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Push, Pull, Fade, Draw

worst_shot_ever

worst_shot_ever

I leave big divots
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In the spirit of the Fat or Thin thread, some discussion on pushing and pulling.

So how do you distinguish pushing and pulling from fading and drawing? As I understand the idea, a push or pull is essentially a straight-line shot that goes left or right of the intended target, while fades and draws curve in or out during flight, but I have no confidence in that definition. (I'll add that Ben Hogan said in an interview that he never tried to hit straight shots, as doing so is nearly impossible -- and if it's nearly impossible for Ben Hogan, that's saying something.)

On the same note, when you do hit a non-curving shot that isn't a draw or fade (or slice or hook), do you have a tendency to push or pull? Mine tend to pull. Wierdly, my curving shots tend to fade. Or is that combination not wierd?

Finally, when it comes to pushing/pulling, does lie angle play a role? That is, I noticed particularly on my short irons that I tend to set up slightly toe down. It is those irons that I tend to pull a bit. Is there a correlation?
 
For me, I play a fade off the tee and with longer clubs. It can turn into a slice if I am not careful. With my iron game, I play a straight pull. Once a round or so, I will dead pull a ball in which I am playing for a fade off the tee and hit it dead straight to the left. This is usually an indication for me of my front foot moving. But I think it is different for every person.
 
When I miss a shot that doesn't curve right (either slightly or a banana) it's almost always pulled left (and usually are my straightest shots I hit). So WSE, I don't think that's weird at all. Either that or we are two exceptions!
 
I think your definition is spot on.
Today I had a terrible push slice off every tee I used my driver on. Inside out path with an open clubface = Bad.

When I do manage to hit a straight shot they tend to be slight pulls, but I do push the odd one (my usual is a slight pull fade).
I still manage to hook the beejesus out of all my mid and short irons 90% of the time, though.
 
POWER fade ... *cough, cough*
 
Grogger31 said:
POWER fade ... *cough, cough*
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Yeah, I'm pretty familiar with those, too! :D The first tee at my range is just within the high "power fade" zone for me at the range. So far I haven't had to yell "Fore" at the range, but I fear it's only a matter of time.
 
TheGasman said:
Im quite familar with those. But I still blame the wind.
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Yep...the wind and the golf ball!

I used to always slice and push, now I hook and pull! :D
 
Draw and Pull here. I start out at the range usually hitting a soft fade for the first few balls, once loosened up it is usually a draw with the occasional hard pull of the tee.
 
All of my complete iron screw ups are usually pushes. All of my driver screw ups are pulls.
 
I generally hit a push as my miss, and my stock shot is a little draw. Although I wouldn't really consider my push a push, more of a block, as it comes from my upper body not getting through the shot. Generally though I enjoy working the ball and being a shot maker. Draw, cut, low, high, I can generally hit it all.
 
a true shaped shot stays on one side of the line and finishes on the intended mark... so if I want to draw the ball I want the flight path to stay right of the line and end on that mark. If the ball crosses the line and lands left of the original mark then that ball has been hooked. Same goes for a fade...
 
My mi****s are always either a push or a slice. When Im hitting a push, its because Im not doing a full shoulder turn, which causes the club to impact the ball before my hips have rotated back to being square to the ball.
Usually when I hit a slice, the same thing is happening.
Im working to remedy that by visualizing turning my back to the target on my backswing.
 
Bakemono said:
My mi****s
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Apparently the automatic filter does not like that word lol.

I tend to turn my wrists over a little fast at times which in turn makes me put a lot of lag on the club and de-loft it, this causes a nasty low trajectory snap hook.
 
i naturally hit a draw but i can hit a fade and straight also. if anything i would pull a shot a little bit but thats something i worked on with my teacher a lot so it happens maybe few times a round.
 
If I'm hitting correctly, it's consistently to 1:00. I pretend it's a fade.
 
ClairefromClare said:
If I'm hitting correctly, it's consistently to 1:00. I pretend it's a fade.
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If you are hitting correctly and consistently, it is a fade.
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DDBowdoin said:
yeah, hello.... McFly!

it's a draw Claire!
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I promise that it wasn't a mistake. She's got something brewing in that brain of hers.
 
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