Driving · Lesson
How a Draw Works With Your Driver
Part of our driving programs for slice, topped or thin. Build a program with it
A draw needs two things. Your path heads right of the target. Your face points left of that path, but still right of the target. Rotate the face through impact. Don't slash at it with your hands. To feel the path, rehearse an impact position. Bump your hips toward the target and tilt slightly away from it. You'll see the path swing out to the right. Don't set up like that. Just use it to learn the shape, then blend it into your normal swing.
Step by step
- Picture a path to the right with the face closed to it.
- Practice turning the face over slowly.
- Rehearse impact: hips forward, slight tilt back.
- Feel the club swing out to the right.
- Move from small swings to full drives.
Why it works
Ball curve comes mostly from the face angle relative to the path. For a right-hander, a draw starts right of the target when the face points right of the target, then curves left because the face is closed to the path. Turning the face over through impact keeps it closed to the path without a flip of the hands, and an in-to-out path gives you room to do that.
Common mistakes
- You aim the face left of the target to make the ball go left.Keep the face pointing right of the target but left of your path, so the ball starts right and curves back.
- You slash at the ball with your hands to close the face.Rotate the face slowly through impact with your forearms and body turning together.
- You set up with your hips forward and your tilt back at address.Use that position only as a rehearsal at impact to feel the path, then return to your normal setup.
How you'll know it's working
- The ball starts right of your target line and curves back toward it.
- You strike the ball solidly with the same contact on the face each time, not off the toe or heel.
- In rehearsal, you feel the club head swing out to the right after impact instead of across your body.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Start with small half swings with a short iron or a tee-height driver, and turn the face over slowly.
Harder: Make full drives and change the amount of curve on purpose by adjusting the gap between your path and your face.
Common questions
What causes a draw with a driver?
A draw happens when your path is right of the target and your face points left of that path but still right of the target. The ball starts right, then curves left.
How do I stop slicing and hit a draw?
A slice has the face open to the path. Work on an in-to-out path and rotate the face through impact so it closes to that path.
