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What's your acceptable draw/fade

arwin

arwin

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I've just been practicing for #TheGauntlet and a lot of my shots were hooking about 30-40 yards or so. My better ones were about 15-20 yards.

This made me wonder about what is everyone's tolerance for how much their shots fade/draw.

Ideally, I wouldn't mind a fairly consistent 10-15 yard draw but any more than that would make it seem tough to play; especially if you need to aim so far out and there's trouble out there.

How much of a fade/draw do you play and accept?

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Anything more that 10 yards offline and I consider it a miss.

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If I'm playing Golf Swing a nice tight draw of maybe 5-10 yards is a thing of beauty. If I'm playing a game of golf, anything that leaves me a reasonable next shot - decent lie, no obstructions, etc - is beautiful.
 
I actually like to see the ball moving sideways through the air one way or another. Right now I am comfortably playing a 10-30 yard fade which is landing me in great positions more often than not. If I miss and hit a 50 yard fade I can still be ok because I'm always aiming up the left side - depending on the hole obviously. As long as I avoid the ol' double cross I am keeping the ball in front of me.
 
If I can find it, I am happy
 
Not 100% sure by what you mean by accept. If you mean try for then 10-15 yards at most off the tee. Takes a ton of effort to get modern drivers to move a bunch. The huge misses from me come from pull hooks and such where I start the ball way off the starting line target then hooks some more or a big toe gear effect miss. For the most part I am aiming for one side of the fairway and bringing it back towards the middle. If I really have to hit a huge cut I can manage it but trying to hit a huge hook is a bit harder, equally likely to hit a block or 2 yard fade as I am a 30 yard pull hook.
 
I naturally hit a fade / cut. I have been working hard (on the range) learning to hit a draw, with good success, but haven't yet tried it on the course.
 
Anything that doesn't go OB or into a hazard I'll be happy with. Like I always say, I ain't too proud.
 
I'd prefer very little movement. It allows me to be more precise. Pick my landing areas and my lines. Not a fan of huge amounts of movement.
 
I don't like a lot of draw or fade. Anything more than a couple yards and I know it wasn't my best swing.
 
As little as possible is the goal. But as its consistent and predicable I can play it.
 
I don't typically play for a draw or fade as I hit neither consistently so just playing straight ahead I would say up to 10 yards or so as that's a manageable putt or up/down opportunity in most cases.
 
I tend to play a pretty straight ball unless its totally necessary to move it. Then it depends on the shot. In most cases if I'm trying to work the ball, I usually end up over doing it. I would say 10 yards or so would be ideal.
 
15 yards is close enough for me. 15 yards usually puts me out on the fringe if shooting for center green.


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5-10 yards if intentional is what I would consider controlled. Anything more than that and you probably lost it a little bit.

unless you're davidwinchell, and then you play about a 30 yard draw on everything.
 
The straighter I can hit a ball, the better. Here in Central Kansas, we play in a lot of wind so the ball moves anyway, but if I'm having an off day and the ball is moving, then it's a fade most of the time. Much more than a minor 10 yard fade with my driver is more than I want.
 
15 yds is my max preferred movement off the tee, 10 yds w irons. Otherwise, the shot was overdone.


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My first thought was that as long as it finds the fairway, I don't care where it starts or finishes.

But man do I wish I could simply hit it straight.
 
ntanygd760 said:
Not 100% sure by what you mean by accept. If you mean try for then 10-15 yards at most off the tee. Takes a ton of effort to get modern drivers to move a bunch. The huge misses from me come from pull hooks and such where I start the ball way off the starting line target then hooks some more or a big toe gear effect miss. For the most part I am aiming for one side of the fairway and bringing it back towards the middle. If I really have to hit a huge cut I can manage it but trying to hit a huge hook is a bit harder, equally likely to hit a block or 2 yard fade as I am a 30 yard pull hook.
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I'm basically trying to find out 3 things:

1. How much of a fade/draw do people play.
2. How much of a fade/draw do people play relative to their handicap. I'd assume the lower handicaps have a better swing and won't need to compensate as much, but you never know.
3. At what point is it too much to be playing that much of a fade/draw. Is 25-30 yards too much? Is 15-20 yard too much? I should've indicated that I'm looking at approach shots with irons.

