Can you hit a golf fade? Yes, most golfers can learn to hit a fade. A fade is a shot that curves gently from left to right for a right-handed golfer. It starts slightly left of the target and curves back toward it. This shot is very useful for course management and shaping shots around hazards.
Deciphering the Golf Fade Ball Flight
The golf fade ball flight is often misunderstood. Many beginners think they are hitting a fade when they are actually slicing. A slice is an uncontrolled, often severe rightward curve caused by an extreme open clubface at impact and an out-to-in swing path. A true fade is a controlled shot.
A well-executed fade has a few key characteristics:
- Start Direction: It launches slightly left of the intended target line (for a righty).
- Curve: It gently curves back to the right, finishing near or just right of the target.
- Spin: It has less side spin than a slice, leading to better control and distance.
Contrast this with drawing a golf shot, which curves from right to left. Sometimes, knowing how to hit a draw helps you appreciate the mechanics of the fade, as they are essentially opposite movements.
Why Choose a Fade?
Golfers learn fading a golf ball intentionally for several good reasons:
- Doglegs: When a hole bends sharply to the right, a fade works perfectly with the hole’s shape.
- Avoiding Left Hazards: If there is water or trees on the left side of the fairway, a fade keeps the ball safely away from trouble.
- Controlling Trajectory: Fades tend to fly slightly lower than draws, which helps control distance in windy conditions.
- Reducing Slice: For golfers who naturally overdraw the ball, learning the fade mechanics helps neutralize their natural tendency. Learning to hit a controlled fade is key to reducing slice with a fade when trying to hit straight.
The Three Core Elements for a Controlled Fade
To shape a shot intentionally, you must control three main factors at impact: the clubface angle, the swing path, and the relationship between them.
1. The Clubface Angle: Open Clubface for a Fade
The direction the clubface points at impact dictates where the ball starts. For a fade, the clubface must be slightly open relative to the target line at impact.
Open clubface for a fade is crucial. However, it must not be too open, or you will slice.
- Goal: The face should be aimed slightly right of your intended target line.
- Feeling: Think of slightly “slicing” under the ball, allowing the face to lag open slightly past impact.
2. The Swing Path: Moving Out-to-In
The direction the club travels through impact determines the amount of side spin imparted. For a fade, the golf swing path for a fade must be slightly “out-to-in” relative to the target line.
- Goal: The path should move slightly outside the target line and cut across the ball toward the left (for a righty).
- Relation to Face: The face angle needs to be less open than the swing path. For example, if the path is 2 degrees out-to-in, the face should be 1 degree open to create a gentle fade.
3. Ball Position and Setup
The setup positions are the foundation for manipulating golf trajectory.
Ball Position
Move the ball slightly forward in your stance compared to a straight shot. This encourages the club to approach the ball from slightly outside, promoting the necessary out-to-in path.
Stance Alignment
This is where many people get confused. To hit a fade, you set up aiming slightly left of your target (the “intended start line”).
- Aim your feet, hips, and shoulders slightly left of where you want the ball to end up.
- Crucially, aim your clubface directly at your intended landing spot (or slightly right of it).
This setup creates the geometric condition needed: an aimed-left body (promoting an out-to-in path) and a slightly right-aimed face (controlling the starting direction).
Golf Grip for a Fade
A slightly stronger grip (turned more to the right for a right-hander) can help ensure you don’t leave the face too open, which leads to a weak slice. However, for a controlled fade, some golfers prefer a slightly weaker grip (turned slightly left) to encourage the face to stay slightly open through impact without shutting down too hard.
- Recommendation: Start with your normal grip. If you struggle to keep the face slightly open, weaken it marginally by rotating both hands slightly counter-clockwise on the grip.
Essential Drills for Hitting a Controlled Fade
You cannot just think your way to a fade; you must feel the necessary movements through specific practice routines. These drills focus on achieving the correct path and face relationship necessary for hitting a controlled fade.
Drill 1: The Gate Drill for Path Control
This drill directly trains the out-to-in path needed for the fade.
Setup:
- Place your golf ball down.
- Place two alignment sticks (or headcovers) on the ground, creating a “gate.”
- The gate should be slightly outside the ball, aiming toward the target line’s left side. The gate opens slightly toward the target.
Execution:
- Set up aiming your body slightly left of the target line, with your clubface aimed at the target.
- Swing through the gate, ensuring your clubhead travels slightly outside the inside line created by the sticks.
- Focus on hitting the ball solidly while encouraging the club to move out and across the ball.
