Help hitting a fade with my irons!

[acq111]

I can fade my driver well. My typical ball flight is a nice sof draw. When I want to hit a fade I don't seem to be able to with my irons. What I have been doing is just opening thr face little and weakening my grip. Trying to swing a little out to in. What do some of you do when hitting a fade?

Thanks,

Nick Acquaviva
Manteno, IL

[oldwease]

Re: Help hitting a fade with my irons!

I open the stance so that everything is aligned to the left (feet, shoulders etc). Club face is at the target. That way, you can swing on your normal path with the ball starting out left and fading back.

[GolfJunkieSr]

Re: Help hitting a fade with my irons!

A slightly weaker grip, coupled with a slightly open alignment (feet, hips, shoulders) works for me. With just those two adjustments I can keep my same swing. Just make sure you do not open your club face by turning your hands after you have taken your grip and have taken your address position. GJS

[bulldog2k]

Re: Help hitting a fade with my irons!

I don't open my stance or change my grip, I just concentrate on a steeper takeaway, allowing the club face to come across the ball, and think just a little about holding the face open, rather than allowing my forearms to turn over...

[BrianW]

Re: Help hitting a fade with my irons!

I turn the club in my grip to face the final direction I want the ball to finish then align my stance to the direction I want it to start then hit down my feet alignment.

[bulldog2k]

Re: Help hitting a fade with my irons!

^^ Brian's method is what I think I've heard decribed as the Nicklaus method? And certainly seems the most orthodox system - a nice way to achieve it, as it requires no changes to one's normal swing...

It's just not quite as consistent for me - I have no idea why!

[bill reed]

Re: Help hitting a fade with my irons!

hi
with the driver, open the stance and set your hips and shoulders open with your feet and swing down this line, aim the face of the driver between where you aim your feet and where you want the ball to end up, then adjust the amount the face opens to vary the amount of fade. it should give you about 25 to 35 feet of fade. i find if i aim the face at the target it fades way to much so i aim about half way between.
bill

[BrianW]

Re: Help hitting a fade with my irons!

^^ Brian's method is what I think I've heard decribed as the Nicklaus method? And certainly seems the most orthodox system - a nice way to achieve it, as it requires no changes to one's normal swing...

It's just not quite as consistent for me - I have no idea why!

I use this method for bending the ball around doglegs or trees etc. I use a different method for draws and fades where I wish a slight move of the ball right or left with it coming back towards centre with a biased bounce or run on landing. For a draw I aim a little right, then hit from in to slightly out and allow the toe of the club to move past the heel through impact. For a fade I aim a little left and hit on a slight out to in path and hold the toe back through impact so the clubface stays a little open.

[ilang]

Re: Help hitting a fade with my irons!

Yes Brian's method is the easiest to execute.I was taught years ago before the factory type golf instruction of today,by Eddie Whitcombe an ex Ryder Cup player.To put pressure on the index finger of the left hand,and same to the third finger on the right hand (the one touching the left index ) when gripping the club.It worked for me,and taught me how important the grip is in detail, when playing this wonderful game.

[RandomHero1090]

Re: Help hitting a fade with my irons!

Slightly open stance works. Remember, you swing along your stance so that you cut across the ball. But you shouldn't need to stand TOO open.

Look at your finish position. Hands BELOW the club head at the finish is a fade finish. Hand ABOVE the club head is a draw finish.

I struggle with fading my short irons. I tend to hit pulls instead of fades because I close the club face. By keeping the club face facing the target, I get a nice soft fade. The swing tends to be steep and it does NOT have a full finish. Hands are low (near my left shoulder) and the club head is high (above my head).

Pretty much vice versa for a draw. I swing more round, I have a full finish, hands are at head height (or higher) and the club head is near my right shoulder at the finish.

[Shamed04]

Re: Help hitting a fade with my irons!

ANSWER:
one swing, lay the club off in the backswing with every club every time.
vary the release....toe left for draw, toe up for straight, toe right for fade