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Hitting a draw

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  • 21-05-2010 2:10pm
    #1
    danap
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭


    This is my first post and I'm looking for advice. I can hit a draw with my irons but for the life of me I cannot hit a draw with the driver. I set up with my stance closed but the ball just goes straight right. Any tips that I could try?


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    #2
    Dr.Silly
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,759 ✭✭✭Dr.Silly


    go to the driving and put your right foot back one foot. This will make the club go more from the inside

    i.e you should be standing like this for the practice.





    just an idea, I was taught that and it worked for me.


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    #3
    Daithio9
    Closed Accounts Posts: 494 ✭✭Daithio9


    danap wrote: »
    This is my first post and I'm looking for advice. I can hit a draw with my irons but for the life of me I cannot hit a draw with the driver. I set up with my stance closed but the ball just goes straight right. Any tips that I could try?
    Strengthen your grip and this should close the clubface on impact and promote a right to left ball flight.


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    #4
    jimbling
    Registered Users Posts: 4,053 ✭✭✭jimbling


    There's so many things that could be the cause.....

    Top guesses would be:
    As Daitho said, strengthen your grip. Take a look on youtube for videos of how to setup for a strong grip.

    You could be trying to hit the ball too hard. Normally this causes a slice by pulling the arms too much. But it could also cause a push straight right by having your body get too far ahead of your arms, so the face is still open through impact.

    Make sure your release point is beyond the ball. If you are striking your irons well and drawing them this shouldn't be a problem though.


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    #5
    danap
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭danap


    Thanks for the suggestions guys. I think jimbling is on to something as I do feel as if trying to hit the ball too hard and the feeling I have is that my right shoulder is too active in my swing.


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    #6
    jimbling
    Registered Users Posts: 4,053 ✭✭✭jimbling


    danap wrote: »
    Thanks for the suggestions guys. I think jimbling is on to something as I do feel as if trying to hit the ball too hard and the feeling I have is that my right shoulder is too active in my swing.

    Hmm, I'm not really an expert, so just doing guesswork on my own experience.

    Just to confirm? Is the ball actually going straight out right or are you slicing it?


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    #7
    Gophur
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,921 ✭✭✭Gophur


    Rather than just taking your right foot back a bit, you should rotate a few degrees clockwise. Otherwise you will have an unnatural stance. It will also leave you with better balance.


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    #8
    danap
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭danap


    If I set up square to the target line I usually get a slight fade. If I set up closed (to try and draw the ball) I usually end up pushing the ball straight right. Very frustrating as I have no problems drawing my irons.


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    #9
    danap
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭danap


    Gophur wrote: »
    Rather than just taking your right foot back a bit, you should rotate a few degrees clockwise. Otherwise you will have an unnatural stance. It will also leave you with better balance.

    I tried that Gophur but I end up pushing the shot straight right :(


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    #10
    Nuri Sahin
    Site Banned Posts: 26,456 ✭✭✭✭Nuri Sahin


    You need to get that feeling of the wrists turning over through impact like you were hitting a top spin shot in tennis.

    Pull right foot back.
    Aim clubface straight at the target(or a touch closed if you are really struggling)
    Swing as per normal.

    It's all I do and I achieve a gentle draw. If you are tensed up you'll usually hit to the right. That's the case for me anyway :P


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    #11
    flugel
    Registered Users Posts: 475 ✭✭flugel


    Adnan Alves wrote: »
    You need to get that feeling of the wrists turning over through impact like you were hitting a top spin shot in tennis.


    Was going to suggest the same thing! Was given that swing taught before, helped me when i was hitting a big push right. Really gives you that in to out swing feel


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    #12
    jimbling
    Registered Users Posts: 4,053 ✭✭✭jimbling


    danap wrote: »
    If I set up square to the target line I usually get a slight fade. If I set up closed (to try and draw the ball) I usually end up pushing the ball straight right. Very frustrating as I have no problems drawing my irons.

    Ah right. It's probably the tensing of the muscles due to trying to hit the ball too hard.

    Adnan Alves wrote: »
    You need to get that feeling of the wrists turning over through impact like you were hitting a top spin shot in tennis.

    It's more through the release point though right? If you do that at impact you'd hook the ball surely?


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    #13
    danap
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭danap


    Thanks for all your suggestions. Off to the driving range later to see if I can find that holy grail :D


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    #14
    stockdam
    Registered Users Posts: 3,472 ✭✭✭stockdam


    You've got to get the alignment right.

