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Do you need to be able to shape the ball to get to a low handicap?

I agree with the masses that being able to work the ball both ways is not necessary to be a great golfer. At the same time, my last teacher told me that a straight ball is not as beneficial as having a stock shot that turns slightly one way or the other. He reasoned that it's easier to manage your misses with a stock fade, and that a straight shot brings a potential two-way miss leading to more short-sided approaches. I'm not a consistent enough ball striker to speak from experience though.
 
I think it’d be a plus but tend to stick a single miss if possible.


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I think it’s an important skill to be able to manage the trajectory of your golf ball. Is hitting a fade or draw on command a requirement, No, IMHO, but being able to flight the ball low, mid and high would be. If a low capper gets themselves into trouble, they usually have a mich better chance of getting out if they can visualize shot trajectories and more or less pull them off to a certain degree.

My pennies...


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DNice26;n8888452 said:
I think it’s an important skill to be able to manage the trajectory of your golf ball. Is hitting a fade or draw on command a requirement, No, IMHO, but being able to flight the ball low, mid and high would be.
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... I agree that trajectory control is pretty essential for a low index player. Flighting short irons low and the ability to play knockdown shots, especially if you play in wind is just about a must. The old balata ball never went straight so I played a draw and worked on a fade in case I needed it, but the new balls and clubs are designed for a straight shot so I no longer shape shots side to side unless I need to get out of trouble.
 
Shaping is more about what fits your eyes I think unless you're talking about a Hogan or Nicklaus who made a conscious effort to change to a fade to keep ball in play. I do think a low handicapper needs to have excellent control of the club head with speed through the hitting area however. That's not exactly shaping, but in a way it is because they can more often hit the shot they visualize.
 
I do think there is something positive to shaping shots as for better control. I am no shot shaper at all really especially with irons except unintentionally...lol
But when (and lately its not often at all) but ion the past and when Im on fire with driver or 3w.5w off the tees I can shape. I just think controlling shape is easier than controlling straight if/when your able to do it.

I look at the whole thing kind of like driving a car on the freeway. When going straight its almost a constant adjusting going on but when going around a bend we tend to more easily and steadily stay with the bend. I don't know if that's the best comparison but shaping a bit of a draw or fade can imo (if done well) lead to better placed shots in desired landing zones. I feel one who can do it well has better control vs the straight hit. But doing it well is another story.

That all said, no I don't think it is any necessary key to playing low. I think it could help but not at all necessary. Imo that's all about simply failing little to none and executing 95% of the time without failing.
 
I think you definitely need to move the ball both ways from trouble (and be able to hit high and low too) in order to score well, or at least mitigate disaster. Short dog-leg holes also offer scoring opportunities if played correctly; otherwise they just put you in a defensive mode if the dog-leg is opposite your predominant shape.

Most low-handicappers I know can at least do that. Shaping draws and fades to attack pins is more advanced, and not necessary to score well enough to achieve a 5-handicap IMO.

While hitting reliable fades and draws may be difficult, it should be fairly easy to learn to hit slices and hooks on demand.
 
Shaping the ball helps a lot, but it can also get you into a lot of trouble.

A lot of pros have a stock shot. Be it straight, draw, or fade and try and play a game that's built around that. Some guys even have different shapes based on the clubs (driver fades, everything else draws) but ultimately it comes down to finding something that works.

don't go chasing shot shape when it is probably wont help as much as distance control and flighting shots.
 
My dominant shot shape was a slight draw. I learned how to hit fade/cut shots to alter the ball flight approach into the green/pin, especially into pin locations on the right side of the green.... or to take a little distance off of a club, in other words taking an easy full swing one club up but cutting a ball in to reduce it's normal club distance, instead of killing or having to pure one loft more club. I would also use a fade to shape the shot away from trouble. Kind of like eliminating the left side of the golf hole if there is trouble over there.

The other shot I enjoyed using was knockdown shots for windy days, mainly in the shorter irons for accuracy to the pin. This helped me win quite a few closest to the pin contests.

Keep in mind, I practiced the heck out of these shots on the range before taking them onto the course in a game.

These are really nice tools to have in the bag while playing.
 
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When you reach single digits, then you can learn to shape your shots. The rest of us who are playing with handicaps that are less than adequate need to learn to just be consistent at making contact and not slicing or duck hooking. Short game can help with our inadequacies.
 
I don’t think it’s totally necessary but it sure is nice to have a few extra shots in the bag. You never know when you might need one!
 
im playing off a 23 HCI here so take my words for what theyre worth.

I think the most important skill to have is a consistent and predicable shot shape. 2nd most being accuracy/dispersion, 3rd being the ability to scramble and get yourself out of trouble with minimal damage.

The 3rd item is where shot shaping ability comes into play. Being able to hit a low punch from under a tree with the ability to draw or fade back into the fairway is a huge skill to have.

If you have the first 2 items down, you shouldnt find yourself in trouble having to use #3 skillset too often. However, I think most people develop #3 skills before they hone their consistency and accuracy. I can hit a low punch draw because ive had to many times lol!
 
