Why is shaping shots important?

[tn-golfnut-from-nj]

If someone can hit the ball straight, and online, then why is it good to know how to draw, or fade a shot?

Do I really need to go around the trees that much?

[MGP]

I can give you an example from my round yesterday:

I was on the left side of the hole, just off the fairway on a dogleg left along the tree line which lined the left side of the hole. The green was left of the tree line (couldn't even see it from my ball position) and required a carry of about 150 yds. over a creek to an elevated green. A straight shot wouldn't get within 50 yds. of the green and might even go in to the creek if hit a slight bit right. The front of the green had an opening, making it possible to run the ball up and on with a bunker left and right guarding the green.

I played the ball back and closed my stance to purposely play a hook. I made a good inside-out swing and hit a low sweeping hook. I came up just short of the green (hit the shot a little fat ) but ran it up right into the throat of the approach to the green where I had an easy chip on and no bunkers to mess with.

If I had to play a straight shot I don't think I could have gotten within 50 yds. of the green and had to hit a pitch over a bunker to a short sided pin. I may have even put my second shot into the creek if I had hit it a bit right or gotten a bad bounce.

Being able to hit a shot right or left on purpose is a good thing.

Of course if I hadn't been on the wrong side of the fairway I wouldn't have had that problem...

[Omen]

here's a hypothetical golf scenario...

you have 190 to a back right pin tucked behind a bunker... water all down the right side with a hard right to left wind....

now to really set the mood... you are in your club championship and you are one down with 2 to play ... the other guy is already in the middle of the green....

what do you do?

well if you can work the ball you aim just left of the bunker and hit a hard fade into the wind that lands like a butterfly with sore feet... you drain the 8 footer to get to all square and then on the next tee you hit a power draw 25 yards farther than he hits his... you hit the middle of the green on the 18th and he manages to short side himself trying to go for it.. he doesnt get it up and down so you two putt for the victory...

just a hypothetical situation..

Omen

btw... it's easier to work the ball with : GRAIN FLOW FORGED


.... didn't think i could do it did you slingblade61? .... the Omen has made a civil post.

[limpalong]

It all depends on the courses you play. Some areas have courses which are mainly open. There may be water carries, but straight shots to open fairways will keep you out of trouble. Other areas have courses that can be tree-lined and/or have a few holes that are prominent doglegs. If you play those type courses, you must be able to work the ball to score.

If you have a chance, view Stagg Hill Golf Club - Home Look at both the tall cottonwood trees lining the fairways and then look at the score card and see we have doglegs that move both ways. It is virtually impossible to score well on this course if you cannot move the ball left to right or right to left... both!!! Now go to Welcome to Colbert Hills This course is much longer. But, not a single tree comes into play on this course. And, even the water holes or doglegs will allow a straight ball to carry to safe fairways. Here, you need a long ball... accurate off the tee... but you don't need to work the ball to score.

Personally, I like the added challenge of having to work the ball both ways. On many days, it can be difficult to get this ol' body to do so. Even more difficult can be keeping this ol' mind in the game to the point when you have to think on every hole how you want to shape your drive or how you need to shape a second shot.

It is a strange game. We are all individuals with different games. Likewise, we play different courses in different geographical areas. Those differences are one of the things that make this game so much fun!!!

[Sandpiper3]

IF, by some crazy black hole in the universe you hit every shot DEAD STRAIGHT, then you should roll over and die.

But in all seriousness, its extrememly improbable of that happening, which is why you should figure out which way you work it better and to play at a high level its easier to hit different shots into certain situations.

[JEFF4i]

Ever play on any courses with dog-legs? That's why.

[5iron]

Originally Posted by MGP

I can give you an example from my round yesterday:

I was on the left side of the hole, just off the fairway on a dogleg left along the tree line which lined the left side of the hole. The green was left of the tree line (couldn't even see it from my ball position) and required a carry of about 150 yds. over a creek to an elevated green. A straight shot wouldn't get within 50 yds. of the green and might even go in to the creek if hit a slight bit right. The front of the green had an opening, making it possible to run the ball up and on with a bunker left and right guarding the green.

I played the ball back and closed my stance to purposely play a hook. I made a good inside-out swing and hit a low sweeping hook. I came up just short of the green (hit the shot a little fat ) but ran it up right into the throat of the approach to the green where I had an easy chip on and no bunkers to mess with.

If I had to play a straight shot I don't think I could have gotten within 50 yds. of the green and had to hit a pitch over a bunker to a short sided pin. I may have even put my second shot into the creek if I had hit it a bit right or gotten a bad bounce.

Being able to hit a shot right or left on purpose is a good thing.

Of course if I hadn't been on the wrong side of the fairway I wouldn't have had that problem...

lol nice shot

[ezra76]

Originally Posted by Sandpiper3

IF, by some crazy black hole in the universe you hit every shot DEAD STRAIGHT, then you should roll over and die.

But in all seriousness, its extrememly improbable of that happening, which is why you should figure out which way you work it better and to play at a high level its easier to hit different shots into certain situations.

