Your Shot Shape

dan_ep82

Curious to see what shape people play. Fade,Draw,Straight

Discounting the bad ones, but what you'd call your good shot. I know they're are push draws/fades etc but I thought to keep the vote simple

1. Was it your natural shape?

2. If no, why change/ If yes, ever thought of changing? Reasons?

3. Handicap (Low/Mid/High will do)

For me

Current Draw/Push Draw

1. No, exact opposite of the Fade/Push Fade

2. The dreaded slice. It's so nice to see the ball go left. On top of that my strike,distance and accuracy are definitely up since the change but perhaps I just never played a proper fade. Oh I had the odd fade that seemed to go a mile but most were horribly floaty that a breeze would bring back at me.

3. High HC

ForeRight

Shot shape is fade.
If I need a draw I hit 3w which I can do much easier than driver.

Never going to change

Bad shot a slice. Always when I get lazy on a swing and switch off.

Handicap low

Senna

Fade/slice

1. Yes definitely natural, have spent years playing a draw in the past, but the fade the majority of the time this last few years.
2. Easier to control and so I stick with it. Rarely slice so can usually keep it on the short stuff.
3. Mid 12hcp

ShriekingSheet

1. Pull banana cut
2. Always
3. High

Wombatman

Spent years getting rid of a chronic slice. Happy to say I'm now fighting pulls and hooks.

Wonderful game.

Was watching one of those long drive specialists in the Sky shot centre and he was saying the optimum shot shape is straight.

Dolph Starbeam

Draw

1. No, natural shot is a fade.

2. It was too inconsistent and my bad shot was a wild slice. Hitting a nice draw now, distance and strike are a lot more consistent. Bad shot is still going right though.

3. Low

Senecio

Draw which turns into a nasty hook.

1. No

2. I started off as most young golfers do with a fade/slice. Being a slight lad I was never a long hitter so when I was about 16 I decided to teach myself to hit a draw for more distance. It took hours on the practice range but I got there. Now I can't hit a fade to save my life.

3. HCP 6

Ciaranra

Straight

Fade

2. No

3. Hit it as far as lads that draw

slave1

Draw

Currently aiming for a straight and high ball flight with everything

1. Fade

2. Changed from fade to eliminate the slice via better alignment and swing path.

3. Mid HC

Dr.Rieux

1. Draw

2. Natural shape. Not a clue how/why.

3. (Very) high hc

FixdePitchmark

1) massive OTT - so fade to slice

2) Yes - was losing too many balls - as in losing balls OB (100 yards right) - changed to wider takeaway after about 10 lessons and many many many balls - I try to think of, inside of ball (4 o'clock) on swing towards approach. Sadly many many of the balls were a total waste of time. Still enjoyed hitting them.
The changes got me pulling a bit - then to the odd draw now fade and draw or pull. So every shape going.
Bad shots tend to be a pull at moment.
And for the first time - thinking of draw or fade before shot.

After all that - in lose moments the big original OTT swing drifts back in all the time - typically taking club too quickly inside. My swing is very inconsistent. Because it is not my natural swing. It is honestly like I am swinging a club about 2 years in my mind.

But at least now, I understand it all a little better. A totally mad game.

3) Mid to low.

Keano

Straight

1) fade / slice

2) Yes and no - working very hard to fix OTT swing but will always try aim down the left hand side. If I need to hit a 'fade' then that's fine as I can control it!

3) High

yettie1701

Natural shot draw
Bad shot pull hook which I've spent the last 3 months fighting.
In the process of changing through a couple of lessons to straight.
Low handicap

Montgolfier

1. hurley fade, with lessons improved to a straight slight draw.
2. Find it hard to hit a fade now when I need one tends to go straight left.
3. mid

Rikand

Draw

Straight

1. No, I used to hit it with a big draw, but now I hit it straight or a 2yard hook/cut depending on whatever happens in my swing

2. Got a few lessons, looking for a more consistent strike. Lost the draw that I could ALWAYS hit. If I get a draw now, it's random and unexpected As is a fade

3. Low

charlieIRL

Draw

Can i add in an "anywhere" or "all over the place" option to the poll?!!

charlieIRL

Draw

Straight for me.
have the odd fade but only with driver. Am happy with how I'm hiting it when i hit them well
18 h/c and dropping!!

dan_ep82

charlieIRL wrote: »

Can i add in an "anywhere" or "all over the place" option to the poll?!!

I was going to add Other as an option but I was afraid it would be the most voted thus making the poll useless lol

I love playing a draw but I really like seeing a good player who can fade the ball. Dar would have been one of the first, although more straight than fade I think, but I've played with a few since and it's always nice to watch the control (which I could never manage consistently) they have over a shape I struggled with.

dar_cool

Power fade!! Tried to change it as much prefer a draw but quickly realised it was a lot easier said than done, I believe Martin Kaymer did something similar , nearly ruined his career!! I've just got use to aiming left and letting it come back. I can hit a draw with every club bar the driver.