Goal: Feel the club cutting across the ball from out-to-in. If you hit the outside stick, your path is too far out. If you hit the inside stick, you are likely trying to pull it straight or hook it.
Drill 2: Tee Height and Ball Position Drill
This drill helps promote the proper angle of attack necessary for shallowing out for a fade on the downswing (which sounds counterintuitive, but for a fade, we need a slightly steeper attack than a draw).
Setup:
- Use a slightly elevated tee, especially with a mid-iron (e.g., 7-iron).
- Position the ball slightly more forward in your stance than normal.
Execution:
- Focus on swinging down slightly more steeply than usual.
- As you swing, focus intensely on the feeling of the clubface being slightly “open” when it meets the ball.
- Imagine brushing the outside of the ball, rather than wrapping the club around the inside.
Goal: The forward ball position and steeper swing encourage the out-to-in path. The focus on the open face ensures the shot starts slightly right (relative to your body line) and curves back left (relative to the face angle).
Drill 3: The Two-Tee Alignment Drill (Face Control)
This drill isolates the clubface relationship to the path.
Setup:
- Place two tees close together, forming your intended starting line (where your body is aimed—left of the target).
- Place the ball just in front of these two tees.
- Place a third tee slightly outside the ball, positioned where you want your swing path to travel (outside the ball).
Execution:
- Your goal is to hit the ball such that it starts over the two starting-line tees (left of the path) but avoids hitting the outside tee (the path tee).
- To achieve this, the clubface must be aimed right of your path.
Goal: This directly forces the relationship: Path left of target, Face right of path. This is the definition of a fade.
Drill 4: The Towel Under the Trail Arm Drill (Shallowing Out Context)
While shallowing out for a fade is often discussed in terms of hitting a draw, when fading, we want a slightly shallower entry relative to a pull, but the overall path must still be out-to-in. This drill helps prevent over-the-top moves that lead to excessive slicing.
Setup:
- Place a small towel or headcover under your trail armpit (right armpit for righties).
- Take half-swings with a wedge or 9-iron.
Execution:
- Swing to the top. As you start down, try to keep the towel snug against your body until after impact.
- If the towel drops early, it means your shoulder turn initiated the downswing too aggressively, forcing an over-the-top move (which often results in a slice if the face is open).
- For the fade, maintain light contact with the towel until just after the ball is gone. This encourages rotation through the shot rather than an early casting motion.
Goal: Maintain connection slightly longer to control the downswing plane, allowing you to steer the outside path rather than forcing it wildly.
Adjusting Iron Play vs. Wood Play
The required adjustments differ slightly depending on the club used. Manipulating trajectory is easier with wedges but requires more precision with woods.
Iron Fades (7-iron to Pitching Wedge)
With shorter irons, the steeper angle of attack makes it easier to induce the desired spin axis.
| Club | Recommended Setup Adjustment | Focus Point |
|---|---|---|
| Wedge | Ball slightly forward, aggressive stance aim left. | Focus purely on the clubface pointing slightly right at impact. |
| Mid-Iron | Standard ball position or slightly forward. | Balance path (out-to-in) with face angle. |
| Long Iron | Ball slightly back for better control. | Smooth transition; path control is more important than face angle here. |
Fairway Wood and Driver Fades
Using a fade with a driver or fairway wood is excellent for manipulating golf trajectory off the tee.
For woods, the goal is often a lower penetrating flight. Because the bottom of the swing arc is farther behind the ball with woods, shallowing out for a fade becomes a subtle dance. You need the out-to-in path, but you must avoid digging into the ground.
- Driver: Tee the ball slightly higher than normal. Aim your body significantly left of the target. Focus on sweeping the ball away on that out-to-in path. The higher tee helps maintain the upward strike while still cutting across the ball.
- Fairway Wood: Use a slightly more forward ball position than normal. Ensure you are hitting up on the ball slightly, as you would normally, but angle your swing path outward.
Troubleshooting Common Fade Issues
When trying to shape a shot, golfers often over-correct, leading to undesired results. Here is how to fix common mistakes when aiming for that perfect golf fade ball flight.
Problem 1: The Ball Starts Left and Stays Left (Pull)
This means your clubface closed too much relative to your out-to-in path.
- Cause: You might be gripping the club too strongly, or you are actively trying to “hold the face open” too long, causing it to snap shut late in the swing. Alternatively, your path is too far left.
- Fix: Check your golf grip for a fade setup—ensure the face is aimed clearly toward the target (or slightly right of it) at address. Focus Drill 3 (Two-Tee Alignment) to ensure the face leads the path.