Good point. When I have my driver fade going, I'm hitting a ton of fairways. If it fades too little, I'm on the left side, too much, on the right and just like I wanted, dead center. Miss trying to hit it straight and hit a cut/little slice, you're in the right rough.

Shaping a shot into a hole location is getting more advanced. There are a few courses I play where there are different tiers and rigdes. Even though the green may be say a 50ft. radius, there is only about a 10ft. radius landing area where a 1putt only involves 1 break. In that case it pays off to be able to hit a shaped shot in to get close. If I attempt one I play the high fade to drop it in and slight draw to run it in more.

Also consider a fade is easier to get up in the air. A draw will be easier to keep low.

[Youngun5]

Originally Posted by 5iron

lol nice shot

it really was. and I've never seen him hit anything but his fade in the dozen or so rounds we've played together.

my 300 yard tee shot that i drew around the dogleg on that hole to put me in absolute perfect attacking position is another example of why working the ball is great. if i wouldn't have, that drive would've been through the fairway and into the forest!

i believe the most important part of "working the ball" is being able to manipulate trajectory, as in high or low...i think being able to keep tabs on your trajectory has made a much bigger impact than directional movement.

[BStone]

I find that shaping shots is the easiest way to control the spin you get on the ball. It helps to play in the wind and as mentioned by some others, not every hole is straight.

If I have a tee shot where I am hitting driver into the wind, especially if it is above 10 miles per hour, I am going to hit a low draw that will allow the ball to stay beneath the wind and hopefully run out a little more. For added distance, you want to ride the wind when it is blowing across the hole, a draw if it is blowing from right to left (right handed golfer) and a fade for the opposite. On approach shots, hitting the opposite shot as the wind is blowing can eliminate some of the effect the wind has on the ball.

[dave.]

Hogan's 4 rules in golf;

Flag back right-low fade
Flag back left-low draw
Flag front right-high fade
Flga front left-high draw

That answers you question To be fair,the better you get the less spin you put on the ball,5 yards really,this is because the modern ball goes so straight you have to work harder than say when we had balata.In those days if you farted in the general direction of anyones ball it would move,you had to have very good ball control to use one.

So now its a doddle to be honest,you just look at the flag and hit it straight.Holding or releasing the face used to throw the ball all over as I said,but now its just puts a gentle little 5 yarder on it.

[ezra76]

To be honest I wish the ball would move a little more. I was hitting my 3W at the range, hitting slight draws when I found a Titleist Balata in the bucket. The same setup with that ball came out low, rose up a little and started to draw, as it came down it seemed to overspin and pick up speed. Amazing looking shot and I wish I could that every time with my 3W, doglegs left would be a piece of cake.

[WildCatGolfer17]

For me I have come across to many times with swing flaws, and to avoid it I almost never play a fade in fear of a miss hit toe or just a slice.. But I do have a natural draw that I can work fairly well. I can determine almost a strait ball with a pull hook or any where between. Shots I am working on now, would be a " trap draw " which helps me either run it in low to a back pin or allow it to roll across with some od spin on my wedges.
Its easier to know where a draw is going than trying to hit a strait ball

[5iron]

Originally Posted by Youngun5

it really was. and I've never seen him hit anything but his fade in the dozen or so rounds we've played together.

my 300 yard tee shot that i drew around the dogleg on that hole to put me in absolute perfect attacking position is another example of why working the ball is great. if i wouldn't have, that drive would've been through the fairway and into the forest!

i believe the most important part of "working the ball" is being able to manipulate trajectory, as in high or low...i think being able to keep tabs on your trajectory has made a much bigger impact than directional movement.

Lol, once again nice shot .

2 rounds ago i was playing with y dad and his good friend. His friend can drive it 300 + . We had a hole coming up that was a dogleg left and 291 to the green. He hit a low hook that came in the right greenside rough ! I hit it pretty straight like my dad.

[cypressperch]

Shaping shots is a good way, and there is a lot of satisfaction to be gained by hitting shots that seem to coincide with the way a hole is set up. Also, you can aim at or near trouble, and have some shape built into the shot so that the ball moves away from said trouble. If the trouble in question is to one side or the other, then the landing area theoretically is the whole fairway.

At times, however, there are really narrow fairways to contend with. You may have a long par five that is down an alley of pine trees, and on such holes, you will thank your lucky stars if you are able to hit straight, long shots. The straight hitter aims at targets with every club. The target is usually in the middle of the fairway off the tee, and the theory is that when a straight shot is attempted there will be less likelihood of curvature than when intentional shaping is attempted. Following this idea, you have margin for error both right and left of your target.

The straight hitter will be somewhat less ready for dog-legs; the shot shaper might have more difficulty with the straighter holes.

I think the best answer to how to approach this choice is to be able to do both styles. With the proper set up and technique, the exact same swing can be used to fade, draw, and hit straight shots. A somewhat complex problem can be simplified.

CP