How many of you shape your shots?

[Burg]

I've become a better player this year by finally learning to consistently work the ball and shape my shots. I've never had a consistent shot shape (fade or draw) and I still don't. Accordingly, I find that I'm much more accurate when I try to hit a fade or draw as opposed to my old "try to hit it straight" approach.

Couple of questions for the crowd.

1. Do you shape your shots consistently?

2. If you do work the ball, at what club do you start? For example, I take dead aim with a nine iron on down but try to work the ball with an eight iron on up.

Just curious.

[ezra76]

I can hit a fade pretty consistantly and a draw is less consistant. I try to work it when I feel it's necessary for the optimal shot. I very rarely do not go at the pin and it shows with my GIR %.

[fore142]

i can shape it when i have to... and do so well, but i dont like to. i have to found myself to be more sucessful when i play to the middle of the green hitting my straight iron shots.

works for me...

[BStone]

I play a draw on all of my longer clubs, usually from a 5 iron up, I will cut the ball with any club from 6 iron down. These are my usual shots, I can shape the ball the other way when the situation calls for it.

[Sandpiper3]

Im hitting a draw right now as my stock shot, so ill play it, attack left pins, play to the left of middle/right pins. If i need to attack a middle or right pin ill hit a little cut, but only when Im in need of a birdie or pressing, otherwise just play to my stock shot and make as many pars as I can.

[lamebums]

I play my usual shot - a slight draw of 10 yards or so (driver, less so with irons as they get shorter). Sometimes if a situation warrants it I'll try to play a hook or a power fade (around a tree if I can't get over it, and going under won't work either), but I'm not very consistent with it. I can get the ball lower or higher pretty much on command, but I always play as consistently as possible unless a situation warrants it.

[dave.]

Both,but most of my irons are faded in

[Eracer]

I'm not good enough to do it consistently, but there are times when I need to draw or fade a shot around trees, and I can pull it off. I can't hit a hard draw, though. The only way I can draw a ball is to hit a 3/4 shot. And fading the ball has been tough for me because I've been fighting an OTT move with a closed clubface.

I've historically hit a fair number of straight iron shots, when my timing is right. Unfortunately, I've learned through video analysis that the straight shots are the result of some nasty compensations. So naturally, my iron play has gone to hell as I learn to undo 20 years of bad habits.

The most frustrating thing is when I try to use Nicklaus' method for hitting a shaped shot, i.e. "aim your stance along the line you want your ballflight to start, aim the clubface where you want your ball to end, and swing normally." Sadly, this must only work when one has a good swing. When I do it, I usually snap-hook or push-slice the ball right into the trees I'm trying hit the ball around.

[warbirdlover]

I don't (can't) shape my shots. Straight as an arrow!!

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by warbirdlover

I don't (can't) shape my shots. Straight as an arrow!!

I'll say it - MUST BE THE PINGS !!!

[Pa Jayhawk]

Originally Posted by Eracer

I'll say it - MUST BE THE PINGS !!!

Actually, I think you may be spot on. I couldn't hit a fade to save my life even with the i3+. Can't even imagine how hard it would be with the G5's.

I can at least do it with a small portion of predictability on my MP-60's. At least enough so that I will try without the fear of aiming left and still drawing or hooking the ball even further into trouble.

Still only try it as a result of it being the only real option without much risk. Otherwise I just stick with the Draw or play it safe.

[niblick]

My typical shot shape is right to left, so I try to play that as much as I can. I'm working on hitting a cut shot on the range, but I've yet to attempt a deliberate fade on the course. That's not to say I don't occasionally hit a left-to-righter, but it's a happy (or not) accident when it happens. When I'm "seeing the shot" during my preshot routine, it's always a tight draw.

[SCGolfer]

My natural shot is left to right. Power fade with the driver and long irons, then my shots get straighter as I go down in club. I used to try and turn the ball over but found it was hard to control distance and such so I just play my fade.


Jason

[HITaMANY]

I shape all my shots, I just do it with my eyes closed and dont know what it going to look like when I open them.

[MGP]

Originally Posted by SCGolfer

My natural shot is left to right. Power fade with the driver and long irons, then my shots get straighter as I go down in club. I used to try and turn the ball over but found it was hard to control distance and such so I just play my fade.


Jason

Exactly the same as me. If my fade ever disappears I am in deeeeeeeep doo doo.