I know a lot of people are going to say - as long as I find it, as long as its on the fairway, as long as its on the green etc

For me, when I was practicing yesterday, I felt like a 25 yard draw is too much especially when you are trying to hit a green.
I feel like most greens are about 15 yards wide (45 feet), if I aim 10 yards out to the right and draw it 25 yards, i'll be on the left fringe after it's all said and done. Which I guess isn't too bad.
If I try to aim out 20 yards out to the right, that seems like a huge amount to be compensating. Especially if then you hit a double cross or it just goes straight, which could put you in a bad spot or even into a hazard.

Ideally, I'd like to be able to keep it to a consistent 5-10 yards and just aim just to the right of the green. That way if it goes straight or draws, I'll be in a safe spot. When I have my good swing with me, that's what happens...when my bad swing comes out, it's hooking 30-40 yards. I hear ya about the starting direction, it's pretty bad when you start it straight or left and it continues to draw/hook. Playing the next shot from another tee box or the other side of the trees is difficult!

As for drivers, it's always going to be the swing that will determine how much it will spin. You'd be amazed how much side spin I can put on the ball. lol. 40-50 yard hooks are not fun.

All this mental prep for #TheGauntlet!
 
I think you're overthinking it alittle. fairways are awesome. I can work it pretty well, but don't always play it - assuming everything is working hahaha
 
I will take anything that can consistently be depended on to hit a fairway.

30 yard fade? Aim Left, let the fade bring it back into the fairway. I usually play as straight as I can, but when the fades start creeping in (especially with driver), I just know I need to adjust accordingly.
 
braddman19 said:
I will take anything that can consistently be depended on to hit a fairway.

30 yard fade? Aim Left, let the fade bring it back into the fairway. I usually play as straight as I can, but when the fades start creeping in (especially with driver), I just know I need to adjust accordingly.
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I think that is a solid plan. Sometimes we make the game too hard- at least I know I do.
 
Pretty much anything that stays fairway is acceptable for me right now. I'd like to gain the consistency to say 10-12 yards offline either way but not there yet.
 
arwin said:
I'm basically trying to find out 3 things:

1. How much of a fade/draw do people play.
2. How much of a fade/draw do people play relative to their handicap. I'd assume the lower handicaps have a better swing and won't need to compensate as much, but you never know.
3. At what point is it too much to be playing that much of a fade/draw. Is 25-30 yards too much? Is 15-20 yard too much? I should've indicated that I'm looking at approach shots with irons.

I know a lot of people are going to say - as long as I find it, as long as its on the fairway, as long as its on the green etc

For me, when I was practicing yesterday, I felt like a 25 yard draw is too much especially when you are trying to hit a green.
I feel like most greens are about 15 yards wide (45 feet), if I aim 10 yards out to the right and draw it 25 yards, i'll be on the left fringe after it's all said and done. Which I guess isn't too bad.
If I try to aim out 20 yards out to the right, that seems like a huge amount to be compensating. Especially if then you hit a double cross or it just goes straight, which could put you in a bad spot or even into a hazard.

Ideally, I'd like to be able to keep it to a consistent 5-10 yards and just aim just to the right of the green. That way if it goes straight or draws, I'll be in a safe spot. When I have my good swing with me, that's what happens...when my bad swing comes out, it's hooking 30-40 yards. I hear ya about the starting direction, it's pretty bad when you start it straight or left and it continues to draw/hook. Playing the next shot from another tee box or the other side of the trees is difficult!

As for drivers, it's always going to be the swing that will determine how much it will spin. You'd be amazed how much side spin I can put on the ball. lol. 40-50 yard hooks are not fun.

All this mental prep for #TheGauntlet!
Click to expand...
With irons I don't want to see them moving much, just a few yards depending on the wind, my natural flight with irons is a draw but I only like seeing move a few yards. Hybrids I am good with 5 -10 yards depending. I will play for more if that option keeps me from having to carry a bunker at a tucked pin. A lot of the time I just like to move the ball into a light cross wind so it doesn't look like it is moving just holding its line. There really is no right or wrong but playing for 15 yards plus is asking for trouble probably, unless you just can't hit it straighter, then live with what you have and make it work.
 
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