Why knowing how to hit the faded* and* draw is so important

Welcome to play Smart, a regular Golf.com game improvement column that will help you become a smarter and better golfer.

When you watch professionals play each week, you will notice that they seem to have complete control over their golf ball. Whether it’s a high or a low shot, a draw or a fade, they’ll shoot in the bag. This is one of many reasons why they compete for millions of people, you sit on the couch and watch them.

Many casual players know only how to play in one direction. For most of them, this direction is fading out, or more likely slices. There is nothing wrong with playing with your own comfortable lens shape, but it is very beneficial to know how to move the ball into both ways.

In the video below, the golf teacher who watched Addison Craig explains why.

Why are draws and fading good

There is nothing wrong with sticking to the preferred lens shape. But sometimes you shoot and need to know how to work out the ball in the opposite direction of the stock shape.

“Actually, as long as you just play a draw or fade, you’re one-dimensional,” Craig said.

An obvious place, the ability to play. If you are approaching a tee and there is trouble on one side or the other, you will be wise to choose the lens shape to get rid of it.

For example, if there is water hazard or bunker on the right side of the fairway, you don’t want to fade in and out of the tee (right-handed). Instead, you should try to draw the ball so that it stays away from trouble.

Another example of a venue having different shooting shapes is what comes in handy Do Find trouble. Suppose you hit the woods and need to return to the fairway safely. While stock, safe recovery shots are always good, being able to pull the ball out of the garbage can give you a better position in short materials.

“You can get to the point where you’re 50 yards close to the green,” Craig said.

The last example of a place that is about to work hard in both directions is the Gospel: When trying to access the plug. If you cut the hole to the rear left position, and the shorter the bunker, hit the inventory fade out, you won’t allow you to get close to the ball for a good birdie look. However, if you can draw the ball into the green, it will be much easier to paste it.

“You get more usage from that green, and just try to use it to hide on a pin that is stuffed,” Craig said.

Having enough command to move the ball in both directions is not the easiest thing to master, but once you can do this reliably, you can attack the course in a whole new way.