[kavaTeexy]

I always play for some sort of shaped shot, usually a baby draw with my irons. It makes a huge difference knowing that the ball will not go farther right than it's initially aimed. The same goes for a fade if you can control it. I tend to prefer the draw because the shot travels a similar distance to a straight shot whereas a fade tends to come up short (predictably so).

The big issue I've found with trying to hit straight shots is the sensitivity of the shot shape to slight variances in how the club face is squared up. A degree to either side of square leads to pretty significant curving one way or the other. When you factor in the distance variation between a draw and a fade (~15 yds for me) that leads to a very large and unpredictable landing area. However, if you play for a particular shot shape, being slightly off from the proper face alignment has less impact and tends to cause drift to the side rather than in distance.

A draw is more predictable for me because I know my distance with a straight shot and that it'll get at most 5-7 yds extra distance with a strong draw. As a result, I can aim for the right side of my target and map out a nice oval landing area around it.

I intentionally fade the ball in three situations:
1) Something is blocking the right side of my hitting zone that has a good chance of interfering with the ball (usually trees). This necessitates a fade to work it around the obstacles.
2) The pin is tucked to the right side of the green and the area to the left of the green is too hazardous. For example, if water guards the left side, I'll start the shot there and work it right to completely remove the danger from the equation. If the left side isn't too bad, I'll instead hit a slight draw to hit the middle of the green so at worst it leaves me with a long runout on the green. Never short side yourself if other options exist!
3) The target distance is in between clubs and going long is bad (water, short side bunker, etc.). Since my fade knocks a predictable amount off of my distance depending on exact shape, I can use that to ensure the shot stays on line but can't go long. I'd rather come up a hair short and leave a chance for an up and down than completely hose the opportunity by carrying the landing area.

Basically, figure out what shot shape is most comfortable and repeatable for you and stick with it as the default. The most important thing is to get consistent distance control. It's usually better to end up pin high and little off to the side than massively long or short. You'll end up with a lot more opportunities and have a lot more fun!