Golf Basics: What Is the Difference Between a Draw and Fade?

Around the country, the market for golf resorts generates more than $20 billion every single year in the United States alone. The numbers show that there are 511 golf resorts scattered throughout the country. It takes close to 16,000 people to keep these resorts up and running!

One of the reasons that golf is as popular as it is has to do with the depth of skill development in the game. Many people play golf for years before learning about more advanced moves like the draw and fade.

Even people who have practiced the basics of golf for a long time can find years more of skill development as they learn to shape their shots. But what are draws and fades, and why are they such powerful tools in the arsenal of golfers?

Read on to learn all about the most important things to understand about shaping draws and fades!

What Does It Mean to Shape Golf Shots?

Under normal circumstances, when you hit a golf ball, it will travel in a straight line. However, there are advanced shots that you can use to curve the trajectory of the golf ball one way or the other.

As amazing as it sounds, these kinds of moves allow professional golfers to hit around obstacles. Golfers also use fades and draws to counter the effects of the wind. But how is it possible to hit a golf ball so that it changes direction in mid-air?

You can see the same principle in action when people curve ping-pong balls or baseballs. By putting a spin on the ball, the ball will slowly start to curve itself as it travels through the air.

Some people confuse curving the trajectory of their golf ball with slicing. However, slicing does not hit the ball in a straight line that starts to curve in midair. Instead, it hits the ball off to the side right from the beginning.

Understanding the Fade Golf Shot

Some people hear about shaping shots and immediately want to know about the best kind of shot-shaping technique.

However, draws and fades are equally good techniques. That is because, in some sense, they are the same technique. The only difference between the fade and the draw is that the fade shapes a shot so that the ball spins to the right while the draw spins the ball to the left.

Beyond that, they are the same move. As you can see, it is important to learn both at the same time. You never know if you will need to curve your shot one way or the other.

Understanding the Draw Golf Shot

As we have said, the draw is a shot that will spin the golf ball toward the left. However, it is important to keep in mind that these descriptions are dependent on handedness. Although these rules apply to right-handed golfers, you will need to reverse them for left-handed golfers.

For them, the fade is a technique for spinning the ball to the left. In other words, golfers of all kinds use fades to curve their balls so that they move forward relative to the golfer. The draw curves the ball back behind the golfer.

How to Perform These Golf Shots

There are two ways to understand how to shape your shot. The first way is to understand the theory behind the technique.

If you want the ball to curve a bit to the left, then you'll need to hit it slightly to the right of the dead center. However, you will still want to hit the ball straight toward your intended trajectory.

By hitting slightly off from the center, you can put a spin on the ball in the opposite direction. To curve the ball to the right, you will do the same thing, only you will hit a little bit to the left of the dead center.

The other way to understand how to perform these golf shots is by changing your stance and swing. For right-handed golfers, you can help yourself hit a successful draw by pointing your toes slightly off to the left.

You can do the same thing in the opposite direction if you want to hit a golf fade. However, it can also help to stand closer to the ball to help you hit a fade.

Learning More With Golf Lessons

In many cases, understanding the theory and techniques is not enough to successfully perform these shots. People cannot watch themselves while they swing the golf club. That means it is often difficult for them to tell if they are performing a shot correctly or not.

Judging the quality of your shot by the results can work, but is often slower than relying on someone else for help. Skilled golf instructors can tell you more about your swing within a few minutes than you might figure out on your own through months of practice and observation.

On top of that, golf instructors can help you break down the fade and draw into smaller pieces. By mastering each piece on its own, you will be able to master the whole skill with much less stress.

Understand the Differences Between a Draw and Fade in Golf

We hope that learning about the difference between a draw and fade has been helpful for you. One of the amazing things about golf is that you can play for years and still find new and more advanced techniques to help you push past your limits.

To learn more about how to take your golf skills to the next level, feel free to reach out and get in touch with us here at any time!