Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Fade vs. Draw - which is longer off the tee?

As I learn more about how the swing works and how ball flight works (if you don't know what the d-plane is, google it or you don't know the real laws of ball flight), I'm starting to think that the idea that a draw is longer than a fade is a fallacy, especially with modern clubs.

With new equipment, we can offset the higher launch and spin (most useful on the driver) that traditionally cause a fade to be considered the "shorter" shot shape, and due to bio mechanics I believe that you can hit a fade harder than draw.

A pull fade, like Bubba's stock driver shot, is actually hit with a clubface CLOSED relative to the target line. That's why the ball starts left. The left to right spin is applied by club path that is going even further left of the target line than the clubface is pointing- or in other, out to in RELATIVE TO THE CLUBFACE.

Since the clubface can close through impact, I believe that contrary to traditional opinion, you can release HARDER hitting a fade than a draw. In order to hit a push draw (ball starting right of the target), the club face MUST be open- and therefore, in an otherwise neutral swing, slightly held off.

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