some observations draw vs fade

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Technically you can only draw/fade by changing the path/face relationship. The face (the grip) only affects the starting point. No matter how much release/roll you have it won't matter without a path change into the ball. Think D Plane.
 
I'm also tending to think that the "easiest" swing thought for me is to do whatever it takes for me to hit draws with driver and 3 wood teed up and fades for all the other clubs, even teed up hybrids and irons on shorter holes. But when I think draw or fade I'm really thinking "baby draw or fade" due to D Plane and the ball ending up pretty much where I wanted it to end up - straight.

Am I out to lunch here or what?
 

hp12c

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I'm also tending to think that the "easiest" swing thought for me is to do whatever it takes for me to hit draws with driver and 3 wood teed up and fades for all the other clubs, even teed up hybrids and irons on shorter holes. But when I think draw or fade I'm really thinking "baby draw or fade" due to D Plane and the ball ending up pretty much where I wanted it to end up - straight.

Am I out to lunch here or what?

U think ur out to luch, Im experimenting with my grip stronger on longer clubs, weaker on shorter clubs. Hows that for out to lunch?:p
 
If there is such thing as a “natural shot”, for me it’s a fade (with driver). If you put me on Dari’s course and tell me I have to eat pierogi for the rest of my life if I miss the fairway – I’m setting up for a fade without a thought. It’s natural to me, my eye, my swing DNA, I can hit it low-medium-high, very little spin, or make it rain. Only problem is, I wanna hit a draw.

I want my “natural shot” to be a draw, but don’t know why. I don’t think it’s a prettier shot, I don’t think they go any farther, and some of the worst drives I’ve ever hit were right-to-lefters. Maybe it’s because it’s not my natural shot that makes it so alluring. Maybe it’s because my home course heavily favors a right-to-left shot on all but one hole.

I know how to how to hit one, that’s not the problem. The “problem” is it’s not natural, it takes some conscientious doing. So in order to make this shot my “natural shot” I try to play it all the time in casual rounds. I practice and play it so it becomes natural. I have logged the hours.

I step up to the first tee in a tournament at my course… a nice tree lined dogleg left… perfect shot for a driver draw. I take a couple practice swings behind the ball, feeling and seeing that perfect draw (the only shot I’ve been practicing). I just know this is going to be a turned over Tomahawk, sometimes you just have one of those feelings. I step into the shot… align it down the center to turn it left, set the feet, take a nice relaxing breath, and…..

Shuffle my feet and body to the left towards the large pines, switch to auto, and hit a big high fade over the corner “against the dogleg” to the right side of the fairway. Damn you, draw!
 
Just to finish off on my thoughts on draws and fades, I, like M. Granato, am a natural 'fader' of the ball with all clubs and also like Señor Granato have this desire to hit draws, at least on the tee with a driver or 3 wood.

Based on my understanding of D-Plane it seems like hitting up on a ball (i.e. with driver or three wood on the tee) and swinging right will produce a straight-ish shot but with a draw bias. Conversely hitting down on the ball (with other clubs and ball on ground) and swinging left will produce a straight-ish shot with a fade bias. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think the "new" laws of ball flight (i.e. D-Plane) seem to dovetail nicely with my 'draw on the tee and fade everything else' thinking.

If I'm even close to being on the right track I'd be interesting in seeing others' perspectives.
 
Granato: That description is so spot-on. I'm the flip-side of the coin. For some reason I desperately want to hit a little fade as my stock shot. Probably because of all the tributes to Nicklaus and Hogan's ball-striking and their preference for left to right. And Tiger has repeatedly re-worked his swing to eliminate the left with the driver. I guess my logic goes: if it's good enough for them, then it MUST be good for me.

Sometimes I can tee it low and hit a perfect little bleeder all day long. But my mind sees draws and I hedge my aim to the right when the pressure is on. I think we each have swing DNA and there's a stock shape associated with it.
 
I find it very hard to hit a 'nice' draw with the new (for me new means metal :D ) drivers and balls. Fades, no problem, draws with my new mizuno blades with steel shafts, no problem, fades with mizuno blades, no problem. I felt a bit better after seeing Tiger hit one of 'my' draws at the 16th at Olympic during a practice round. It finished in the fairway, it just didn't look like the soft draws he hits with his irons. Maybe he missed it or maybe you've got to be Kenny Perry to hit a nice draw with the new drivers/balls.
 

Jim Kobylinski

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Just to finish off on my thoughts on draws and fades, I, like M. Granato, am a natural 'fader' of the ball with all clubs and also like Señor Granato have this desire to hit draws, at least on the tee with a driver or 3 wood.

Based on my understanding of D-Plane it seems like hitting up on a ball (i.e. with driver or three wood on the tee) and swinging right will produce a straight-ish shot but with a draw bias. Conversely hitting down on the ball (with other clubs and ball on ground) and swinging left will produce a straight-ish shot with a fade bias. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think the "new" laws of ball flight (i.e. D-Plane) seem to dovetail nicely with my 'draw on the tee and fade everything else' thinking.

If I'm even close to being on the right track I'd be interesting in seeing others' perspectives.

I've learned to hit up so much and aim right i was trying to 30 min last night trying to hit a baby fade and just can't do it anymore lol. I need to learn how to hit a hit up fade shot. But yes, that's why i think it's easier to hit up and hit a small draw with a driver and hit down a swing a little left with irons to hit high towering "straightish" shots. Will probably fall left or right a little.
 
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