Fade and Draw from Your Stance: Start from a Straight Shot
With an 8-iron, Paige Spiranac starts with a neutral straight shot swing, then changes just one thing to curve the ball: the orientation of her feet, and thus the club path. An open stance for a fade, a closed stance for a draw; the grip and ball position remain the same.
To be continued
What the lesson shows
It all starts with the straight shot: Ball positioned very slightly ahead of center with an 8-iron, feet and shoulders square, usual grip, and a backswing that simply moves the club back along the axis. Paige works on this by pushing a ball placed behind the clubhead backward. The swing path remains as neutral as possible, following a slight arc. It’s from this foundation that we vary the swing path, without altering the Grip nor to the Ball Position, which moves only to play higher or lower.
For the fade, open your stance slightly (and your shoulders if necessary), swing the club out a little, and swing over the ball: the ball will fly to the left and then drop to the right, with a restrained finish—the end of the grip moving to the left while the club moves to the right. For the draw, step forward with your left foot and step back with your right foot, stand up straight, let the club drop into the “slot,” swing to the right while letting your hands rotate, all the way through to a full finish. Closing the clubface works too; Paige prefers to keep the clubface square and adjust her path.
The Exercise, Step by Step
- Take your stance for a straight shot: the ball is very slightly in front of center, feet and shoulders square, and use your usual grip.
- Brush the club back straight, as if you were pushing a ball positioned behind the clubhead.
- To hit a fade, open your stance slightly, swing the club out a little as you take the club back, and swing down over it.
- Remember the finish: the end of the grip moves to the left while the clubhead moves to the right.
- To hit a draw, step forward with your left foot and step back with your right foot, without changing your grip or the ball's position.
- Stand up straight, drop the club into the slot, swing to the right, and let your hands rotate all the way through to the full finish.
- For more curve, adjust the same setting further: close your shoulders more for a draw, and open them more for a fade.
Key Takeaways
Mistakes to Avoid
- Change your grip or ball position at the same time as your stance.
- Make adjustments so small that they don't affect flight performance.
- Focus on an elegant finish instead of watching the ball's flight.
- Change everything at once: choose stance, shoulders, or face, then test it out.
Driving Range Mode
Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.
- A few forehands to establish the neutral stance
- Wide, deliberate turns in both directions to feel the effect of the stance
- Compare the difference in the curve based on stance width
- Finish with a few fade shots and normal-sized draws toward the same target
Your Questions
Should you move the ball within your stance for a fade or a draw?
No. For Paige Spiranac, the ball position stays the same; she only moves it to hit a fade or a draw higher or lower.
Do you have to close the clubface to hit a draw?
This is one option, which is especially useful if you slice the ball. Paige prefers to keep the clubface square and create the curve using the path created by her closed stance.
Why does my finish look different on a fade?
On a fade, she holds the finish: the tip of the grip moves to the left while the club moves to the right. On a draw, the hands rotate and the finish is complete. Aesthetics matter less than the ball’s flight.
What's the point of knowing how to curve the ball on the course?
To play around a tree, approach a tricky flag, or avoid danger, and to compensate on a day when your ball is curving too much in one direction.
Learn More
Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Paige Spiranac). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons, without hosting them.