Shape Your Golf Shots: Draw, Fade, Stinger and Straight

Peter Finch draws inspiration from a Tiger Woods drill: a grid of nine windows, ranging from a high fade to a low stinger. Over four holes at Stockport Golf Club, each shot can be played only once. Between shots, he explains the principles of ball flight and suggests a driving range drill.

Peter Finch · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

What the lesson shows

Peter Finch begins by reviewing the basics: The clubface has the dominant effect on the direction, and it is the combination of clubface and path that determines the curve. For a fade, the path goes to the left of the line, and the clubface is open relative to the path but closed relative to the target; for a draw, the opposite is true. The straight shot—with the clubface and path both pointing toward the target—is, for him, the most difficult shot. The angle of attack matters, too: Hitting while moving down shifts the path to the right; hitting while moving up shifts it to the left.

On the course, he hits a high fade with his 3-wood, a Stinger on a draw (back-to-ball stance, strong grip, body turned to the right, downward swing), a draw that was too pronounced because he “helped” with his hands, and a low fade with the driver from the fairway. On the driving range, he suggests an exercise: a wand pointing at the target and two parallel clubs to visualize the path, which you can direct to the left or right by adjusting your clubface midway through the swing. His conclusion: Golf is a game of aiming, and this exercise clears the mind.

The Exercise, Step by Step

1. Place a stick pointing toward the target and two clubs parallel to it on either side to mark the path.
2. At the midpoint of your swing, aim for a straight shot: keep your path and clubface pointing toward the target.
3. Aim the clubs to the left, align yourself with them, and keep the clubface open relative to the fairway: you'll hit a fade.
4. Point them to the right, close the clubface slightly at address, then adjust your grip: this will give you a draw.
5. For a low shot, position the ball farther back and swing down through the ball, without aiming too far to the right.
6. On the course, choose the type of shot that's best for the hole before lining up.

Key Takeaways

Mistakes to Avoid

• Think that the clubface must be aimed at the target for the ball to end up there.
• Forget that hitting while moving down pushes the path to the right.
• Use your hands to help create a draw at the end of the swing, like Peter Finch did with his overly pronounced high draw.
• Heading out on the course without having practiced these shots on the driving range.

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Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Peter Finch). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons, without hosting them.