How to Fade or Draw the ball

July 15 - Written by Kyle Somers

In golf, a draw shot is the right to left movement of the ball in the air. Players like to use this shot for a number of reasons including, hitting greens or fairways that may play better with a draw, curving the ball around a tree or obstacle, or hitting a ball flight that will hold its line, in the air, against a left to right wind direction. Hitting a draw typically makes the ball go further than a fade.

What is a draw?

To draw the ball, all that is needed is a closed club face through impact. Releasing the hands and letting your hands roll over, will allow you to achieve a closed face through impact. If you struggle hitting a draw, really try to exagerate the feeling of turning the club face over. However, if your swing path is “out to in”, then you will start your draw too far to the left OR may find it extremely difficult to hit a draw entirely.

How do you hit a draw?

In golf, a fade or cut shot is the left to right movement of the ball in the air. This shot is popular among players for several reasons, such as hitting a green or fairway that will play better with a fade, curving the ball around a tree or obstacle, or to hit a ball flight that will hold its line, in the air, against a right to left wind direction. A fade will generally land softer and stop much quicker than a draw.

What is a fade?

All that is required for the ball to fade is an open club face during impact. You can accomplish an open face through impact by holding the realease of the hands and preventing them from rolling over. Generally, a fade is a harder shot as it might feel unnatural to prevent your wrist from releasing through impact. If your swing path is “in to out”, then you will start your fade too far to the right OR just find it extremely difficult to hit a fade.

How do you hit a fade?

-Kyle Somers, 15 July 2023