Draw vs. Fade: Golf’s Dueling Shot Shapes

Before we get rolling, it is important to outline golf’s modern ball flight laws. These principles, which involve a golfer’s target line, swing path, and clubface position in relation to both, determine how a ball flies through the air. 

The Modern Ball Flight Laws in golf look like this:

Clubface (in relation to the target line) + Swing Path (in relation to the clubface) = Ball Flight

Mastering the draw, a skill that can be a significant advantage to any golfer's game, has the potential to elevate your on-course performance. However, it's crucial to be aware of the potential downsides. 

Increased Distance: A well-executed draw can often travel farther due to its spin characteristics. That spin can help counteract the effects of wind resistance and gravity, resulting in a longer shot, particularly from the driver.

More Control: Hitting a draw can help you control your ball flight when needed, allowing you to better navigate obstacles on the course. For instance, if you need to avoid a tree or a bunker, a well-executed draw shot can help you curve the ball around the obstacle and get closer to the green.

Increased Risk of Hitting Hooks: If you overdo the draw, you could end up with a hook – a shot that curves too much and ends up well off course. A hook can be a frustrating and demoralizing shot, and it can cost you strokes if it happens too often.

Limited Shot Variety: If you rely too heavily on a draw, you may find certain situations during a round challenging to navigate. While having a dominant shot shape is great strategy, being limited to only one shot is a distinct disadvantage. For instance, if the pin is located on the right side of the green and you need to fade the ball to get closer, you'll be at a disadvantage if you're only comfortable hitting draws.

Difficult to Master: The draw can be challenging to execute consistently, especially for beginner or intermediate golfers. It requires a good understanding of swing mechanics and a lot of practice to develop the muscle memory necessary to hit consistent draw shots.

As pointed out above with the draw, hitting a fade offers advantages and disadvantages to consider. Let's take a closer look at each.

Control: One of the main benefits of hitting a fade is the level of control it provides. Unlike a draw, which has a greater tendency to curve too much, a fade generally flies straighter. This can make it easier to control the ball's direction and hit your target with greater accuracy.

Accuracy: Another advantage the fade provides is its potential for superior accuracy. When executed correctly, a well-hit fade can be incredibly precise, allowing you to hit the ball exactly where you want it to go. This can be particularly useful when navigating tight or challenging course layouts.

Better Control in Windy Conditions: Because a fade offers up a much more controlled shot, it can be less affected by crosswinds or gusts. This can make it easier to keep the ball under control and prevent it from getting blown off course on windy days.

Distance: While the fade offers a high degree of control and accuracy, it can also be limited in terms of distance. Compared to a draw shot, which typically travels farther, a fade may not be the best choice when you need to hit the ball a long distance down the fairway or over a hazard.

Limited Versatility: Relying too heavily on the fade, as with the draw, can limit your options on the course. If you favor the fade and have trouble hitting a draw, adapting to different course conditions and challenges can make it harder.

Practice Required: Finally, it's worth noting that hitting a consistent fade requires a great deal of practice. If you're not willing to put in the time and effort to develop your technique, you may struggle to execute the shot effectively. This can make it difficult to take advantage of the fade shot's benefits and may limit your overall performance on the course.

The following four steps are classic and widely used suggestions for golfers who want to hit a draw.

Many golfers that I coach, especially those who are either newer to the game or less informed of the mechanics of the swing, may think it is counterintuitive to aim to the right if you want the ball to go left (for right-handed golfers). If you refer back to the section above on the Modern Ball Flight Laws, however, you will see why aiming more right with your body lines is important, as it helps promote an in-to-out swing path. 

When setting your body up more to the right, pay particular attention to ensuring that your shoulders point to the right, which closes your body in relation to the clubface. That's a critical component in achieving a draw. 

This is just a slight adjustment to the right, so keep that in mind. Do not get those body lines too far right—that could spell trouble. 

Since your grip directly impacts your clubface throughout the swing, a widely used technique for hitting a draw is a slight grip adjustment. 

