hitting the draw

[sidvicious]

i'm new to the game, having started about 10 weeks ago.

among other things [short game] i'm determined to learn to hit a draw off the tee. i'm a strong sort, being limber and fit. thus, i tend to try to crush the ball even when i consciously try to taper off the power. i hit from outside in, slicing like wonder bread. i've seen a video of my swing and the shaft looks like an overstrung longbow.

i'm told that a limber shaft helps [among other things] promote a draw. what's your experience with this? my current driver is the TM r7, regular flex. i "feel" like i would like a stiffer shaft.

incidentally, i suck at golf. i can only improve, as my game is nonexistant.

cheers,

sv-

[Loop]

lol... no amount of equipment will fix your slice. You can draw your current regular r7 and still make 300 yards.
Well, there is the anti-banana club. Offset, closed clubface, high torque....

[sidvicious]

my swing is the main focus, but i've learned a bit, and though one may not be able to buy a game, one can buy a few strokes with good equipment choices.

i hate golf, therefore, i must tame it.

[dave.]

The shaft used relates to your swing speed,the faster you swing the stiffer the shaft.Its unlikely after 10 weeks to need higher than a reg,but it is possible.

A draw is created from an in to out to in swing plane,straight in in or even straight straight and with wrist roll.Its harder than a slice becuase timing has to be spot on whereas a slice is a 'natural' occurence.

[SilverUberXeno]

If you KNOW you're swinging out to in.. then stop it. Seriously.

Either that or play the thing, if it's consistent.

[VtDivot]

Originally Posted by SilverUberXeno

If you KNOW you're swinging out to in.. then stop it. Seriously.

easier said than done.... this is why I write code for a living and don't swing a golf club

[1st Tee]

if your club shaft is flexing that much maybe you are taking your backswing and downswing to fast. on the down swing let gravity start it off then increase speed through the ball and smash it.

[SiberianDVM]

Originally Posted by dave.

A draw is created from an in to out to in swing plane,straight in in or even straight straight and with wrist roll.Its harder than a slice becuase timing has to be spot on whereas a slice is a 'natural' occurence.

Dave, my "natural" swing is a fade. I can live with that.

But there are times when a draw or even a hook can be a good thing, as in when my tee shot has landed behind the large crepe myrtle bush on the left side of the 2nd fairway.

In my feeble attempts to hit a draw (at will), I have tried closing my stance slightly, and/or rotating my right hand clockwise slightly. Both will indeed induce a draw, sometimes, and when this happens, usually it is more of a hook than a draw.

Any other suggestions for subtle alignment changes to change a fade to a draw?

[golfer1]

Becareful when trying to play a draw! Go to the range and practice it on grass tees first, (not mats) and after you can hit three in row with control, then your ready to try it for real. If you play the ball back in your stance, a little toward the right foot if your a righty, and pull your right foot back a bit, just swing natural and see what happens. My favorite use for the draw is hitting around trees, bushes etc. to get back in the fairway after a hooked drive!

They say that a lot of the pro's draw their woods and fade their irons. But these are the type of players that hit more balls in one year then the average golfer hits in a life time!

[dave.]

Siberian,take the club GRIP back towards your right thigh,and tell your brain you are going to release the clubhead,do nothing mechanical apart from the takeaway,just watch that ball release baby............................if you are higher than a 2 or 3 handicap hitting a draw when you hit a natural fade is difficult imo,and on the course,its best to only do it if you have a tree in the way.Stick with the power fade,Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods seem to do ok

[SiberianDVM]

if you are higher than a 2 or 3 handicap hitting a draw when you hit a natural fade is difficult imo,and on the course,its best to only do it if you have a tree in the way

Ahem, considerably higher than a 2 or 3. Usually I only attempt it if I have been slicing instead of fading, or if the crepe myrtle jumps out into my line to the flag.

[dave.]

lol,trying to hit a draw is not your first priority,I respectfully suggest

[Lamma]

Originally Posted by dave.

lol,trying to hit a draw is not your first priority,I respectfully suggest

Si! At ten weeks I was just struggling to get the ball up in the air. Learning how to shape shots to one's satisfaction is something that more advanced golfers work at. At three months, if your tee shot is in play, then be happy.

[dave.]

I'm a scratch guy and I will avoid trying to shape shots.I just hit it at the target with my natural shape.Punching shots in or flighting them a bit higher,no probs with that,but aiming left or right to hit a shape thats isn't natural is imo somehting for a pro or very good plus player to do.There simply isn't any need really even off scratch to deliberatley draw the ball unless you are off a tee that shapes one way or another and the advantage to be gained be shaping the ball is so great or the dangers in not doing so are so great you try and do it.A hole designed like that is a bad hole and luckily there aren't many that do it.You can still hit a fade on a dog leg left.

[SiberianDVM]

Originally Posted by dave.

lol,trying to hit a draw is not your first priority,I respectfully suggest

You are correct; with 4 months total of practice time and only 3 & 1/2 rounds of golf, my first priority is not whiffing.

But I am really trying. Every day after work I spend at least an hour at the range, or chipping, or putting, or at home hitting into a net, watching the Golf channel, and reading Five Lessons.

Last night at the range, without consciously changing anything, I was drawing or hooking every club, except the driver. I actually had to start adjusting the ball placement (moved it forward 2 inches) on the 3 & 4 irons to straighten out the hook some.

My first shot of the evening was a beautiful 190 straight, high shot with my 4 iron; everyone after that was just not as good. But out of a 100 ball bucket, I only had 5 shots that I would really call bad, not like when I started when 95 of them were bad.