TheDoc

Draw

1. Was it your natural shape?
No

2. If no, why change/ If yes, ever thought of changing? Reasons?
I used to hit a fade and was steep at impact. Big divots meant I lost lots of distance on my irons. While it was nice to land a fade into a green, too often it was a disadvantage, especially in wet conditions. I took about 8 weeks of driving range practice 2-3 times a week until I had change from a fade to a draw. It was exagerated at first, but has settled into a light draw now, and sometimes even straight.

3. Handicap (Low/Mid/High will do)
Low

DiegoWorst

Draw - bordering on push-draw

1. Yes - flat in-to-out swing.

2. No desire to change, it is what it is.

3. 6 hcp

Ciaranra

Straight

DiegoWorst wrote: »

Draw - bordering on push-draw

1. Yes - flat in-to-out swing.

2. No desire to change, it is what it is.

3. 6 hcp

You ever think changing, my swing is flat but working on changing,
Doin my head in to be honest sometimes i think im mad if it works leave it

the greatest game

- Draw or Hook, I have never managed to fade..have done wild slices

- In the process of trying to change from a strong grip to at least a neurtral grip, I have great distance on irons and driver but grip, but losing to many shots to the left.. time to change or adapt grip.. its a pain

- 16 hcp

DiegoWorst

Ciaranra wrote: »

You ever think changing, my swing is flat but working on changing,
Doin my head in to be honest sometimes i think im mad if it works leave it

I have done in the past - tied myself up in knots sometimes. Just couldn't get comfortable with the changes.

I reckon I have improved it somewhat, to a point where I think I can live with it. At least the hooks have been eliminated, almost.
Late in the round, when tiredness and/or pressure kicks in, the swing becomes more flat and I sometimes get that push shot - but that's probably more a fitness/mental thing to work on.

thegolfer

Straight

Natural shot is a fade, to straight.

Consciously try to maintain this shape as it's easier to control in windy conditions of the links courses. I had a few lessons over the years, lads trying to get a draw in there, mainly for distance, though I'm after control fairways and greens first..

Low handicap.

The Big Easy

Straight

1. Don't know if I have a natural shot at the moment as working a lot on my swing path. The goal is to be able to hit it both ways at will. Goals should always be optimistic I suppose I find it easier to hit a fade as I'm changing from an ugly OTT action.

2. As said above putting a lot of work into eradicating the dreaded OTT swing. I want to hit it both ways and can to a degree. The draw is proving more troublesome to master but I went for a lesson last week and he found that I wasn't hinging my wrists at all. This was getting me into a steep position at the top that could only produce an OTT downswing.

Even with this action I could produce a draw but it would take a lot of concentration and had led to me taking the club back way inside the line and was causing an undesirable backswing sequence. Consistency is what I really want (I know, don't we all!), but I also really want to be able to work it both ways.

3. In the process of getting my first handicap but my boards handicap is 18, so high but not for long :P

BigChap1759

Draw

Straight to slight draw

1. No.

2. Used to be a weak high fade - move was OTT and very inconsistent. Wasn't getting onto my left hand side at impact

3. 11

The Big Easy

Straight

thegolfer wrote: »

Natural shot is a fade, to straight.

Consciously try to maintain this shape as it's easier to control in windy conditions of the links courses. I had a few lessons over the years, lads trying to get a draw in there, mainly for distance, though I'm after control fairways and greens first..

Low handicap.

Just looked you up there and see you're a plus handicap, not stalking I promise :pac:

You mention about guys going to a draw for distance and that was my initial thought process too. Just wondering how far you carry your drives with a fade. I'm maxing out about 240 carry (that's my best in winter conditions currently but I've never hit it further than this in normal conditions) with a SS of around 100mph.

I know guys can bomb it out there with a fade and it's easier control, so I don't want to go too far down the road of working on a draw off the tee and then finding I can no longer fade it.

I'm hoping that just by improving my swing path and actually hinging my wrists I can pick up an extra few mph and consistently carry 260ish. Although I'm sure if I ever achieve this I'll want a few more yards (it's the human condition unfortunately; never satisfied)

Just want to know if you've any advice, thanks

rollotomasi

Draw

Straight

No, natural shape in the past were periods of draw/hook and fade/slice.

Changed to cut out the wild misses. Now shape is straight with slight fade or draw depending on alignment on the day.

Low

thegolfer

Straight

The Big Easy wrote: »

Just looked you up there and see you're a plus handicap, not stalking I promise :pac:

You mention about guys going to a draw for distance and that was my initial thought process too. Just wondering how far you carry your drives with a fade. I'm maxing out about 240 carry (that's my best in winter conditions currently but I've never hit it further than this in normal conditions) with a SS of around 100mph.

