I know this may be a simple question, and I feel like I should know the answer. But, recently I have started hitting a fade. I do not really mind it but I seem to struggle at hitting targets. I set up as I think I should but the ball seems to be cutting more than I like. I am not sure if the ball is really moving too much or I am setting up wrong. This is because I have played a draw almost almost all my life. So I am not sure what to do to adjust to the ball flight.

> @QuigleyDU said:

> I know this may be a simple question, and I feel like I should know the answer. But, recently I have started hitting a fade. I do not really mind it but I seem to struggle at hitting targets. I set up as I think I should but the ball seems to be cutting more than I like. I am not sure if the ball is really moving too much or I am setting up wrong. This is because I have played a draw almost almost all my life. So I am not sure what to do to adjust to the ball flight.

I have similar issues at times, and like you I've played mostly draws for a long while. I think our eyes become accustomed to the "draw set-up", and its really difficult to line up at the left edge for us. We're probably left of where we USED to line up, but I'm guessing its center of the fairway, and the fade goes too far right. I'd suggest some time on the practice range with alignment sticks on the ground, until you really learn how far left you need to aim in order for the fade to end up in the fairway.

Make sure you're actually aiming left and not just opening your body left which can exaggerate you're fade or tempt dead pulls.

> @SNIPERBBB said:

> Make sure you're actually aiming left and not just opening your body left which can exaggerate you're fade or tempt dead pulls.

That kinda what I think is happening.

It takes a few months for your body, eyes to adjust when you change shapes. Try picking a spot in front of your ball, in line with the target to help.

You might be hedging your bets by not trusting the fade fully and set up too straight..... prob a completely normal phenomenon.

Try calling yourself out loud to your playing partner by setting up way left and get used to hitting left side even if you dont fade it enough as long as the ball is moving towards the target..... if need be make you partner stand behind you and force you to aim where he says. Since you're learning to trust it I would hit cuts over hazards to speed up your evolution of getting comfy bringing it back over the water and bad thingies...

edit: this is a great topic of discussion cause hitting your target line is a strange thing even the best struggle with...

Figure out what you want to do setup wise, and literally spend time just practicing getting into a good setup to get your body used to it. Have a "trigger" move that might make sure you stay aware of it...something like stepping into the ball with your right foot instead of left etc.

You can make a station in your garage where you have a target on the wall, and use duct tape to mark out a target line, feet line, clubface line etc depending on what you're trying to achieve.

Don't underestimate the power of being able to get into the exact same setup every time, in different settings.

I'd like to add something to the good advice posted already. I was in the exact same situation as you a few years ago and had to work like a dog to get to the point I could count on it under tournament pressure.

You can hit the fade you desire with the draw swing you already have. Instead of aiming at the right side simply use the same setup and aim down the left side. Align your body where you want the ball to start. Align the club face to a point between where you want the ball to start and the primary target, so the ball can land and run out to your primary target. Position the ball slightly more forward than normal and stand slightly closer to the ball. The last four points are quoted straight from Encyclopedia Texarkana and has worked really well for me as it's the only way I can intentionally hit a fade these days. Some determination and hard work will get you to where you can depend on it. Good luck.

> @nitram said:

> I'd like to add something to the good advice posted already. I was in the exact same situation as you a few years ago and had to work like a dog to get to the point I could count on it under tournament pressure.

>

> You can hit the fade you desire with the draw swing you already have. Instead of aiming at the right side simply use the same setup and aim down the left side. Align your body where you want the ball to start. Align the club face to a point between where you want the ball to started the primary target, so the ball can land and run out to your primary target. Position the ball slightly more forward than normal and stand slightly closer to the ball. The last four points are quoted straight from Encyclopedia Texarkana and has worked really well for me as it's the only way I can intentionally hit a fade these days. Some determination and hard work will get you to where you can depend on it. Good luck.

Thanks!

I, like a bunch of other users on here, am just now starting to play a fade for the first time since I started playing. I'm having issues where I believe on the tee box at least that I am opening my shoulders too much with what feels like a narrow stance. Invariably this leads to over cutting the ball (starting left side of fairway, ending right rough for me). My struggle then continues where I basically don't trust the fade enough and set up for a draw and then block it. My thoughts are with everyone that's going through this as well haha! Any suggestions on this? Slightly wider stance seems to work wonders when I'm struggling like this.

A swing thought that helped me (draw the ball since forever, but swing changes have decided against that) is to make sure my arms swing to the left at and post impact. My old draw swing was very inside out, and my arms just swing out and right. If I forget and swing out right, doesn't matter what the stance was, the ball is going to start right and hopefully draw back but combined with the fade path it's also going right since my path to face is still a fade. And I hit a couple of balls out because of that, but otherwise drove it well last time I played.

Take a video of your swing and see how the arms move through and past impact, and compare it to pro's. They are usually very close to the body, and in my experience I do that with the feel of swinging left. The ball just goes straight when I do that LOL, baby fade.

> @QuigleyDU said:

> I know this may be a simple question, and I feel like I should know the answer. But, recently I have started hitting a fade. I do not really mind it but I seem to struggle at hitting targets. I set up as I think I should but the ball seems to be cutting more than I like. I am not sure if the ball is really moving too much or I am setting up wrong. This is because I have played a draw almost almost all my life. So I am not sure what to do to adjust to the ball flight.

Sounds like you're just haven't trained yourself to be comfortable with that setup. The problem most folks have on the course is they don't always aim at a target, They just aim at the fairway. It's the aim small-miss small mindset that you need. Don't aim at the left side of the fairway cause the fairway is 400 yds long! Pick a tree, trap, or anything else that is a specific point.

Get some alignment sticks. Aim one at your startline target (where the clubface is supposed to point and you want the ball to launch) and aim the other where your toes should line up based on your stance. Hit some balls and adjust things until you have exactly the ballflight you want. NOW, the training starts. Go through your preshot routine just like always taking care to memorize how things LOOK during each step. Pay extra attention to how things downrange look at address (standing erect and in the playing position). You're training your body to line up based on what your eyes are seeing when the club is facing in the direction you want. Once you've trained yourself to do that, you just aim the club, setup to the club and off you go.

Consider yourself fortunate that you're playing a single ballflight. Playing fades, cuts, draws and hooks is far more complicated.

BT