How do YOU shape your shots?

jt2929

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My natural shot shape is a fade of 10 yards or so. I can only hit a draw with my hybrids, and not very consistently. I have seen 2 schools of thought on how to shape shots.
1. change your swing path
2. open or close your clubface, but keep the same swing

So my question is, how do you guys do it? One of the two above, or something completely different?
 
I would recommend you try and find the Hank Haney episode from 12 nights at the academy. He touched on this very subject and gave some great visual help. I tried to find it on Youtube but had no luck.
 
swing path is key for me
if i just open or close the clubface ill hit a cut or a pull
 
i have no desire to shape shots, unless i absolutely have to. i am from the school of long and straight, i like those shots. i can hit a fade much easier than i can a draw, and when i do draw the ball it's very subtle.
 
THP Resident GolfTEC Pro Andy did a video on this very subject. You can watch it here.

http://thehackersparadise.com/home/?p=1767

Thanks JB. Great video.

I would recommend you try and find the Hank Haney episode from 12 nights at the academy. He touched on this very subject and gave some great visual help. I tried to find it on Youtube but had no luck.

I'll try to find it. I think I saw every episode except Haney's.

I'm really interested to see what the majority of people here do to shape shots.
 
I like straight, but as my swing has improved I've generated a very slight draw. The only exception being with my 60*, where I have a natural fade when I open the face. Otherwise... If I want a duck hook, I pull really hard with my left arm. If I want a fade (slice) I keep my weight back, swing very vertically, and usually end off balance. Rarely do I do either on purpose.
 
I do it just like Andy does (well attempt to anyway), I had read that in a golf magazine, I think it was a Lorena Ochoa tip.
 
the method Andy focuses on is the one I try to use. The results aren't so great, but that's me. He didn't discuss it, but I as always under the impression that the last element to this is adjusting your finish, or am I mixing the two methods?
 
I remember a little thing Annika Sorenstam did on TV. She showed the way she hit a draw was to keep the club pointed at the target, and then positioned her body to where she wanted to start the ball. Seemed to work wonders for her, I haven't quite figured it out yet though >.< I tend to just change my swing plane to more inside out and just tell myself to not let the club face open.
 
It has to do with my swing path. I'm not a fan of opening or shutting the clubface. My basic thought contains three things:
1. Hitting a "block" (feels like it) if I want a fade, or make sure I release and roll over properly if I want a draw.
2. I imagine a line from the ball to the hole. Then I just want a feeling of me hitting outside or inside that line depending on if I want a fade or a draw.
3. The finish. I have these images in my head of where I want to be at the end. It helps me with both putting the club on the proper plane after I hit the ball and holding off/rolling over the wrists after impact.
Fade:
_41992374_donald416.jpg

Draw:
rory-mcilroy-ten.jpg


It helps a lot that I'm really flexible.
 
I adjust my stance a little (open or closed) but also rotate my right hand (I'm right handed) either under/strong for a draw or over the top/weak for a fade. Works for me. Changing a swing could get messy.
 
I play my fade and never try to hit a draw.
 
I play my fade and never try to hit a draw.

Most faders struggly mightily with it, including me. I could only hit a fade from I was 14 to 23. It's taken thousands upon thousands of balls for me to have the confidence to bring the draw onto the course and into tournament play. Now I can hit both, but boy it's taken time and effort.
 
Wow - a lot of good information in here! I have been practicing resident Pro Andy's technique (from THP TV) about body position and face angle. Draws / hooks come much more easily to me than fades. With some practice though, I'm starting to get the hang of what my body needs to do for a fade - might even try it out on course this weekend. A key for me when hitting a fade is to swing to a high finish, with my hands high and in front of me. If I follow through completely, I end up hitting way left of my intended target. For a draw, I don't even really think about it, I just line myself up and swing away. I guess that makes it my "stock" swing. Bear in mind, I've only been talking about my irons here. With my driver, shaping of shots is completely involuntary. I aim more or less down the middle and pray that I can find my ball later.
 
Fade= Normal swing
Draw= Get on other side of the ball then give it a normal swing.
 
My natural shot has always been a draw, but I've worked on not coming so far from the inside so fades are getting a little easier for me. I do not change my grip on the club because the orientation of the clubface primarily controls the initial direction of the ball. To hit a fade, I move the ball slightly forward in my stance and open my stance up slightly. For a draw, move the ball back in my stance and close the stance a little bit. I have a tendency for my normal ball position to creep further back than it should be, which is another reason why I usually draw the ball.
 
Horrible slicer when I 1st started out, now I hit a draw (or hook when things go bad) would never attempt to hit a fade on purpose for fear of getting the slice back...
 
Trajectory and drawing the ball anywhere from 5-20 yards is cake, but I can't seem to get a consistant fade to save my life. It really screws me on alot of tight courses...I can't hit the ball straight. If I get any impedance to my natural draw I get in deep trouble.
 
When I first started playing golf I sliced the ball quite alot,probably 90% of the time with driver.After playing for a few years and lots of practice I have managed to turn that severe slice into a nice 8-10 yard or so fade,my natural swing.Now I would love to be able to shape my shots more,but my main problem with that is the dreaded hook creeps in way too much.I have resigned myself to hit the controlled fade,esp. with driver,by playing the ball more forward in my stance and finishing my shot smoothly.Eventually I would like to have a draw in the bag,but for now i'm happy with the fade and rare smallish draw when I let the ball creep back in my stance.No hooks though please, can't stand missing left!
 
For a draw, I'll step into my address forward foot first. For a fade, right foot first. It helps me close my shoulders or open them, respectively.
 
Welcome to THP Greenshit........interesting name ya chose!! Could go one of 2 ways there.....:D
 
Welcome to THP Greenshit........interesting name ya chose!! Could go one of 2 ways there.....:D

hahahaha... i am seriously dying here i cant stop laughing
 
My natural shot shape is a fade of 10 yards or so. I can only hit a draw with my hybrids, and not very consistently. I have seen 2 schools of thought on how to shape shots.
1. change your swing path
2. open or close your clubface, but keep the same swing

So my question is, how do you guys do it? One of the two above, or something completely different?

I keep a consistent path and and alter the grip (stronger or weaker) depending on which way i want to send the ball
 
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