I know guys can bomb it out there with a fade and it's easier control, so I don't want to go too far down the road of working on a draw off the tee and then finding I can no longer fade it.

I'm hoping that just by improving my swing path and actually hinging my wrists I can pick up an extra few mph and consistently carry 260ish. Although I'm sure if I ever achieve this I'll want a few more yards (it's the human condition unfortunately; never satisfied)

Just want to know if you've any advice, thanks

Not really sure how far I can carry it off the tee, somewhere about 270. Though playing links primarily it's more about shot selection, ie fade it around bunkers, hold it up again the wind. Accuracy. My trajectory is fairly low off the tee. More run out than carry, and at times can minimise potential danger.
Distance is great to have in the bag, though the never ending search for this distance distracts golfers from the real game which is from 100 yards in. That's where I would focus my game on.
Fitness as well is key, along with flexibility you can add yards to your game, and deduct shots from your round. Though in real terms short game is the primary weapon in the bag, along with strong course management.

The Big Easy

Straight

thegolfer wrote: »

Not really sure how far I can carry it off the tee, somewhere about 270. Though playing links primarily it's more about shot selection, ie fade it around bunkers, hold it up again the wind. Accuracy. My trajectory is fairly low off the tee. More run out than carry, and at times can minimise potential danger.
Distance is great to have in the bag, though the never ending search for this distance distracts golfers from the real game which is from 100 yards in. That's where I would focus my game on.
Fitness as well is key, along with flexibility you can add yards to your game, and deduct shots from your round. Though in real terms short game is the primary weapon in the bag, along with strong course management.

Thanks for the reply, I'm just focusing on distance for now as I have it in my head that it's something you can't really add later (well at least without it having a dertrimental effect on other parts of the swing.

So my plan is to get to my max distance first and then refine from there. Short game is reasonably ok but I do realise that's where I'll drop the majority of my shots in time.

I do love the game and being out in peaceful surroundings; it'll be a lifetime journey, God willing. I like to play all kinds of courses, some you really do have to hit the ball a reasonable distance to play them as intended, so would like to find out my max carry, while my body still is in reasonable enough shape. I'm a big believer in flexibility being key to good golf, it's one of the main reasons I've taken up yoga :pac:

thegolfer

Straight

The Big Easy wrote: »

Just looked you up there and see you're a plus handicap, not stalking I promise :pac:

You mention about guys going to a draw for distance and that was my initial thought process too. Just wondering how far you carry your drives with a fade. I'm maxing out about 240 carry (that's my best in winter conditions currently but I've never hit it further than this in normal conditions) with a SS of around 100mph.

I know guys can bomb it out there with a fade and it's easier control, so I don't want to go too far down the road of working on a draw off the tee and then finding I can no longer fade it.

I'm hoping that just by improving my swing path and actually hinging my wrists I can pick up an extra few mph and consistently carry 260ish. Although I'm sure if I ever achieve this I'll want a few more yards (it's the human condition unfortunately; never satisfied)

Just want to know if you've any advice, thanks

Not really sure how far I can carry it off the tee, somewhere about 270. Though playing links primarily it's more about shot selection, ie fade it around bunkers, hold it up again the wind. Accuracy. My trajectory is fairly low off the tee. More run out than carry, at times can minimise potential danger.

Netwerk Errer

Draw

1. Yes

2. Started playing P+P as a young fella and competed at that until I was 15 so I had to learn to fade to make the ball stick on the small greens from short distance. Can comfortably hit both shapes when I get some playing time behind me. I'd never change the draw in for a fade though.

3. Mid, 11


Surprised so many people draw the ball here. For my on course experience, only about 1 in 10 or so draw the ball.

mickelson

ForeRight wrote: »

Shot shape is fade.
If I need a draw I hit 3w which I can do much easier than driver.

Never going to change

Bad shot a slice. Always when I get lazy on a swing and switch off.

Handicap low

same as that

quagmire47

Straight

dan_ep82 wrote: »

Curious to see what shape people play. Fade,Draw,Straight

Discounting the bad ones, but what you'd call your good shot. I know they're are push draws/fades etc but I thought to keep the vote simple

1. Was it your natural shape?

2. If no, why change/ If yes, ever thought of changing? Reasons?

3. Handicap (Low/Mid/High will do)

For me

Current Draw/Push Draw

1. No, exact opposite of the Fade/Push Fade

2. The dreaded slice. It's so nice to see the ball go left. On top of that my strike,distance and accuracy are definitely up since the change but perhaps I just never played a proper fade. Oh I had the odd fade that seemed to go a mile but most were horribly floaty that a breeze would bring back at me.