I don't think it's as essential as it once was. It was basically impossible to reliably play a straight ball back in the balata days but clubs and balls have come so far since. Being able to reliably shape your shots can't hurt but IMO most of us have a better path to a lower cap. Instead of spending a great deal of time and effort to become a proficient shot shaper we'd be further along by relying upon our stock shot and focusing most of that time and effort honing our games from 125 in.
 
You don't need to shape the ball at all. Be able to get within 8 feet from 100 yards in and get up and down most of the time and you will shoot low 70s.
 
I have a natural slight fade, and can get a little draw when I need it, but only try for it on a dogleg left. I'm better off hitting it straight most of them time. What would help my game most is reliably hitting fairway woods and more distance control on putts. My brother is always trying to shape his shots, and misses more than he succeeds.
 
pilot25;n8891960 said:
You don't need to shape the ball at all. Be able to get within 8 feet from 100 yards in and get up and down most of the time and you will shoot low 70s.
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If you can do that, you're probably going to be on tour.
 
I can't even guess at what it takes to get to a low handicap or how to play a high draw or fade on demand, but I would suggest that almost anyone can learn to hit punch shots that curve enough right-to-left and left-to-right to be useful in certain situations.

Even if this shot gets you 10 yards closer to the green over just punching out sideways, that's one less club for your approach.
 
To answer your question no, you don’t need to be able to shape shots. But I do think being able to alter the flight height and back spin matters more than shape. At least for me it does.


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I believe the answer to the question asked is that it is not essential that you be able to shape the ball to get to a low handicap but it sure would help if you can. I frequently play a course that has six holes that are doglegs left. I hit a natural fade and have difficulty hitting a draw, although I can do it sometimes if I practice enough. More often than not, the ability to draw the ball is lacking and I lose considerable distance on these holes because of my fade.
 
It helps, but not required. Short game, maximizing opportunities while minimizing big numbers is a big key. Grinding when you don't quite have it that day... All important, more important than being able to move it both ways. Some of the best I've played with exclusively played a fade with great consistency.
 
Touched on this before but I really do think there is something special about one who can shape shots at will that allows the controlled shape shooter to more easily hit the intended target area vs his straight ball. I can just picture that being the case. I only say this because at the times I have been on with my tee game (mostly driver) and have been able to intentionally fade/draw I found that more accurate than straight ones. But of course I am normally just trying to be consistent enough to strike the ball well in the first place. But there have been periods 9especially a few years back) where id have good tee games and shaping (if doable that day) did lead to better placed shots at the desired target area where as straight ones (even if good) would be much more the crap shoot (relatively speaking). So I can certainly see it working even more in that manor for irons for one with the control ability.
 
You don’t need to work the ball both ways to get to a 5 and below handicap. I use to play a stock fade, but plateaued at a 4-5 hdcp. I decided to retool my swing at the beginning of the year and play a draw and in the process can now work the ball both ways. I am now a 3.2 hdcp, it does help being able to work the ball.

Example, in order to attack a right or left tucked pin over a bunker. I would usually try to hit a fade or straight shot before. If I hit a straight shot short, it’s in the bunker. If my shot doesn’t fade, then I am on the left side of the green. Now I can take dead aim at the middle green and try to draw or fade a shot depending where the pin is. If I get the ball to work either way towards the pin location, I’m golden, but if goes straight....I’m in the middle of the green.
 
My all-time low was a 6 handicap. Currently at 12.

When I was at 6 I had a reliable (slight) draw and generally kept the ball in play. If I got in trouble, I could reliably hit a (again, slight) draw or fade to help me get back out.

It was helpful, but it wasn’t the key to the low handicap. I would say the keys were:

-Keep it in play, and

-Short. Game. Know how to hit the green from 125, 124, 123, 122, 121... etc.

Short game rant: if your full swing with your PW is 140, you need to know what a 25%, 50% and 75% swing with your PW gets you, and at what trajectory, and you need that info with ALL your wedges, and your 9i and 8i while you’re at it.

You need to feel as as good or better with your wedges from 2 or 3 feet off of the green as you’d feel with your putter just on the edge of the green.

Know what kind of pitch, lob, knockdown and chip you can pull off with your wedges and short irons, and from how far out: your scores will go down.

There will be others who smirk at you when they out drive you by 25y off the tee. You can smirk back when you write down a par and they write down a double since they can’t hit a green or get up and down.
 
blugold;n8891975 said:
If you can do that, you're probably going to be on tour.
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Tour? They have to shape the ball at will.

When I was younger and playing all the time I practiced 150 yards in for hours and hours. Got my handicap to the point where i thought I was good. Got paired up with a couple former tour players one day. The ones who bounced from the tour to off and back again for years before hanging it up to be instructors. The ones the average Joe thinks isn't very good because they aren't on TV all the time. I was amazed at what they can do with a club and ball.

Seems to me the difference between a tour player and a scratch golfer is as big a chasm as a scratch to a 20 handicap. One of the GWX podcast guys said it best. If you can't shoot low 60s at regular courses all the time then forget tour dreams.
 
I think equipment plays a big role too. It's easier to curve shots with blades than cavity back game improvement irons. Personally I have big problems with fades and slices. A draw and a hook just feels natural :p
 
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