By simply rotating your lead hand slightly away from the target, you set yourself up to close the clubface through impact. When done correctly, this tweak allows you to see as many as three knuckles on your trail hand, which puts the V's created by your thumb and index finger on each hand pointing right of your trail shoulder...a classic checkpoint of a strong grip.

Initiating your downswing with your hips is all part of a proper downswing sequence. Many golfers struggle with this, however. Making a slight bump toward the target with your lead hip as you transition down from the top is crucial in hitting a draw. This very slight lateral movement of your hips towards the target is similar to a small baby step. 

As mentioned, many golfers struggle with this initial downswing move, so this thought is particularly valuable for those struggling with an over-the-top swing. By understanding the importance of this movement, you can take control of your swing sequence and promote a more in-to-out path.

After shifting towards the target with the hip bump, followed by the hips unwinding and moving out of the way, your focus should move on to rotating your trail arm over your lead arm as you release the club after impact. This thought helps you close the clubface, which is crucial to hitting a draw.

Now that you understand how to adjust for hitting a draw, the steps required for hitting a fade will make perfect sense. Since the goal of a fade is to move the ball from left to right, which is the opposite of a draw, you will need to do the opposite in set-up and execution as you swing. 

The following three steps are widely used suggestions for golfers who want to hit a fade.

First things first, you need to get your body lines set up correctly to hit a fade. 'Body lines' refer to the imaginary lines that run through your body, such as your shoulders, hips, and feet.

At set-up, you were told to aim to the right for a draw; in setting up to hit a fade, you will want to open your shoulders and get your other body lines going slightly left of parallel left of your target (right-handed golfers). Getting more open to your target allows you to swing in the direction of those body lines, creating a more out-to-in path.

We previously established that your grip impacts your clubface throughout the swing and, most importantly, at impact. By rotating your trail hand slightly toward the target, you set yourself up to keep the clubface open through impact. 

When done correctly, the V's created by your thumb and index finger on each hand point more toward your chin.

For a draw, the goal is to rotate the trail forearm (the forearm of the hand farthest from the target) over the lead forearm after impact. 

However, we want to do the opposite for a fade and keep the lead forearm above the trail arm after impact. The sensation should be that your trail arm is more under your lead arm, which helps maintain a slightly open clubface through impact, a key to hitting a fade.

There are situations on the golf course where playing a draw can be beneficial. Here are some examples:

• On a Dogleg Left (for Right-Handed Players): A draw can help you follow the contour of the fairway and position yourself for a better approach shot.
• When Hitting Into the Wind: A draw can help you keep the ball low and reduce the wind's effect. A draw in this situation can help you get a few extra yards. 
• When there is a Hazard on the Right (for Right-Handed Players): A draw can help you avoid the hazard and keep the ball in play. 
• When You Need More Distance: A draw can help you squeeze out more distance off the tee. And who isn’t looking for more distance?

Here are some situations when hitting a fade can be helpful:

• On a Dogleg Right (for Right-Handed Players): A fade can help you follow the fairway contour on a left-to-right hole, setting you up for a better approach shot.
• Avoiding an Obstacle: When you need to avoid an obstacle, such as a tree or a water hazard, hitting a fade can help you curve the ball to the right and keep it out of harm's way.
• Soft Landing on the Green: If the pin is located on the right side of the green and you need to get the ball to land softly, hitting a fade can help you create more height and spin on the ball, allowing it to stop quickly.
• Tight Fairways: If the fairway is narrow and you need to hit an accurate shot, a fade can help you control the ball more consistently and keep it in play.

Here are answers to some of the most common questions players have regarding the draw vs. the fade.

For beginner or newer golfers, a fade will likely be more natural. However, that is not always the case. Generally, a draw is more difficult to hit, especially one hit under control and on demand.

To be a complete golfer, you should be able to hit both shots. In most cases, however, even the top players in the world have a shot preference, and that should be the case for the recreational player, too.

Both draw and fade shots have their advantages and disadvantages, and which one goes farther depends on many factors, such as the golfer's swing speed, the club used, and the ball's spin. 

Generally speaking, however, yes, a draw tends to go farther than a fade.