3. High HC

For me...
Straight to Slight Fade.

1) Yes, always hit it with this shape

2) Would love to be able to draw the ball. It's a purely aesthetics/mental thing for me. I associate drawing the ball with being a class player. Anytime I play with a really low h/c player at my club, they seem to draw the ball naturally. It's like they are hitting it correctly and I'm not.

3) I play off 11

This is a really interesting thread by the way.

quagmire47

Straight

Netwerk Errer wrote: »

Surprised so many people draw the ball here. For my on course experience, only about 1 in 10 or so draw the ball.

+1

Ciaranra

Straight

quagmire47 wrote: »

For me...
Straight to Slight Fade.

1) Yes, always hit it with this shape

2) Would love to be able to draw the ball. It's a purely aesthetics/mental thing for me. I associate drawing the ball with being a class player. Anytime I play with a really low h/c player at my club, they seem to draw the ball naturally. It's like they are hitting it correctly and I'm not.

3) I play off 11

This is a really interesting thread by the way.

So kaymer and monty would they not be class players

quagmire47

Straight

Ciaranra wrote: »

So kaymer and monty would they not be class players

I've seen classier... they usually draw it.

Norfolk Enchants_

Ciaranra wrote: »

So kaymer and monty would they not be class players

And don't forget the best player of our generation also fades the ball as his stock shot, but for some unknown reason the vast majority of people are unaware of it.
On a related note if this thread does nothing else at least it highlights how few people know the difference between a fade and a slice.

quagmire47

Straight

Norfolk Enchants_ wrote: »

And don't forget the best player of our generation also fades the ball as his stock shot, but for some unknown reason the vast majority of people are unaware of it.
On a related note if this thread does nothing else at least it highlights how few people know the difference between a fade and a slice.

Of course, I was having fun with the previous post. I think it's naive to think that someone who fades the ball is not a class payer. That would be a ridiculous conclusion.

Kaymer, Monty, Nicklaus, Woods (who worked toward a fade) .... all these players have nothing to prove, clearly.

My point about class players has to be taken in context. I have never seen Kaymer, Monty or Nicklaus hit a ball. If I did, no doubt I'd come to the conclusion that they are class.

My point, was intended to indicate my own experience with the 'better players' at my club.
GENERALLY, not exclusively, they all tend to hit a draw as a natural shot shape.

I am comfortable making the assumption that people who play the game and contribute to this forum also know the difference between a fade & slice.

Russman

Norfolk Enchants_ wrote: »

And don't forget the best player of our generation also fades the ball as his stock shot, but for some unknown reason the vast majority of people are unaware of it.

I thought a draw was Rory's stock shot.......;)

dan_ep82

quagmire47 wrote: »

Anytime I play with a really low h/c player at my club, they seem to draw the ball naturally. It's like they are hitting it correctly and I'm not.

Generally the better players (5 and under) I play with hit it more or less straight and draw/fade on demand on the shot.

But I would say I see more people playing draws over a fade in my home club

spacecoyote

Straight

Natural shot would be a fade, if I get too lose a slice.

Have been working on the ability to hit both ways, but getting the draw consistent is tough as it's a pretty significant change, and I've a bit of a habit of casting the club on occasions.

Starting to see good results with driver & hybrids but it takes time & work & time is something I don't have a wealth of.

Handicap is 12, so mid I guess.

Boskowski

1) Like most my natural shot is a fade and my bad shot is a full blown high push slice.

2) Had to change it. Was so bad I had no option. Wasn't going anywhere with that shot. Now the fade/slice is gone and I feel much better for it. It feels like a technique swing now rather than a power swing. Can still do the fade/slice if needed, just need to go all out and there it is.

3) High but (slowly) on the way down for the last year.

billy3sheets

Draw

Straight

1. No,my shape for many years was a fade/slice.
2. It changed after getting lessons and tidying up my chicken wings - less arms and more body turn these days.
3. High (16).

Badger2009

Depends which side the water/OB is on. If it's right it will be a wild slice. If it's left a wild hook!

I keep telling myself it's a mental thing!

dar_cool

Played with rollotomassi today and he's hitting one of the nicest shot shapes I've ever seen, lovely low draws with the irons and big draw with the driver. Great to watch!!

OffalyMedic

Draw

dan_ep82 wrote: »

Baby Draw

1. Was it your natural shape?
No complete opposite actually, was straight with 90% chance of push/slice

2. If no, why change/ If yes, ever thought of changing? Reasons?
Had to change was getting very sick of loosing balls on every hole Still lacking consistency i.e if I loose a ball right next shot i tend to overdo correction and hook but getting there. Love when I stand up on tee box and hit a long piercing draw. The things that dreams are made of.

3. Handicap (Low/Mid/High will do)[/B]
11