Can someone please explain the draw with the driver

[Paul H]

Help me wrap my brain around this please .

My driver sits a few degrees open at address(low point of the swing arc). However when it meets the ball, which is played forward and on a tee, it is pretty much square to the target line. Since it is past the low point of the swing arc when it makes contact, the club is on the way back inside and the ball has a slight fade, which is fine.

My question is how can the ball draw with the driver when the club is ascending into the ball after the low part of the swing?

The concept of drawing an iron seems logical since the ball is played back and hit before the bottom of the arc, but I just can't picture it with the driver since it is hit after the bottom of the arc.

Thanks-

Paul

[delav]

The path that the club travels on is not the same as the target line.

A draw happens when the face is closed relative to the path of the club, not closed to the target.

[Paul H]

Thanks!

Makes things clear when you hear (or read) it from someone else.

Paul

[EverythingGolf]

Here is an image of hitting a draw.

Gray Dashes = Target Line

Red Line  = Club Path

Black Line = Club Face

[iacas]

I'm not sure you guys are answering his question geometrically, which seems to me what he's asking.

Yes, the club is moving inward past low point, so you have two ways to draw the ball with the driver:

1. Manually "swing out to the right" more so. This is sometimes called a "CF release" because the arms will leave the body in order to keep the clubhead moving out to the right.
2. Play a pull-draw. Aim your body more to the right and let the clubface be slightly closed to the path and your body's alignment at impact.

Does that answer the question?

[JackLee]

You will probably find Erik's #2 to be the easiest, if he includes a closed stance with that body alignment.  But Erik, are you sure you want to call that a pull-draw, because the clubface is not closed to the target line at impact, and the ball will not be pulled left of the target line.  I would just call it a draw.  I would have expected you to call it a push-draw.

However, maybe you are calling pulls and pushes with regard to the path instead of the target line.  Confusing!

[iacas]

Originally Posted by JackLee

You will probably find Erik's #2 to be the easiest, if he includes a closed stance with that body alignment.  But Erik, are you sure you want to call that a pull-draw, because the clubface is not closed to the target line at impact, and the ball will not be pulled left of the target line.  I would just call it a draw.  I would have expected you to call it a push-draw.

However, maybe you are calling pulls and pushes with regard to the path instead of the target line.  Confusing!

With regards to body alignment, actually. Otherwise every draw that finished at the target would be a push-draw, and why would we want that?

[Sean Dainty]

Originally Posted by Paul H

Help me wrap my brain around this please.

My driver sits a few degrees open at address(low point of the swing arc). However when it meets the ball, which is played forward and on a tee, it is pretty much square to the target line. Since it is past the low point of the swing arc when it makes contact, the club is on the way back inside and the ball has a slight fade, which is fine.

My question is how can the ball draw with the driver when the club is ascending into the ball after the low part of the swing?

The concept of drawing an iron seems logical since the ball is played back and hit before the bottom of the arc, but I just can't picture it with the driver since it is hit after the bottom of the arc.

Thanks-

Paul

Hey Paul, the easiest thing to do in order to hit a draw is to have a closed stance (feet line pointing to the right of your target - if you're right-handed) and swing along the path of your feet. This inside to out motion allows the club face to be closed, relative to your feet line, creating a draw (ensure you fully release your hands as well!).

Hope that helps.

Sean

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by delav

The path that the club travels on is not the same as the target line.

A draw happens when the face is closed relative to the path of the club, not closed to the target.

Slighty open to the final target (intended landing area) and slightly closed to the path is my draw of choice.

[dbuck]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Slighty open to the final target (intended landing area) and slightly closed to the path is my draw of choice.

Mine too but I can't pull it off very often.  Are your feet and shoulders at address parallel to the target line, the line the face is pointing on, or the swing path?

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by dbuck

Mine too but I can't pull it off very often.  Are your feet and shoulders at address parallel to the target line, the line the face is pointing on, or the swing path?

I set everything square to a path aiming slightly right of my final target and try to hit a straight shot, other than the very slightly closed face angle.

[Kieran123]

I have always struggled with *trying* to draw the driver. I usually naturally draw it a tiny bit, when I try and draw it more, I snap hook it.

There's no in between for me.

[JackLee]

Originally Posted by iacas

With regards to body alignment, actually. Otherwise every draw that finished at the target would be a push-draw, and why would we want that?

A pull with regard to body alignment?  Really?  I don't know if you are serious or trying to be funny.  Oh well, this is a waste of time anyway.

[EverythingGolf]

Originally Posted by JackLee

A pull with regard to body alignment?  Really?  I don't know if you are serious or trying to be funny.  Oh well, this is a waste of time anyway.

JackLee, Please explain your definition of a draw.

[Steel]

If your hitting a push/fade and your hitting it consistently don't mess with it.  If you start to work the draw for an extra 5 yards it can quickly deteriorate into a hook and believe me, when you start to fight that it will be the sorriest day of your golf life.

[JackLee]

Originally Posted by EverythingGolf

JackLee, Please explain your definition of a draw.

For a right hander, a pure draw is a ball that starts right of the target and then curves left to the target.  You can call that a push-draw if you like, but the older material that I have read calls it a pure draw, or just a draw.  I expect that it has been called that because it is an intentional good shot.

Same thing for a pure fade, or just a fade.  Starts left of target and then curves right to the target.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by JackLee

For a right hander, a pure draw is a ball that starts right of the target and then curves left to the target.  You can call that a push-draw if you like, but the older material that I have read calls it a pure draw, or just a draw.  I expect that it has been called that because it is an intentional good shot.

Same thing for a pure fade, or just a fade.  Starts left of target and then curves right to the target.

The problem with calling every ball that goes right to left (for a righty) a "draw" and nothing else is that it's not as revealing or descriptive as "push-draw" or "pull-draw."

Obviously every draw that "works" starts to the right of the target. But you can push it to the right with a neutral body alignment, or pull it with a body alignment that's even farther to the right.

[Kieran123]

Originally Posted by iacas

The problem with calling every ball that goes right to left (for a righty) a "draw" and nothing else is that it's not as revealing or descriptive as "push-draw" or "pull-draw."

Obviously every draw that "works" starts to the right of the target. But you can push it to the right with a neutral body alignment, or pull it with a body alignment that's even farther to the right.

What do you call it when it starts left of the target and draws all the way around behind you back to the target?