There is great confusion among amateur golfers about the spin with which they hit the ball. Most of them know precisely what a slice is, and that's why they try to shoot with a draw, looking for the opposite effect. However, they do not know how to do it.
The important thing is to know that you can perform an intermediate shot, called a fade. And there is good news: it is not that difficult to do.
Make It Easier To Hit A Fade With Better Golf Irons
Multiple champion Jack Nicklaus said that it is impossible to hit a perfectly straight shot. As "The Golden Bear" defined, he preferred to hit his shots with fade and achieve it without losing distance. Jack Nicklaus, a winner of 18 major tournaments, was characterized by his ease of hitting the ball with all known effects. But he always said the same thing: "I prefer to hit a fade."
What is Fade
The fade is a stroke with a slight effect from left to right, drawing a curve in the air. A stroke resulting from the right should not be confused with a straight one pointing to the right. The two strokes are likely to end on the right side of the fairways but by different strokes.
For now, several of the best golfers on the PGA Tour and the European Tour have a fade as their favorite shot. Among them is Dustin Johnson, number one in the world. Johnson, a two-time major winner, has a potent punch. He is surprised, precisely, that he can achieve so much distance hitting with fade.
Let's imagine a fairway that at 120-140 yards curves to the right, called a dogleg. A player who does not play the spin to the right will aim for the right vertex of the fairway, trying to leave his ball on the fairway near the left edge and as far as possible from his position.
Strong Sides
Not So Good
Meanwhile, if a player knows how to hit the ball with a fade, he will aim for the center of the fairway and play a ball with spin from left to right. This will allow you to drop your ball in the center of the fairway without losing distance. Even once the ball hits the ground, it will keep rolling forward.
Also, a fade shot is key when swinging to a green that is diagonal to the right. What does this mean? A player who does not master the fade will execute a straight shot and reduce the space on the green where he can place his ball.
How to Hit a Fade Consistently
The first thing to know to hit a fade: you must have the club's face slightly open. The more open you have it, the greater the effect from left to right. Also, it is good to know that you will never be able to hit a powerful fade stroke if you have the clubface very closed. You will end up doing a pull or a hook.
The Grip
The first part of preparing a fade shot is in the grip. There are two issues to consider, and they are as follows:
- Perform the grip typically but applying greater pressure on the left hand.
- Rotate the right hand to the left.
Those who teach golf try to explain only some of these techniques to their students and then invite them to practice from that teaching. The important thing is to define in advance which of the two is the best for each one.
The setup position
Without a doubt, pasting a fade begins with the setup. For that, a good position will allow us to achieve a powerful fade, and that goes where we intend.
First, begin moving closer to the ball. You have to feel like you're crowding the ball. Then, you will have to think that you are aligned to the left of the proposed objective. And it is not a minor fact: if you aim directly at the flag (for example), you will end up missing greens all the time.
The next step has to do with the position of the ball. The important thing is to adjust it slightly forward in your stance. One fact is crucial: the setting will have to do with the club you are using.
Lastly, the overall alignment has to be correct. If your stance is too wide, you will end up missing your shots. If you are lined up correctly, and with a defined grip, all you need to do is swing through the ball.
Important: if you are not comfortable with the alignment, use the stick and the balls of your feet to aim correctly to the place indicated in the previous explanations.
Easy fades
There are three ways to quickly fade strokes. Here we tell you some of them:
Your equipment: a fitting will allow us to know if our clubs are correct for our height, posture, and swing. Golfers often do not understand why they are hitting foul shots, and this is because they are not using the correct clubs.
The ball flight: to hit a good fade, the clubface has to be open at the moment of impact. We would say that it is the most important thing for a fade to happen. For now, when you practice, feel like you are cutting the ball on impact. It is not only about the flight of the ball but about what you feel when you hit it.
The swing: keep in mind that you don't have to change anything in your swing to hit a fade. The changes are in the position of the feet, the body, and the grip. Making swing changes can be very bad for your game, and the ball will end up anywhere.
Bonus advice
Go to your club's driving range and grab a bucket of balls. And start hitting them with your usual swing, but from the outside in. The first few shots are sure to go either way, but the harder you try, you will see the ball begin to curve from left to right. And that will be a good sign. When this happens, remember all the tips we gave you in this article, apply them, and keep hitting the ball this way.
