Golf is a game of skill and therefore is not everyone’s cup of tea. It is a game where you need to learn a lot of different shots that will help you in the game. Now hitting a straight shot in golf is not an easy thing and there is no player that can constantly hit a lot of straight shots.
There is always the debate of fade vs draw in golf because of the times, players use one of the shots to play.
Most of the beginners more often than not accidentally hit a draw or a fade. Well, this isn’t the case with a professional as he will always tactically play this type of shot.
But for the average player, it is necessary for them to know what is better, a fade or a draw? Which one should they use?
Table of Contents
What is a Draw?
It is basically a term for the ball’s flight path. If you are a right-handed person and upon taking the shot, the ball curves to the left side then it is a draw shot. These shots are played intentionally by professional players in order to get out of tricky situations and get the lead. It is basically the opposite of a fade shot. Draw shots are not that easy to hit and beginners will require a lot of practice to master these shots.
What is a Fade?
A fade is also a term for the ball’s flight path. The difference from a draw shot is that if you are a right-handed person and the ball moves towards the right side and vice versa. A draw shot is the opposite of a fade shot and this shot is also played intentionally by professionals. Beginners need a lot of practice before they can either hit a draw or a fade.
Draw vs Fade:
When you are playing a draw or a fade, there will be sidespin produced on the ball which is due to the slightly off-center shot. If there is a lot of sidespin on the shot, then it is very bad as the ball will fly in a weird direction and also won’t go that far. There are a lot of golfers who have a natural fade or draw in their shots. But there are also a lot of professional players who can purposefully hit a draw or a fade depending upon their need.
The difference between a fade and a draw is basically the direction in which the ball travels. In a draw, the ball goes from right-left while in a fade it will go from left-right.
How to Hit a Fade?
You need to eliminate the slice then you would want to try a few things that will help you in controlling the fade. The most common reason for a slice is if you open the clubface too far. You also need to correct your grip as well. The thing that you need to focus on is to grip the club normally but use more strength with the left hand. With a strong grip, there will be less rolling. The other thing is to rotate the right hand towards the left.
Now comes the part where you need to open your stance. Your feet should be aligned with the target and be careful not to overdo it. Make sure to put the ball a bit forward. With an open clubface, aligned to the left side of the target, all you need to do is to swing in the direction of your feet. This will allow you to hit a fade perfectly. Some of the players also try another technique in which you have to bring the clubface from outside to inside but this requires additional thinking.
How to Hit a Draw?
If you are thinking logically, then a draw uses the opposite technique than a fade. In order to play a draw, you need to keep the grip strong and focus more on the right hand. Now you will need to rotate the right hand away from the left so that your knuckles aren’t visible. The ball should be placed in the opposite direction of the left armpit. You also need to adjust your stance in a closed position. Your alignment should also be towards the right of the target.
If you have done everything correctly, then your wrists will roll over which will produce the desired draw shot. You shouldn’t have any trouble in hitting a perfect draw shot. However, you should know that it will take a lot of practice before you starting hitting draw shots on command.
Benefits:
Draw Shot:
The main benefit of using a draw shot is that generally there is a lower trajectory and more topspin with a draw shot. This will result in more distance covered as the ball will roll on the ground. It is better when you need some distance.
Fade Shot:
In a fade shot, the trajectory is a bit higher than a draw shot so that is why you won’t cover that much of a distance. But the best thing is that due to the higher trajectory, the rollout will be less and the ball will stop at a shorter distance.
Drawbacks:
Draw Shot:
The biggest drawback of a draw shot is that as it tends to cover more distance that can put you in a lot of trouble. There is a huge risk as you can go over the required distance and get yourself in a tricky situation. Then you will have to play one more shot just to get the ball out of that place.
Fade Shot:
A fade is not as damaging as a draw shot but also has its con as well. It doesn’t cover as much distance as a draw shot so it is only suitable when you need to cover a little bit of distance. The benefit of the fade shot will entirely depend upon the distance that you need to cover.
The Better Option:
You need to keep in mind that both of the shots are good only if you are hitting the fairway. There is no point if the ball is going out of the fairway. There are some courses on which a draw shot is better and on some, a fade shot. If there is a dogleg on the left-ahead then you can play a draw shot and similarly, a fade shot if it is on the right. The use of a draw or a fade entirely depends upon the course and the obstacles in the way.
There is not a clear winner between the two shots. However, you should only use that shot which you are comfortable hitting every time.
Conclusion:
So, there is a lot of disparity between fade vs draw in golf. Some people prefer a draw and vice versa. Well, if you think that you can control a fade shot better and consistently hit the fairway then use it. The same goes for the draw shot. In the end, your preference should be the shot with which you are able to hit more fairways. If you are hitting the rough, then practice more on that particular shot.
