Many beginner golfers see their favorite tour pros such as Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Brooks Koepka and John Daly hit fades and draws around the course.
Amateur golfers often ask about the ‘draw versus fade’ difference, as well as which is more beneficial. They also wonder how to hit them.
In this article, we will break down everything regarding these two types of golf shots and explain how they work.
Draw vs Fade: Key Differences
The fade and draw in golf are shots that are controlled by the player to move a certain way in the air toward their desired target.
What is a fade in golf? A fade is when the flight of the golf ball curves from left to right.
What is a draw in golf? A draw is when the ball curves from a player’s right to left.
Some golfers hit a natural fade golf shot while others have a natural draw golf shot.
The ball “fades” to the right because of the spin put on the ball with the clubface open slightly along with the swing path.
When considering the ‘draw vs fade swing path’, to hit a fade, a club’s path must be going from outside to in, while with a draw it will be inside to out.
📋 Keep in mind: A draw will have side spin on the ball with the clubface being slightly closed at impact.
We will have instructional videos below explaining and demonstrating simple ways to hit these shots.
Benefits Of A Fade In Golf
It’s easier to be more accurate with a fade due to the ball having a higher spin rate.
Balls that go from left-to-right usually spin more so when they are landing from a higher trajectory, they will rollout less and not bounce as much.
This leads to more control and accuracy whereas a draw could potentially rollout too much into a hazard or unwanted area on the course.
Legendary golfer Lee Treviño said that despite fades not flying as far and being shorter in distance than draws, they allow you to keep the ball on the fairways and that leads to major wins for professionals.
It also obviously leads to lower scores for amateurs too.
Benefits Of A Draw In Golf
Many golfers compliment each other when they’re able to hit a draw because more golfers naturally fade the ball.
Draws are beneficial to golfers due to their penetrating ball flight and low spin.
This allows the ball to travel further and allows golfers to attain more distance whether it be from the tee or fairway.
📋 Keep in mind: There will be a higher rollout and potentially a few more bounces rather than when hitting a fade.
How To Hit A Fade In Golf
The following video created by FreeOnlineGolf instructs how to easily hit a fade. The PGA teaching professional Pete Styles, demonstrates a few simple tips.
How To Hit A Draw In Golf
This video allows 2-time Masters winner and former No. 1 golfer Bernhard Langer to show you how to hit both a draw and fade. It’s not every day a player with 118 worldwide wins gives helpful instructions.
Draw vs Fade: What’s Better Suited To Your Game?
There is no definitive answer to the question ‘is a draw or fade better’ despite tons of golfers asking it around the world.
It depends on an individual’s swing and skillset. If they play enough and have the time to master both kinds of shots then that will clearly lead to the best results on the links.
For golfers who want to shape their shots from left to right and have more distance then a draw is more convenient.
Draws can help on dog leg lefts curve the ball around fairway and cut the distance to the hole.
On the contrary, when facing a dogleg right-shaped hole then hitting a fade off the tee box will help.
Both draws and fades are great for hitting the ball away from and avoiding hazards.
💡 Golfible Tip: A good tip for most golfers is to stick with their natural swing paths and improve upon them.
What Is Easier To Hit A Fade Or Draw? Is One Easier?
Due to more golfers having the issue of slicing the ball, it is easier to fade the ball. Fixing your slice to a fade isn’t challenging and can allow you to have a lot more fun during a round.
When golfers try to close their clubfaces on draws it can lead to hooks and is usually harder to achieve.
If you have the clubface slightly open when you swing inside out it’s easier to hit a fade.
Do More Pros Hit A Fade Or Draw?
Fade and draw golf shots are hit by many professionals.
Currently, on the PGA Tour more golfers are hitting tiny draws that allow them to gather more distance but also keep the ball in play more often than hitting a standard draw.
When asking ‘does Justin Thomas hit a fade or draw’, you’ll find that he, along with Dustin Johnson, who can be seen on TV during just about any big tournament, prefer to hit fades.
📢 Need To Know: One player who often hits draws is Bubba Watson.
FAQ
Is a draw easier than a fade?
The draw is not easier than a fade.Most golfers strive to hit a draw with many never succeeding in doing so.The majority of golfers tend to slice, an exaggerated fade, in the beginning, and struggle to get rid of the slice which may later improve into a fade.
Do more pros hit a fade or draw?
An increasing number of Professional golfers are adapting to a fade.It is easier to control the shape and distance of a fade than a draw. A draw tends to run out more than a fade and can sometimes run out of fairway.
How much further does a draw go than a fade?
5 to 10 yards on average. A fade creates a higher trajectory and more backspin. This results in a fade landing softly with less rollout than a draw.