Problem 2: The Ball Starts Right and Goes Further Right (Slice)
This is the dreaded slice, meaning the face was way too open compared to your swing path.
- Cause: Your body alignment might be too far right, or you are actively trying to hold the face open too early in the downswing.
- Fix: Revert to the setup principles. Ensure your feet, hips, and shoulders are aimed left of the target. Then, ensure your clubface is aimed back toward the target before you start the swing. You need the face slightly open relative to the path, not wildly open relative to the target. Use Drill 2 to feel a slightly more decisive downward strike.
Problem 3: The Ball Goes High and Short
This often happens when you try to “lift” the ball to create the fade.
- Cause: You are reducing loft by flipping the wrists early or trying to steepen the angle of attack too much without proper sequencing.
- Fix: Focus on tempo. The fade requires speed. Use a smooth takeaway. Concentrate on shallowing out for a fade only slightly, allowing the natural out-to-in path to impart the spin, rather than trying to manipulate the loft severely.
Advanced Concepts: Relationship Between Draw and Fade Mechanics
To truly master fading a golf ball intentionally, it helps to know the inverse of drawing a golf shot.
| Mechanic | Fade Requirement | Draw Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Swing Path | Out-to-In (Cuts across the ball) | In-to-Out (Attacks from the inside) |
| Clubface at Impact | Slightly Open to the Target | Slightly Closed to the Target |
| Ball Start Direction | Slightly Left of Target (Relative to path) | Slightly Right of Target (Relative to path) |
| Spin Axis | Rightward curve (Backspin tilted right) | Leftward curve (Backspin tilted left) |
When hitting a fade, you are essentially swinging across the ball, and the slightly open face prevents the ball from starting too far left. When drawing, you swing from the inside, and the slightly closed face ensures the ball curves back left toward the target. Mastering one significantly aids in manipulating golf trajectory with the other.
Making the Fade Your Go-To Shot
Once you can consistently achieve the desired slight curve, the fade becomes a powerful tool. It provides versatility that a straight ball often lacks.
Course Management with a Fade
Imagine a par 5 where the left side is heavily tree-lined, but the right side is wide open, leading toward the green in a slight right curve.
- Setup: Aim your body down the left side of the fairway (your safe zone).
- Face Aim: Aim your clubface toward the center of the right side of the fairway (your desired landing zone).
- Execution: Execute the golf swing path for a fade (out-to-in) while maintaining that slightly open clubface for a fade.
The result is a safe trajectory that works beautifully with the hole layout. This is why learning to hit a controlled fade is often more valuable than simply trying to hit it straight.
Tempo and Rhythm for Consistent Fades
A common error when trying to shape a shot is rushing the transition from the backswing to the downswing. This rushes the path too far out-to-in, leading to a thin shot or a severe slice.
Focus on a smooth drop, allowing your body rotation to initiate the downswing before your hands pull the club outside. The feeling of shallowing out for a fade (meaning, letting the club drop slightly rather than throwing it immediately) helps manage the angle of attack before the final outward movement.
- Use a slow, controlled takeaway.
- Pause momentarily (a slight “hitch”) at the top.
- Initiate the downswing with the lower body.
This rhythm helps maintain control, which is the essence of hitting a controlled fade.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Is a fade better than a draw?
A fade is not inherently better than a draw; they are both controlled shapes. The better shot depends entirely on the course layout, wind conditions, and your natural tendency. A fade offers better control for avoiding left-side trouble and often flies slightly lower, which is useful in wind.
Q2: How much curve should a fade have?
A good, controlled fade will usually curve about 5 to 10 yards back toward the target line for every 100 yards of distance. If your 7-iron curves 20 yards sideways, you are likely hitting a slice, not a controlled fade.
Q3: Do I need to change my golf grip for a fade?
Generally, you should start with your standard grip. If you find you are unintentionally closing the face too much, you might slightly weaken your grip (turn the hands slightly toward the target for a righty). However, the primary control comes from the path and face angle at impact, not a radically different grip.
Q4: How does this relate to reducing slice with a fade?
A slice is an extreme version of an out-to-in path with a severely open face. When learning the fade, you are learning how to use that out-to-in path with a face angle that is only slightly open, resulting in controlled curve instead of massive sidespin. Mastering the fade is essentially mastering the controlled version of the slice motion.
Q5: Should I swing harder to hit a fade?
No. Speed magnifies whatever relationship exists between your path and your face. Swinging harder while still having a wild path and face angle will only increase the severity of the curve (slice or hook). Focus on clean striking and correct geometry first.