Pull fade vs push fade?

[golfdu]

So I'm reading Nicklaus' Golf My Way and he mentioned that he primarily plays a fade but I am curious on whether he played a pull fade or a push fade... He supposedly hits it very high compared to other players of his generation so I'm assuming a push fade? Hogan hits it low so I assume his shot was a pull fade. Anyways, which ball flight is better for hitting more fairways and greens?

I want to use my alignment stick for a drill for starting my ball direction (stick it in ground 5-10 feet in front of ball) but I don't know which way is better, aiming straight and starting it right for a left-handed pull fade or aim a little right of the target and starting it left for a left-handed push fade towards the target.

Since we play a vastly different golf ball compared to Hogan and Nicklaus' that spins a lot less than theirs, is the pull fade obsolete because it would launch too low and not hold the greens enough, due to the face being closed to the target and reducing dynamic loft?

[saevel25]

13 minutes ago, golfdu said:

Hogan hits it low so I assume his shot was a pull fade. Anyways, which ball flight is better for hitting more fairways and greens?

Depending on the golfer a push fade for one could be lower than a pull fade for another.

This article on Hogan has some instructors thinking he had a slight out to in, or pretty much a zero'd out swing path.

http://www.golfdigest.com/story/if-ben-hogan-met-trackman

I am not sure about Jack's fade. I would have to guess it might be a push fade.

16 minutes ago, golfdu said:

Anyways, which ball flight is better for hitting more fairways and greens?

Which ever gives you more consistency. Both Hogan and Jack were at top of the game in terms of ball striking.

17 minutes ago, golfdu said:

Since we play a vastly different golf ball compared to Hogan and Nicklaus' that spins a lot less than theirs, is the pull fade obsolete because it would launch too low and not hold the greens enough, due to the face being closed to the target and reducing dynamic loft?

The golf ball spins plenty off irons. It spins way less off the driver than back then. As long as the golfer swings with sufficient speed to produce enough height, a pull fade can easily hold the green as push fade. Though a push fade would be easier since it would be launched higher for that golfer.

[billchao]

There are PGA Tour golfers who play a pull fade. Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell, just off the top of my head.

49 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

The golf ball spins plenty off irons. It spins way less off the driver than back then. As long as the golfer swings with sufficient speed to produce enough height, a pull fade can easily hold the green as push fade. Though a push fade would be easier since it would be launched higher for that golfer.

I second this. If you have decent speed and strike the ball well, you're going to be able to hold greens with both pull and push fades.

[iacas]

I would wager that Ben Hogan hit a pretty "straight fade" and Jack a push-fade.

[RWC]

On 7/14/2017 at 3:45 PM, iacas said:

I would wager that Ben Hogan hit a pretty "straight fade" and Jack a push-fade.

Could you explain difference between "straight fade" and push-fade. 

[iacas]

Just now, RWC said:

Could you explain difference between "straight fade" and push-fade. 

A straight fade starts straight relative to your alignment. A push-fade starts right of your alignment (as a righty).

[klineka]

2 minutes ago, RWC said:

Could you explain difference between "straight fade" and push-fade. 

I know Erik already answered you but this thread helped me understand ball flight in much greater detail. My friends look at me like im speaking a foreign language when I try to tell them that an in to out swing path makes the ball draw

 

[Buckeyebowman]

Like Trevino said, "You can talk to a fade, but a hook won't listen." I studied Nicklaus' swing in detail when I was learning the game, and when the golf mags were still worth reading. Jack was a "playing editor" for Golf Digest, and in one issue there was a detailed study of his address positions for every club in his bag, with diagrams showing the positions of his feet.

At that time it was common practice to, as the irons got shorter, to move the ball position further and further back in the stance. The stance would also get narrower and more open. But, Jack's stance was open even with the Driver, so I'm guessing push fade is correct.

Heck, in his prime he was longer than everybody out there. His main concern was keeping it in the short grass. I even read an article that stated Nicklaus was never that great of a chipper or pitcher of the ball. Why? Because he didn't have to be. He could hit long irons as high as eagles fly, and they'd settle on the green nice and soft!