Jordan Spieth's safe fade with his irons
A 3-iron off the tee that shouldn't curve left, a high draw with a three-quarter swing, a tight fade with a 9-iron: Jordan Spieth explains how he shapes each shot—and why he often prefers to make the ball curve from left to right.
To be continued
What the lesson shows
Jordan Spieth’s “fairway finder” is a long iron that produces a low, slight fade. He plays with his body rather than his hands: he rotates well, opens through the ball, lets the club lead, and Turn the back of your left hand toward the floor, then hold it that way. Without spin on the clubface, the ball can't curve to the left: at worst, it drifts a little too far to the right. To aim, he lines up three landmarks on the course and hits the ball between them. According to him, the fade has fewer variables than the draw, especially under pressure when the body accelerates.
A high draw is hit with a three-quarter swing to reduce distance, but with the same aggressiveness at impact. He lets a little loft come back late, without swinging the club, and closes the clubface as he follows through. His favorite shot: a tight fade with a 9-iron, struck along the body line or slightly to the left, with a stable clubface, the spin generated by a swing path that crosses the body slightly. His general rule: The curve must never cross the hole., to miss to the wide side of the green.
The Exercise, Step by Step
- Choose where to hit the ball by aligning two or three markers on the field.
- For the safety fade, use a long iron and aim for a low, slightly angled shot.
- Turn all the way around, then swing the club through the ball, letting the shaft lead the way.
- Turn the back of your left hand toward the ground and hold that position after impact.
- For a high draw, shorten your swing to three-quarters without slowing down at impact, then let a little loft come back late.
- For a tight fade with a short iron, hit the ball along the body line or slightly to the left and keep the clubface steady.
- Make sure the curve runs toward the hole without ever crossing it.
Key Takeaways
Mistakes to Avoid
- Rotate your hands at impact when you don't want the shot to go left.
- Slow down because the swing is shorter.
- Swing the club from above to lift the ball: that's the shot that goes to the left.
- Deliberately opening the clubface to hit a fade: Spieth never seeks that feeling.
- A curve that crosses the hole and ends on the short side of the green.
Driving Range Mode
Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.
- Long sword: low fade with the back of the left hand held toward the ground
- Medium iron: high draw with a three-quarter swing
- Iron 9: a tight fade hit along the body line
- For each shot, choose a starting target aligned with two markers
Your Questions
Why can't the safety fade move to the left?
Jordan Spieth keeps the back of his left hand facing the ground after impact. The clubface doesn't rotate: the ball flies in the direction he's aligned, with a slight left-to-right spin.
How does Spieth choose his tee shot?
He lines up several visible landmarks—such as the edges of two bunkers and a tree—and hits the ball so that it passes between them before drifting toward the target area.
How do you hit a high draw while reducing distance?
With a three-quarter swing, but just as aggressive at impact as a full swing. He lets a little loft come through late, without lifting the club, then closes the clubface.
Why choose the pressurized fade?
In his view, when the body accelerates, the draw requires staying behind the ball and a closed clubface that’s perfectly synchronized. The fade has fewer variables.
Learn More
Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Jordan Spieth). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons without hosting them.