to the right of the target.

[David K]

Its pretty simple for me. I have a slightly inside to out club path with my swing so I hit a natural draw. If I want to hit a fade I just open my stance but leave the club face pointing at my target and swing like I normally would. This gives me a slightly open club face at impact and causes the ball to fade. If you want to hit a draw then just close your stand a little while keeping the club face at your target and take your normal swing. All you need to do is change your setup slightly.

To hit a punch shot I move the ball a little bit further back in my stance and keep my hands very far in front of the club face (just make sure the club face is square at impact if you want to hit it straight). This lowers the loft of my club and gives me a low ball flight. Your "wrist action" (judging by your picture on another thread) can cause this to happen. When you bow your wrist that way it will close the club face, when you close the club face it takes loft off the club which creates a lower ball flight.

You should never need to do anything with your wrists or arms through your down swing. If you keep trying to change your shots by moving your wrists around or changing your swing plane your only hope of hitting a good shot is pure luck. To be able to hit consistent shots with your full swing nothing should change once you start your down swing.

[Mexicanleprican]

oh the only wrist action I'm talking about is pronating my left wrist (as ben hogan instructs in his book) during my downswing.. I adhere to this book to a T. This gets me a fade 9 times out of 10 (excluding those shots that were poorly executed) I was just assuming I could do something else to get a draw...guess its time for some classes