Driving · Lesson
Shape a Fade or Draw With Your Driver
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Being able to curve the ball both ways helps on doglegs and in wind. For a fade, tee it a little lower. Aim your body left, with the face just left of target. Swing left across the ball and keep the face from turning over. For a draw, tee it a little higher. Aim your body right. Swing from the inside with the club moving up. Let your forearms roll over to close the face. Don't flip your wrists.
Step by step
- Fade: tee lower and aim left.
- Swing across and hold the face.
- Draw: tee higher and aim right.
- Swing from the inside and up.
- Roll your forearms for the draw.
Why it works
Ball curve comes from the difference between the club path and the face angle at impact. The face mostly sets the start line, and the path relative to the face sets the spin axis. For a fade, the path moves left of the face, which adds left-to-right spin. For a draw, the path moves right of the face, which adds right-to-left spin. A higher tee suits an upward strike, and a lower tee suits a level or slightly downward strike.
Common mistakes
- You aim the body left for a fade but also aim the face well left, so the ball starts left and never curves back.Set the face just left of the target but still open to your body line, then swing along your body line.
- You flip your wrists through impact to make the draw, which closes the face too fast and produces a hook or a pull.Rotate your forearms and chest together so the face closes gradually, and keep your wrists quiet.
- You change your swing path but leave the tee height and ball position the same, so the strike is hard to control.Adjust the tee height first, lower for the fade and higher for the draw, then make the path change.
How you'll know it's working
- The ball starts on the line you picked and curves gently toward the target, not sharply away from it.
- You hit the center of the face with both shapes, with no strong toe or heel contact.
- Your fades and draws curve in a small, repeatable amount over ten balls each.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Start with a 3-wood or a hybrid off the tee and aim at a wide fairway, so you can see the curve without much risk.
Harder: Pick a specific target line and alternate fade and draw on request, calling the shape before each swing.
Common questions
How do I hit a fade with my driver?
Tee the ball a little lower, aim your body left, and set the face just left of the target. Swing across the ball along your body line and keep the face from turning over.
How do I hit a draw with my driver?
Tee the ball a little higher and aim your body right. Swing from the inside while the club moves up, and let your forearms roll over to close the face without flipping your wrists.
