Last Updated on March 21, 2024 by Nasir Hanif
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Are you a little fuzzy on your golf terminology?
Maybe you’re out on the course and your friend says, “did you see that perfect fade? I am really on today!” Your response might be something like, “Wow, that was that was like a PGA-level fade” even though you don’t really know what a fade is.
It’s time to buff up on your golf knowledge and not only understand what a fade is, but actually be able to hit one. We’re going to look at the idea of a golf draw vs. fade today, giving you some insight into what these things are and how they’re achieved.
Let’s get started.
What Is a Golf Draw?
Let’s start by looking at the draw.
A draw happens when a golfer hits the ball and it curves back left or right toward the person’s body. If the golfer is right-handed, it will curve to the left and vice versa.
There’s about a 5 to 25-yard range where this is a desirable shot. When the fade starts to stretch farther than that, it becomes a pull or a hook. Generally speaking, a hook is unintentional and almost always a bad thing.
You hit a draw by adjusting the swing path and the angle of the clubface.
In a normal shot, your clubface is square and your swing moves straight through the ball. In a fade, your clubface is open. That means the face angles out toward your back foot.
Open the clubface by a few degrees when you’re setting up for a draw. Then, make sure that your swing path moves outward by a few more degrees than your clubface is open.
So, you have an in-to-out swing, and that relationship with the clubface causes the ball to spin back toward the player.
What Is a Golf Fade?
A fade occurs when the ball moves from inside to outside in relation to the golfer. So, a right-handed golfer would see the flight path move from left to right.
When you start to see the ball move farther than 25 yards to the right, the shot becomes a slice. Generally speaking, any curve in either direction that’s longer than your intended shot is either a hook or a slice.
You would only slice on purpose if you were in a difficult situation behind a tree or other obstacle. It’s handy to have a golf rangefinder in these situations because distances are very important.
In order to hit a fade, you need to use an outside-to-inside swing path. Adjusting the clubface isn’t as important here because it’s more natural to use a slightly out-to-in swing.
If you want to dial your fade in, though, you would angle the clubface inward by a few degrees.
Want to Learn More About The Golf Draw vs. Fade?
Hopefully, the ideas above gave you some insight into the golf draw vs. fade. These are two shots that help out a great deal on the course, but they require a little bit of practice.
There’s a lot more to learn about how to play well. We’re here to help. Explore our site for more golf fade tips, insights into gear, and a whole lot more.
