Hook, Draw, Slice or Fade…It’s Your Choice

The essential element in hitting each of these shots is the angle of the clubface at impact and being aware of what that angle is. What is the difference between a hook and a draw or a slice and a fade?

The draw is a controlled hook, and the fade is a controlled slice. Hooks and slices usually end up in the trees, the rough, bunkers or out of bounds. Draws and fades stay in play, end up in decent lies and from where you can put your next shot on or very close to the green. Very few golfers hit the ball dead straight, if only because they stand at the side of the ball. Therefore, it’s important to know how to control the curve on the flight of your shots.

The Clubface Angle Tells It All
The essential element in hitting each of these shots is the angle of the clubface at impact. How can you tell when the clubface is open, closed or square? First and foremost, you must look at the flight of the ball. If it’s curving right to left or goes straight left off the clubface, then the clubface is closed at impact. If it’s curving sharply from left to right or goes straight right of your target upon impact, the clubface is open.

Getting A Read On The Clubface Angle
While the flight of the ball is the best way to determine the clubface angle at impact, it’s important to know beforehand if you want to alter it or accommodate for it. One tried-and-true way is to make a backswing with a mirror directly behind you and see for yourself. You can also have someone videotape your completed backswing or record it with a digital camera.

Another way to check your clubface angle is by completing your backswing and simply putting the clubhead back behind the ball without uncocking your wrists or otherwise altering the angle. You can also set up at address with the clubhead behind the ball and have someone tell you if the clubface is open or closed, or just hold it in position and walk around behind to see for yourself.

Open, Closed Or Square?
There are two checkpoints in the backswing that you can use to determine where the clubface is positioned. The first is halfway back, when the club is parallel to the ground. If the toe of the club is somewhat straight up (between 11 and 12 o’clock), the clubface is square. If the toe is behind the heel and pointing behind you (10 o’clock or later), the clubface is open. If the toe is ahead of the heel, pointing ahead of you (3 o’clock or earlier), the clubface is closed.

The other position at which to check the clubface angle is at the top of your backswing. The clubface is open when, at the completion of the backswing, it is facing the ground to some degree. The more it is open, the more the face is exposed to the ground. Or, the toe of the club is pointing below your left forearm. If the face is angled to the right of your target, it is open.
The clubface is closed when, at the completion of the backswing, it is facing up toward the sky. Again, it is a matter of degree. The more the face is looking up at the sky, the more closed it is. Or, the toe is pointing above your left forearm. Again, you can bring the club to the top and then place it back behind the ball. If it’s aimed left of your target, it is closed.
The clubface is square when it is parallel to your left forearm.

Turning A Hook Into A Draw
To learn how to control your hook and turn it into a nice draw, there are a few changes to make. First, try working the clubface a little open in the backswing. Some people call it “fanning the blade open.” This involves rotating the forearms counterclockwise in the backswing, which causes the toe of the club to go straight up about midway in the backswing or when your left arm is parallel to the ground.

The other change is to swing your club along the target line in the downswing instead of swinging out toward right field, which is the tendency of golfers who hook the ball. To swing down the line, you need to increase your body rotation and reduce the lateral or sliding motion of the legs. This should create a squaring of the clubface through body motion, not the hands, and thereby control the hook and produce a draw.

Turning A Slice Into A Fade
Contrary to conventional wisdom, coming over the top in the downswing (and bringing the club across the target line from outside to inside) is not the cause of a slice. It’s the effect of an open clubface.

To use a baseball analogy, your mind is fixated on hitting the golf ball to centerfield, but it keeps going to right field. So you swing the club toward left field and come over the top. But you’re going about it the wrong way. If the clubface was square or closed, the ball would go down the left-field line. However, the clubface is open, so it curves sharply from left to right. To fix this, you must learn how to close or square the clubface enough so you can control the flight of the ball, i.e. less slice or a fade.

The first change to make is to create a strong grip position by rotating the left hand clockwise at address so you see at least two knuckles, and put your right hand on the side or somewhat under the club. This will allow you to rotate the forearms counterclockwise in the forward swing, thus creating less slice spin.

Along with this adjustment, you may need to change the “out-to-in” swing path that usually accompanies a slice to a more inside attack. This can be accomplished with a slight lateral “bump” (weight shift) of the lower body to start the downswing. This is not an easy combination of moves to make, partly because your brain does not want anything to do with “right field.” However, with proper practice and plenty of patience, it will work.

Playing From The Tees
Not enough golfers pay attention to where they play from the tee. The natural inclination is to swing in accord with your body alignment. Therefore, if you’re a slicer, you should set up on the right side of the teebox to allow your eyes to see a better route for your natural shot shape. Likewise, if you hook the ball, you need to set up on the left side of the teebox.

Also, if you want to hit a fade, tee the ball lower to the ground than you would ordinarily. Tee it a bit higher if you are after a hook or draw.

Equipment design can help you modify your slice if you use clubs with an offset head. This is common with irons, but you can now get offset drivers.

Remember, for a draw, aim at second base and swing out toward the second baseman. For a fade, aim at second base and swing toward the shortstop.

Ideally, everyone should play with the clubface square at address, at the top of the backswing and at impact. It is most effective to start from that position at address, but golfers have various idiosyncrasies in their swings that will open or close the clubface in the backswing. The advice here is to not so much change your swing, just the angle of the clubface.

Mick Soli teaches at The Golf Academy at Mariners Point in Foster City, Calif. He can be reached at (650) 573-7888 ext. 3 or via e-mail at msoli@marinerspoint.com.