Fade & distance loss
- Thread starter Bigwill
- Start date
- Status
cmartingolf
New
Fades and distance
In most cases (without bizarre manipulation), if your clubface hits the inside half of the ball you'll present more loft than if you hit the outside half of the ball. No matter how you "slice" it (joking) you'll transfer less power due to more deflection.
At some point a cut may fly better, and go farther for some, as the ball will stay in the air longer.
No science there, just my thoughts on the matter.
In most cases (without bizarre manipulation), if your clubface hits the inside half of the ball you'll present more loft than if you hit the outside half of the ball. No matter how you "slice" it (joking) you'll transfer less power due to more deflection.
At some point a cut may fly better, and go farther for some, as the ball will stay in the air longer.
No science there, just my thoughts on the matter.
Jim Kobylinski
Super Moderator
Generally fades go shorter (iron wise) due to the higher launch angle and spin rate that accompanies it but due to both of those things is why they land softer and at times tend to be a little more accurate.
tongzilla
New
Make sure:
- The fade is not too high.
- The fade only fades a little. Preferably the fade starts when the ball has reached its apex.
I've figured out in the last 2 years that:
1) a fade won't move as much laterally for me as a draw will.
2) generally, swinging left for me more often than not results in a ball that ends up where I'm aiming, regardless of how much bend the shot has. Learned this courtesy of Brian's shoe drill, which has improved my ballflight more that any one thing I've ever done.
3) I've never felt as confident over the ball (in regards to knowing which way the ball was going to move) as I have in the rounds where I tried to cut the ball on every shot. Problem was that I was giving up tons of yardage with the driver, and I don't get the ball up high hitting a cut with my irons (but I hit it high when I draw it; go figure).
Because I don't get to play much, and won't get to play much this year with a new baby, I think that grooving one shot shape over another will really help me to continue to improve, especially if I know the ball is basically only going in one direction. I really can't get this playing right-to-left, unless I'm playing a 30 or 40 yard hook. I just give up so much yardage hitting a cut with this driver that I'm having a difficult time committing to the fade.
1) a fade won't move as much laterally for me as a draw will.
2) generally, swinging left for me more often than not results in a ball that ends up where I'm aiming, regardless of how much bend the shot has. Learned this courtesy of Brian's shoe drill, which has improved my ballflight more that any one thing I've ever done.
3) I've never felt as confident over the ball (in regards to knowing which way the ball was going to move) as I have in the rounds where I tried to cut the ball on every shot. Problem was that I was giving up tons of yardage with the driver, and I don't get the ball up high hitting a cut with my irons (but I hit it high when I draw it; go figure).
Because I don't get to play much, and won't get to play much this year with a new baby, I think that grooving one shot shape over another will really help me to continue to improve, especially if I know the ball is basically only going in one direction. I really can't get this playing right-to-left, unless I'm playing a 30 or 40 yard hook. I just give up so much yardage hitting a cut with this driver that I'm having a difficult time committing to the fade.
self-mastery
New
I live and die by drawing the ball. I will never hit a fade on a shot that is over 150 yards. My driver gets punished if the ball goes right. Ike Turner, Joe Jackson, Chris Brown type beat down! I'm working on a little fade so that I can better attack greens, approach shots are the only time I think about shaping shots.
It's nice knowing where the ball isn't going to go.
It's nice knowing where the ball isn't going to go.
That's what I'm shooting for. I really wish I could do that with a draw; I love the way it looks when I hit it right. Plus my driver spins too much, so I can only really get anything out of it by turning it over. But shooting the scores I do, inconsistency is obviously a huge issue for me, and I miss right and left with a draw. Not only that, but I tend to miss right more often; aiming right to allow for a draw can be a problem if I end up hitting a push-fade.
I'd love to join you on the left side, SM, but I'm not good enough to handle it yet!
curtisj76
New
That sounded like my game last year. Learned that I was swinging too far right. Either gonna use NHA this summer or give SD another chance and try not to swing too far right. Can't wait for warmer weather.
self-mastery
New
One reason why i hate fading the ball is because I have to open my stance to get it to go to the target. I don't alter my stance in anyway to hit a draw. I don't try to over control the driver, I just let it drift left, and when I'm able to hit irons well (haven't struck an iron good in 2 years) the ball flight is a very tight draw where it only moves slightly left.
Fades look retarded, and look like they fight with the wind.... Doesn't fit my eye.
Jim Kobylinski
Super Moderator
Get a driver "fit" for a fade and you won't see much distance loss at all. However if you try and draw the fade fit driver you may actually hit it shorter because it will deloft the already low lofted / stiff tipped driver you have made for the fade due to a lower launch and even less spin
As far as hitting your iron fades too low, it sounds like you are just delofting too much through impact. Move the ball a bit further up in your stance
As far as hitting your iron fades too low, it sounds like you are just delofting too much through impact. Move the ball a bit further up in your stance
curtisj76
New
OMG, that could be me. I had a driver made for me a few years ago and I was hitting amazing fades that went high AND long. Last summer I was using SD and I wasn't getting much height at all. Seems like my fades were going higher and farther than my draws (I even typed a thread about it). Might have to look into this further.
Jim Kobylinski
Super Moderator
If the driver was going long with the fade, it would most likely go shorter when trying to hit a draw because it will launch lower and spin even less which all contributes to less carry distance
curtisj76
New
Jim, so I either go back to a fade swing or get a different driver? THANKS!!
http://www.brianmanzella.com/forum/golfing-discussions/10188-help-myself-instructor-baffled.html
Scroll down to Brian's post. Like Brian says in the post, size 11 US works best. So if you have big feet or little feet, you'll need to make an adjustment.
Last edited:
That makes sense. Speaking of that, I just watched a Manzella video where he said that opening the stance can effectively move the ball back in the stance. And I've been setting up pretty open in the last year. I'll square it up and move the ball forward and see if that helps. Thanks.
self-mastery
New
Maybe I should try two drivers--- One that is pretty much standard, so that I can hit my stock draw, and one with an open face so that I can hit a fade???
Taylor made R9??? Seems kind of gimmicky.
Taylor made R9??? Seems kind of gimmicky.
curtisj76
New
Isn't that what Phil M used to do?
Jim Kobylinski
Super Moderator
U r not allowed to change it during a round it is against USGA rules.
- Status