Fixing a fade

[shortstop20]

If you can learn to hit a push draw with your driver, it should be quite easy to hit a push fade. Just weaken your grip slightly and and use the same swing. Don't forget to aim a little extra left since you'll be starting the ball right and curving it further right.

[sean_miller]

Power fade, push fade, same thing. Inside-out swing, slightly open club face. The purpose is to avoid hooking the ball. When you do it right, there is nothing to fix. It's an awesome golf shot. This is the shot I usually set up for, but my longest drives wind up as high push draws because I get the face slightly closed. My best drives are usually 250-260. Last time out, though, I hit one perfect fade (about10-20 degrees) straight as as arrow that went 290+ yards (no wind or elevation change). That is the shot the pros use. Sure wish I could do it more often.

I'm trying to picture a perfectly straight fade. I thought most pros hit a slight draw with their driver. At least that's what I say whenever I hit a perfectly straight draw 290+.

[motteler621]

i use to hit a push fade sometimes a pull fade and I hated it. I think most of amatures hit push fades or pull fades because of a swing flaw, not because they want to. Pro's have great swings and can hit just about any shot, yet they choose which one they use as their stock shot.

[sean_miller]

i use to hit a push fade sometimes a pull fade and I hated it. I think most of amatures hit push fades or pull fades because of a swing flaw, not because they want to. Pro's have great swings and can hit just about any shot, yet they choose which one they use as their stock shot.

That's called a slice.

[motteler621]

That's called a slice.

yea its called a slice for an amature but a fade for a pro, lol. Kidding aside, Im sure most of the pros fades only fade 10* where most amatures fade a ball 30* and call it a fade plus add in the 20* push they putt on the ball. I think Jack hit a push fade only 20* off target when all was said and done. 10*push and 10*fade, thats actually a very controllable shot

[sean_miller]

yea its called a slice for an amature but a fade for a pro, lol. Kidding aside, Im sure most of the pros fades only fade 10* where most amatures fade a ball 30* and call it a fade plus add in the 20* push they putt on the ball. I think Jack hit a push fade only 20* off target when all was said and done. 10*push and 10*fade, thats actually a very controllable shot

Do you bring a protractor to the range? I think Jack discussed how many feet or paces he wanted to cut the ball and often he hit it perfectly straight.

[motteler621]

Do you bring a protractor to the range? I think Jack discussed how many feet or paces he wanted to cut the ball and often he hit it perfectly straight.

well when you want to get accurate with ur shots when you hit a fade, yes I started to watch my shots and guess how many degrees off they were going. I was tired of aiming into the trees on the left and having my ball push and then fade into the rough. It's not that hard to measure it with ur eye. I never compensated enought for my fade until I measured really how far they were going right. I'm going to say that's the case with most who just hit it right btw it's not that hard to measure, 0* is target 90* is dead right

[CalBoomer]

I'm trying to picture a perfectly straight fade. I thought most pros hit a slight draw with their driver. At least that's what I say whenever I hit a perfectly straight draw 290+.

The term "fade" is almost misleading since it suggests a minimal slice. In most cases done well, "fade" is merely the amount you expect the ball to land off the target line. If you aim left 10-20 degrees and hit the ball with a slightly open club face and an in-out swing, the actual flight of the ball may be dead straight. So maybe it would be best to just call the shot a mild push. But then that doesn't have the verbal cache of "power fade." And I didn't mean to imply all pros hit such a shot. Obviously many hit draws. But the "power fade" many pros do hit, is pretty much as I described.

[shortstop20]

The term "fade" is almost misleading since it suggests a minimal slice.

That's a matter of perspective.

[iacas]

So maybe it would be best to just call the shot a mild push.

A push goes straight. A fade curves. A push-fade pushes from your stance line and then curves from there. If you're aimed well left of the target (Trevino), it's as accurate a shot as anything else.

But the "power fade" many pros do hit, is pretty much as I described.

As a straight shot? No, they don't. Their ball curves. It's a push-fade.

[Chas]

Erik: update on my hip bump progress (relevant to the fade question here). Second dedicated hip bump try-out. I hit 50 at the range at Torrey Pines yesterday over lunch. Just driver, after a brief warm up. After pulling the first a bit, then hitting a strong fade that hit the fence (it was clear right away I wasn't bumping enough on that one - nice), I got the bump going properly and guess what ..... it happened again. I counted six drives in a row that were almost dead straight (but trajectories did vary a lot, I'm working on that as well). They were hit hard, for me - a freer swing action and even a different sound to the hit. All 6 shots would have been in the fairway, no doubt about it, not sure of the range. Hip bumping causes the hands to drop more on initiating the downswing and it really, really protects against the strong fade. A couple of them were longer than anything I've driven before I suspect (I'm not saying huge, but plenty for the likes of me ....), due to having the optimum trajectory. I have never had this experience in the game of golf (six straight pounded shots). Over the 50 balls I estimate 60-75% in the fairway, most misses were not far off (some fades, two strong fades/slices, three or so hooks). Only real disappointment was if the fairways hit weren't absolutely straight shots they were "power fades", i.e. gentle curve to the right late in the trajectory, rather than the little draw that I'm looking for. But hit very hard - I've never really hit a power fade before. I thought I had but I was wrong. Maybe this is OK, I dunno. Maybe I need to come a tad more from the inside somehow. But I fear the hook - those hooks were stronger than ever before and nasty looking.

The feeling of complete release is something new for me. O yes, my right hand separated from the handle on one shot on the follow-through, as you see occasionally happen on the tour. A bit weird, the shot wasn't at all bad actually (pulled a bit and low IIRC). I think maybe my hands were a bit too relaxed given the new, more explosive action - more forces in play now.

It's all very interesting but the 50K question for me is, do I hit driver on the 18th at Pebble less than 2 weeks from now? The whole thing might disintegrate on the track, esp. on the hallowed ground. Should I got for it with the new action, and take my lumps if I pull or hook the ball into the rocks/briney? Nice problem to have I know. If I'm sensible I'll hit 3W ......

Thanks again for getting me to actually try this change Erik, with your persistence and excellent posting on the subject. This old dog hasn't completely given up on change. I now realize that this sort of hip action is how I used to hit heavy, penetrating topspin shots in tennis. You don't just spin around an axis - the image of spinning in a barrel in golf is not very helpful IMO. You want to bump the barrel with your hip as you start your downswing. Just forget the barrel is my advice to people with my problem - bump that hip! (but keep your upper body/head in good position - don't drift the whole body towards the target on the downswing or you're in a world of hurt).