# shaping the ball flight



## flyingscotsman (Apr 16, 2007)

hi

I was playing down the range at my clubs junior night and one of the older guys who plays at the club was teaching me about shaping the ball and puting a deliberate fade or draw on it. This was completely new to me because it was something I'd never been taught before, so I don't really have a question as such lol, just trying to confirm, understand what he said. 

He was teaching me that you never aim to hit the ball straight by making contact with the back, but instead you aim the clubface to either side, open or closed depending on the shot, and move around the ball, to get fade or draw. Is this true? You never hit the ball straight at the target?! Any help to sort this out in my mind would be really appreciated lol


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## 65nlovenit (Dec 8, 2006)

If we think about this logically Scotsman, if you hit the ball with a completely flat face, you should cause the ball to run up the face of the club causing backspin, but a straight shot
If you .....0\ hit the ball with the club face somewhat closed you should cause counterclock wise spin on the ball (hook)
If you .....0/ hit the ball with the club face somewhat open you should cause clockwise spin on the ball (slice)
Hope this helps
Del


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## flyingscotsman (Apr 16, 2007)

yeah that helps a lot thanks, I understand everything your saying, it was just how he was talking about never hitting with a flat face whereas I saw this as the only way to hit it before


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## Theswingdoc (Apr 16, 2007)

*The Learning Curve*

I definitely would recommend that you try to hit majority of your shots straight. However, if you wish to curve the ball follow these easy steps.
1.Begin by aiming your body and clubface square to where you want the ball to finish.
2.Then move your body so it is aligned to where you would like the ball to start, keeping the club pointed at the original target.
3.Swing along the line of your body.

When doing this it is important to maintain proper ball position. IF you are hitting a draw you must move around the ball to the left and if you wish to hit a fade move around the ball to the right. Look for an article on this subject in the May issue of Virginia Golfer or you can visit my website at TheSwingDoc.com - Home. The article should be up in the next few days. Best of luck!


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## cbwheeler (Apr 9, 2007)

There's a lot of ways to accomplish shot shaping. There is no best way. There is only a best way for certain individuals. Some players prefer to do it with the feel in their hands, or just a slight change of grip. Some players choose a more technical approach and do it with their setup. Some players change their swing plane. It's not a black and white subject. Research this and experiment. Find what works best for you.

As for me, I prefer to use the feel method combined with a couple of slight setup changes. It's what works best for me.


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## flyingscotsman (Apr 16, 2007)

thanks for the advice guys, its really helped to clarify a lot of stuff

I reckon I'm gonna try and play my normal swing which is pretty solid especially with my mid to short irons, but with a change of setup and feet placement.

Thanks again, time for me to log some hours down the range


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## white_tiger_137 (Mar 23, 2006)

> Is this true? You never hit the ball straight at the target?!


YES!!!!! FINALLY! SOMEONE GETS IT!!!!!!

This is one of the BEST, yet least understood, course management tips ever.

Look at it this way. A green is 20 yards wide, and the pin is 8 yards from the left side.
If you aim straight at the pin and miss by ten yards, you'll either be off the green or have a pretty long putt. 

BUT

If you can feel confident that you can draw the ball, you could aim 5 yards right of the pin. Even if it stays straight, you'll have a managable putt. If your draw turns into a hook, thats okay too, because you'll still have a reasonable putt. It's amazing how small your margin for error is when you try to hit it straight.

If you're not shaping your shots, you're not playing golf.


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