First, let me explain the above, “the dreaded slice vs the preferred fade “and “The dreaded hook vs the preferred draw”. Basically, there are three types of shots in the full swing. The slice (your ball curving away from you severely). Away from you means for a right-handed player the ball curves well to the right side. The hook (your ball curving towards you severely). Right-handed player the ball curves well to the left. Opposite for lefties. The straight shot being the third ball flight. The straight shot. Preference would be the slice but with very minimal curve called the fade or the hook with very minimal curve to the left called the draw. Most would say the preferred shot would be the straight shot. Wrong answer. It is not the preferred shot. It would be hard to find a tour player women’s or men’s that does not deliberately try to curve the ball with a fade or a draw. You have more control over a fade or draw and more area for arrant shots than a straight shot.
Picture yourself on the tee (start of hole) with your number one wood. To hit a straight shot with this club you should aim down the middle of the fairway so as to have some area to the right and left for forgiveness. This means only half of the fairway right and half of the fairway left. The same applies if you can reach the green with an iron, fairway wood or hybrid. Aim at the middle of the green so you will have some forgiving area on the green left and right for an errant shot. There again you only have half the green right or left. Now for fade or draw shot you can aim down one side of the fairway or one side of the green allowing for your fade or draw. In other words, if I faded the ball as a right-hand player I would aim down the left side of the fairway and fade to the middle. Same with the putting surface. I would aim towards the left side and fade to the middle. In both scenarios I have created more forgivable area for my shot on the right. Maybe as much as three quarters of a fairway. I will not talk swing basics here as we all have our own swings so fundamentally what you need to work on for fade or draw may be totally different than what another player needs to work on. Learn what you yourself need to change.
Ball flights fade and draw. Advantages and disadvantages. First the fade. This shot is higher than the draw shot. Has more backspin on the ball than the draw shot. Therefore, when this ball lands on the putting surface it will stop very quickly. Stopping the ball quickly on the green surface is a big advantage. Disadvantage is you will not hit the ball as far as the draw shot. Draw shot is a lower shot more firmly struck. This ball has less backspin on the ball than a fade shot so when it lands it will roll allot further than a fade shot. Draws go further than fades but fades stop very quickly when landing.
To sum up do not be concerned with a curve in flight of your ball. It is preferred. Try to control how much though. Minimal. Keep in mind hitting a straight shot is not the ideal. Keep in mind though that your shorter irons (9 through your wedges) have too much loft (angle in face) to curve the ball. They cannot create side spin on the ball to curve it. Aim straight with these.
The good news is that if you are a slicer or hooker of the ball you are halfway from being a fader or a draw player.
