I Love Hitting a Fade!

[Bryan SD2]

I haven't seen the left side of a golf course in 20 years, and have been as low as a 4 cap.  The above assertion than "amateurs" have "20-30 yard fades" is ridiculous.  A 20-30 yard ball carving right is no more a fade than a right to left drive that is over-cooked three yards into the rough is a "pretty little draw."

For me the fade is natural, easy to control, accurate as hell, and fun to play.  When a good player plays it, the chances of a horrible shot is diminished more than when a player of equal handicap is out there hitting it right to left all day.  Sure, the better players in the world prefer a draw, but when you are a 8 or so cap like myself, why change?

[Ben]

So as I was out on the course today (hole 2) and hit a bit of a push fade. But, because I was aimed to the left side of the green to begin with it worked out and left me about 15' right of the pin. I nuked it so I was also 15' long... But, still putting for birdie rather than chipping. To top it off, I made the putt!

I hit a bunch of bomber fades today. Its great to have control and a nice amount of power in there. Ended up 4 under today. Actually had three putts inside of 7' today too. Oh, what could have been...

[Steel]

I love it when your striking the ball that well and some rubberhead tell's you you can squeeze another 20 yards out of your drive if you could just hit that draw!  hahahaha

[Bryan SD2]

  Steel said:

Originally Posted by Steel

I love it when your striking the ball that well and some rubberhead tell's you you can squeeze another 20 yards out of your drive if you could just hit that draw!  hahahaha

Especially when he's a double digit cap, would be four down were we playing (three down, two down, and one down with automatic presses), and has 6 dozen balls in his bag.  Then I bomb another low, little cut/slider past him....

At that point he usually fires me.

[Deryck Griffith]

I guess the famous saying "you can talk to a fade but a hook won't listen," is perfect for this thread!

For me, I play a fade and have come to accept it actually.  Especailly on drives..my drives that land to the right roll out FAR LESS than the hooks I used to hit which rolled into many forests and water hazzards!

[golfyboy4]

I also predominately hit a fade its about twice as accurate as a draw for me and the distance differance is only about 5 yards.I never try to hit a draw unless absolutely necessary.

[battlephrog]

Im with you on the Ben Hogan, I have almost every book and DVD he has wrote or put out about him and his life. He was and will always be the greatest golfer of all time, just my opinion.

Although I play a mid-high draw, I am having an issue with consistency and is really hard for me to line to play a fade when I naturally draw it...

[Ben]

The fade was not behaving today. Not that it was bad, I still had some control and managed to scrape around and make some money with it. Gonna hit the range hard tomorrow to get it back in order.

[phillyk]

I feel I have a weird case.  I naturally hit the draw with all my clubs, and I can control them fairly well.  However, when I know I need to be dead on or carry something more than my draw would, I can hit a beautiful high fade.  At most it'll fade 10yds.  It looks perfect.  But, I can't make that my natural swing, because in the past, when I try to work with the fade, it quickly turns into a slice.  My draw hasn't turned to a hook in a while, so I stick with it.

[golf4fun12]

I usually hit the draw. I only hit a fade if I do it on purpose. I hit a fade today with my 4 iron around a tree and back onto the fairway. I must say, it felt so amazing to control a fade like that. I love the way a draw looks when in flight. but the fade is a thing of beauty in itself.

[mattshaver]

for me, a fade just doesn't look right to my eye.  a draw just has a prettier ball flight to me.

[Bryan SD2]

  mattshaver said:

Originally Posted by mattshaver

...  a draw just has a prettier ball flight ...

This fader of 20 years agrees with you.  I just can't draw the ball with any consistency, and gave up... oh, around the time when $25,000 Pyramid was still a big TV hit.  Ok... maybe not that long ago.  But Jack only had 5 green Jackets when I became a fader for life.

[Gerald]

If you go around a tree....

  golf4fun12 said:

Originally Posted by golf4fun12

the only time I hit a fade is when it is necessary. like, around a tree. I hit mostly all draws on par 3. driver is 90% draw. long irons are draw and sometimes I leave the club head a little open and it will be straight. 3 wood is always a draw. when I first started playing, I hit slices. haha. I wouldn't call it a fade. gradually, I learned the mechanics of the golf swing and eventually just hit draws for the extra yardage.

..... you don't need a fade but a serious intended slice !!!

[golf4fun12]

  Gerald said:

Originally Posted by Gerald

If you go around a tree....

..... you don't need a fade but a serious intended slice !!!

ok

[Bryan SD2]

  golf4fun12 said:

Originally Posted by golf4fun12

ok

He's right actually....   A "fade" or a "draw" - AROUND A TREE?  No... a fade is a few yards, under control, slight movement.  Same for a draw.  Carving it around trees is a little more deliberate, etc.  No biggie though.. just the semantics of wording I guess.

[iacas]

  Bryan SD2 said:

Originally Posted by Bryan SD2

He's right actually....   A "fade" or a "draw" - AROUND A TREE?  No... a fade is a few yards, under control, slight movement.  Same for a draw.  Carving it around trees is a little more deliberate, etc.  No biggie though.. just the semantics of wording I guess.

I can think of numerous times where one can hit a "fade" or a "draw" around a tree. Depends on how you define "fade" and "draw." Is it by the amount they curve? By whether they over-curve?

I've hit 3-yard cuts "around" trees because a draw wouldn't work - it'd smack into the tree.

[deronsizemore]

I prefer to draw the ball on every shot. That said, the last year or so all it seems I know how to hit is a fade. It's one of the worst things ever when you like to hit a draw, you're used to a draw and you see a draw shot shape before you swing. Then, a fade appears.

[golf4fun12]

  Bryan SD2 said:

Originally Posted by Bryan SD2

He's right actually....   A "fade" or a "draw" - AROUND A TREE?  No... a fade is a few yards, under control, slight movement.  Same for a draw.  Carving it around trees is a little more deliberate, etc.  No biggie though.. just the semantics of wording I guess.

all about wording on the internet. you can get the wrong info with just one word out of place.

anyway, a fade is a controlled shot. like you said above. well, I controlled my shot and put a fade on it. I don't consider it a slice because I meant to hit a certain shot which was done. I always felt that a slice is a shot that you are trying not to hit. when a golfer hits a slice it is considered "bad." so a slice is bad. and a fade good. that is just my thoughts on it. could be wrong. but that is my opinion on it. everyone has a different opinion on different things. so, that's why I said fade around a tree. cause I controlled it. it was meant to be. lol.

question bryan......what if the tree is 50 yards in front of you....and you have to fade the ball around the tree to get to the green. is it a slice then or is it a fade, since it is 50 yards ahead of you? I guess you would consider how much of a "fade/slice" on the ball flight. my opinion, I would said fade for sure.