Fade or draw?

[Davie81]

I've been trying to a long time to hit a draw and I just can't do it. Last lesson, my coach had me swinging across my feet line and kind of having a cricket follow through to hit a fade. If I'm hitting a fade I'd still take it but is there any long term problems that could be caused?

[cipher]

Swinging left of your feet line for a righty?  Nothing wrong with a fade though.  What kind of long term problems would you be referring to?

[Davie81]

30 minutes ago, cipher said:

Swinging left of your feet line for a righty?  Nothing wrong with a fade though.  What kind of long term problems would you be referring to?

I'm worried that I'll start coming over the top which is what I've been fighting for years.

[Denny Bang Bang]

Ask Dustin Johnson if a fade holds him back :)

As long as you hit a fade or a draw consistently, you can work with it

Edited September 10, 2017 by Denny Bang Bang

[Davie81]

6 minutes ago, Denny Bang Bang said:

Ask Dustin Johnson if a fade holds him back :)

As long as you hit a fade or a draw consistently, you can work with it

Very valid point! Lol. Would a fade mean I'm coming over the top tho?

[Denny Bang Bang]

9 minutes ago, Davie81 said:

Very valid point! Lol. Would a fade mean I'm coming over the top tho?

I think that can be a general cause of a fade or more a slice, but I wouldn't say that is always the case (especially with a fade).

Maybe put up a swing video, might be helpful for people to see your swing.  Could be as simple a fix as not standing as close to ball or something.

[mvmac]

23 minutes ago, Davie81 said:

Very valid point! Lol. Would a fade mean I'm coming over the top tho?

No, you can fade the ball and still swing in-to-out, relative to your body alignments. This is what Nicklaus, Trevino, Fred Couples and many other players have done and continue to do. They just aimed their torso and legs left to "pre-set" the path left.

Just "swinging left" is typically not a good thing IMO

Quote

Because my path is slightly right on a stock shot, baby fades are easier than big fades or intentional slices with just alignment. For example, imagine I want to hit a shot with -2°/-4° face/path relationships. A baby fade. Since my natural path is already +4°, I'll have to shift my body alignment to -8° to get my path to -4°. My natural clubface angle is 2° open to my stance, but that only puts me at -6°, so I have to open the face another 4° to get it to -2°. In doing so I'm adding a little loft to the club, but I can hit a reliable push-fade from this setup without changing my swing. 

 

[cipher]

2 hours ago, Davie81 said:

I'm worried that I'll start coming over the top which is what I've been fighting for years.

Well if that is the case as @mvmac has pointed out the instructor wanting to to swing left in relation to your feet alignment is not very good.

I fade nearly every shot and I aim left and try to start the ball on my foot line or hit a push slightly right of it.

[IrishAndy]

I'd take a consistent, controllable fade over an inconsistent draw any day.  Then again, I'd take an inconsistent draw over a two-way miss any day.  If it finds target it's a keeper!

I've always drawn the ball and for some reason that often gets positive comments at the range.  From instructors also.  I guess it's considered the harder swing to learn?  To me, if it misses the green it sucks either way.