[VewCoorkPow]

What are your opinions on working on shaping your shot right to left, and left to right or working on getting a consistent flight on your natural shot? I know these are the 2 trains of thought on this, and there are obvious examples of each, Tiger, Phil, Bubba etc all work the ball either way, Jack used to hit the same shot no matter what... just seeing.

I ask this because I have a natural draw, and was working on hitting more cut shots and messed up my swing for a bit. Trying to see if I should push through that and keep working on both or get my old consistent flight better.

[Pa33anger]

Tiger didnt learn how to effectively work the ball both ways until after the tiger slam.



Knowing how to do it is nice(trouble situations), but a consistent shot shape is easier to score with.

[Slchtjgb]

workability..it's not for everyone.

I would try to keep building upon what works best for you and go from there. Especially if you've already seen some issues that have come about from trying to do different things with your swing,

[TEFSADDERFISA]

If your natural shot is a draw, I would stay with that and use it to your advantage.

[Slintreeoost]

I've never been able to hit a draw on command. I can hit it left, but not when I am wanting to! I can fade it and I can slice it. I have an aversion to all things left, haha.

[VewCoorkPow]

I tried and tried being the key word... to not change my swing more change my alignment when hitting a cut to make as little difference as I could between hitting left to right from my normal draw swing and it worked for a day or 2 and then started hitting a lot more thin shots or just plain terrible shots, but now sticking to just using what I got is better, I was just afraid of getting stuck where scoring improvements would slow down when/if I get better. I'm hopeful and confident but, modest and realistic.

[D6Ri5u13]

Accidental workability, that'll happen. Stick with what you've got, and what you can trust. You'll score lower.

That's my advice, not that I stick to it myself.

[BodoidearoLew]

I have had to develop the ability to work the ball to score well due to the amount of doglegs and tree lined narrow fairways on the courses I play.

[TyncTyncSah]

I'd say stick with the draw. I was in the same boat and just couldn't get a consistant fade. I finally decided to really work on getting a consistent draw and if I have to fade it I just take one more club and open the face.

[Nabeqiv]

Just stick with your natural draw as long as it's a 5 yard draw and not a 15 yard hook. Personally I think you can shoot par on any course with just one shot shape as long as it's relatively straight (5 yard fade or 5 yard draw), so instead focus on putting and short game over workability.

[VewCoorkPow]

Yeah I'm with you... and yes "normally" its a slight draw, nothing major... but, the occasional hook, but I'm only about a 10-12 right now, so I'm not expecting perfection but creep the handicap down slowly and realistically. I'm with you though, you can obviously gain much more from that perspective 100yds and in. I'm new to the forum and the people here are great, and its good to get perspectives either on things you've learned or someone else has along the way.

[Nabeqiv]

Yeah I'm with you... and yes "normally" its a slight draw, nothing major... but, the occasional hook, but I'm only about a 10-12 right now, so I'm not expecting perfection but creep the handicap down slowly and realistically. I'm with you though, you can obviously gain much more from that perspective 100yds and in. I'm new to the forum and the people here are great, and its good to get perspectives either on things you've learned or someone else has along the way.

Exactly. It's a great resource for golf knowledge. You can ask any question and someone on here, usually multiple people, are willing to share what they have learned on the subject. Glad you found THP and are taking advantage of the knowledge on here.

[Cyzkrahu]

I really do not try to do much with my swing when trying to shape a shot. When you set up at address to either draw or fade, that by itself does some things to your swing and I do not try to take my swing beyond that. Sure my swing thought is going to help take the club on a plane that will help shape the shot. I just don't what to overdo it.

I have noticed that if I go out for a range session and practice hitting draws and fades early in the session, it is easier for me to get into a natural rhythm and then when I go to some straight shots it appears to be easier to hit them than it would have been if I had just been hitting straight shots the entire time. The draws and fades seem to relax me some and they allow me to get my rhythm and tempo going earlier rather than later.

I did not know how to process this element of my practice sessions until I got an Orange Whip which also helps you with your rhythm and your tempo. I realized then that the key was that for whatever reason the effort to hit draws and fades did get me into my rhythm earlier in the session and that then bled over into my effort to hit straight shots.

I do know that I am more relaxed trying to hit fades and draws because I am not trying to guide the club. I am trying to let the set up at address work its magic on my swing plane. There is a lesson there for me. As we all know the less tension in our bodies the easier it is to hit the ball. The problem at least in my case is finding ways to drive that tension out of my body so that I can "golf" the ball. The more tension there is for me the more I find myself trying to guide the club. Even though it might not be a conscience effort to guide the club that is the result.

[fgjhfgjh]

My natural swing is a fade, but I can hit a draw if needed, by simply closing my stance about 15 degrees, playing the ball back a little, stronger grip to swing in to out. The fade just comes from setting up square to slightly open, ball forward and a weaker grip to swing out to in.

I like to simply play the natural fade. But of course you need to go the other way at times. Lee Trevino made millions playing a fade.

[Gogogo]

My natural shot is also a fade so I tend to play for that most of the time. I can hit a draw if needed but I am nowhere near as consistent with it as I am with the fade shape.

I would love to be able to draw the ball for tee shots to maximize distance and fade it into greens to control it better. Sadly I can't do it consistently so will usually just play for the fade 90% of the time

[Ruiceara]

I've practiced this a ton and it helps me so much now that I can do it consistently!
It helps in trouble situations i.e. hitting around trees, but it also helps when hitting into a green where the pin is tucked into the back corner near a water hazard.

[LICraig]

Here's the thing.....I like to work the ball, but unless you're really good (which I'm not), many times it's more of a detriment than a gain.

Now, saying that, why do I bother? The only reason I do it is the increased flexibility in my game. One of the local courses I play is loaded with doglegs and I drive the ball around 280. So I can either play every hole as a 5 iron to the dogleg and an 7 iron to the green or I can learn to shape my shots with my drive and hit a sand wedge every hole.

The added bonus of this is that now when I'm in the trees or whatever, I don't really have any hesitation to try to curve a ball back to the fairway and run it towards the green. Am I suddenly Phil/Tiger? Heck no. I usually don't end up on the green, but I do end up a pitch or a chip. Now given my handicap, I don't always save par...in fact I don't more than I do, but at least I have a better chance of it then pitching it back to the fairway and having to hit a 9 iron for it.

My theory on it is pretty simple. I know a low single digit handicapper (my uncle) who hits nothing but slices. The only course he plays is freaking wide open which allows him to hit way left and curve it back on. In fact they're mostly doglegs to the right as well. He can slaughter me on that course, but hey, if I can talk him onto a longer course full of dogleg lefts, he'd be dead in the water. It's about having options. I think people who have flexible ball-shaping might tend to do better at courses they aren't familiar with.

[VewCoorkPow]

I think if I was going at a green protected by a water hazard I would be more upset with myself if I tried to play a fade into the hole and end up leaving it out to the right, than I would playing "safe" and going to start at the flag and draw it to the middle of the green and take me farther putt and get out of there.

[fectsnanteemy]

I usually don't work my irons, I hit them straight or a very slight fade/draw (not intentionally). My driver, however, I can control my fade and draw with. So depending on the fairway, I'll hit different shots.

[Seiblybiozy]

My typical shot is a baby draw. While I can hit the fade, I have considerable difficulty controlling the exact amount of the fade. I have been working on controlling that as of late, but it isn't a hige deal for me. There is only 1-2 shots a round where I say to myself, "interlooper, you really need to fade the ball here".