    Aim the clubface to the centre of the fairway and your shoulders and hips down the right. Now take your grip (don't grip and then turn your hands to "close" the face of the club as that won't strengthen your grip).

    Take a soft grip and then swing down your shoulder line. If you keep the clubface looking down the fairway then you should get a draw.

    If you try to get the hands into the shot then you can end up opening the face and pushing the shot or even slicing it (disastrous when you are already aiming right).

    You've got to get both the hips and shoulders aiming right (not just the hips).

    To hit a fade then do the opposite.


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    #15
    kagni
    Registered Users Posts: 643 ✭✭✭kagni


    The easiest way for me to hit a draw is to try to hit a fade on a dogleg right.;)


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    #16
    Ginny007
    Closed Accounts Posts: 59 ✭✭Ginny007


    I have to say i hit the ball left to right for ever and would be delighted to hit a duck hook.

    Good thread.


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    #17
    Trampas
    Registered Users Posts: 7,428 ✭✭✭Trampas


    Nothing against the OP but I think to many people try and hit a draw or fade when they find it hard enough to hit it straight.


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    #18
    Fore Iron
    Registered Users Posts: 262 ✭✭Fore Iron


    kagni wrote: »
    The easiest way for me to hit a draw is to try to hit a fade on a dogleg right.;)

    Ha ha!! Me too! My natural shot is a slight fade. When I get to a dogleg right I think "Oh great! This suits me perfectly!" and try to hit a thoughtless, smooth, normal swing. Normally it's turns out to be the nicest high draw you have ever seen!! Starts straight on line and then beautifully drifts left into the trees!


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    #19
    Daithio9
    Closed Accounts Posts: 494 ✭✭Daithio9


    Trampas wrote: »
    Nothing against the OP but I think to many people try and hit a draw or fade when they find it hard enough to hit it straight.
    Most people have a natural tendency to draw or fade the ball, but for some reason a draw is percieved to be sexier than a fade, personally I'd take a fade over a draw everyday of the week and twice on Sunday.


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    #20
    jimbling
    Registered Users Posts: 4,053 ✭✭✭jimbling


    Daithio9 wrote: »
    Most people have a natural tendency to draw or fade the ball, but for some reason a draw is percieved to be sexier than a fade, personally I'd take a fade over a draw everyday of the week and twice on Sunday.

    I don't think it's just a perceived notion. A draw shot will travel further than a fade shot. Also, doesn't the draw shot cut through the wind much better than a fade shot?

    There's plenty situations where a fade is much better than a draw as well, but in general, people are trying to get the ball further down the fairway.


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    #21
    Fore Iron
    Registered Users Posts: 262 ✭✭Fore Iron


    IMO, being able to shape the ball both ways is the key to really good golf. I think the mistake people make is that they think you have to be able to move the ball much more left or right than they think. Even just being able to drift 4 or 5 yards either way when needed can make a massive difference in the effective margin for error on approach shots.

    As for drives, I pretty much find it impossible to draw my driver. If I do manage it intentionally, it ends up as a low running draw that doesn't get anywhere near the distance that my natural fade would give me, even into the wind. So, I always aim down the left side of almost every fairway and know that even if I hit it straight I'll be OK. To get significant extra distance off the tee with a draw you really need to be able to keep it reasonably high and bring the ball left a godd 10 or 20 yards at least as far as I'm concerned.

    But it's approach shots that really matter and a small handful of yards is plenty for me. I'll never really see any increase in distance as a result but it's nice to aim a little right of a left pin and bring the ball in over the fat part of the green rather than trying to fade it into a tight corner. If you can move the ball with your irons I really wouldn't be too bothered about the driver so much. There aren't that many holes that will punish you if you can't go right to left off the tee if you play a fade sensibly.


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    #22
    danap
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭danap


    kagni wrote: »
    The easiest way for me to hit a draw is to try to hit a fade on a dogleg right.;)

    Oh how right you are kagni :D


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    #23
    danap
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭danap


    jimbling wrote: »
    I don't think it's just a perceived notion. A draw shot will travel further than a fade shot. Also, doesn't the draw shot cut through the wind much better than a fade shot?

    There's plenty situations where a fade is much better than a draw as well, but in general, people are trying to get the ball further down the fairway.

    I tend to agree with jimbling. My natural shot with my irons is a draw but as soon as I have the driver in my hands I tend to hit a high fade which robs me of distance. I'm not a long hitter so any few yards I can get with the driver would be welcome.

    Thanks for all the advice.


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