Lesson 9 - Fading the Ball. -(Changed - 16/10/2006)

The ability to create a fade shot is a big advantage when you require to bend the ball to the right -- for example, if you need to bend the ball around the corner of a dog leg hole or if you need to bend the ball around a tree that is directly in line to the target point.

To make a golf ball bend to the right, it requires the ball to leave the tee peg with a very fast clockwise spinning motion.

To impart sideways spin on the golf ball you need to alter the swing path of the golf swing so that the clubhead strikes the ball with a slight cutting action.

Therefore to make the ball spin in a clockwise motion, the swing path must be adjusted so that when the club head makes contact with the ball it is moving across the surface of the ball on an "out to in" swing path.

At the address position, the set up that the golfer has to adopt in order to play a fade shot, requires the shoulders, the hips and the feet to be aligned to a point which is to the left of the actual target area.

Because of this "open" position, most high handicapped golfers find it easier to fade the ball.

This is because the golfer`s body is actually turned slightly towards the target area, although only by a few degrees, but it helps the golfer to see where the ball is going which psychologically affects the golfer and gives them more confidence.

The swing pattern that is required to create a fade a shot is identical to the swing that is required to hit the ball straight. -- The only difference is the way that you set up your body at the address position and the adjustment that is required to realign the clubface.

The Set Up

Set up your body with the shoulders, hips and the feet "Parallel to the target line" as if you are to play a golf shot that you intend to go straight.

Look down at the area where your feet are placed and also look at the position of the ball on the tee peg.

You will notice that if you draw a line between the feet, and then draw a line from each foot to the ball, you would see that the three lines form a triangle.

Using the ball position as the pivotal point of the triangle and whilst maintaining the angles between both feet and the ball, shuffle the feet around the pivotal point to your right side until your whole stance is facing slightly to the left of your original address position.

Your body position at this point will indicate that the feet and the shoulders are now both aligned to a point that is aiming to the left of the target line.

If you now carried out your normal swing without any adjustment to the clubface, the ball would go towards the direction that your shoulders, hips and the feet were is aligned, which is left of the actual target area.

This is the correct body set up in order to play a fade shot. ---The only adjustment that is now required is for you to slightly open the clubface.

The Swing

The actual mechanics of the golf swing required to create the required fade shot is exactly the same as if you were to hit the ball in a straight line, you do not have to make any adjustment to your swing.

Because you set up your body with the shoulders and the feet aligned to a point that is to the left of the actual target, this means that the revised swing path will cause the club face to cut across the ball at the point of contact.

The whole swing process must be focused on maintaining the swing path on this line and it is important that at the end of the swing process that the body is facing towards the point that the shoulders and the hips were aligned, not the actual target area that you intend the ball to finish.

The only adjustment that you need to make is to turn the club face in a slightly clockwise motion in order to open the club face a few degrees so that face of the golf club is aiming at a point in between the line that your shoulders and feet are aligned -- and the actual target area.

The other point to consider is that when you select a golf club in order to play a fade shot, you must allow for the fact that the club face of the club that you would normally choose to hit a ball a given distance, will automatically be converted to a club with a higher degree of loft -- this means that this higher degree of loft on the club face will cause the ball to fly on a higher trajectory. This means that the ball will not fly as far in distance or run as far upon landing.

Therefore in order to compensate for the shorter distance that the ball will travel you will need to use a club face that has a lower degree of loft.

So remember, the swing action that is required to "fade" the ball is identical to that as described in Lessons 3,4,5.

The only difference is that you must set up your body at the address position in order to alter the swing path, so that the swing path cuts across the "Straight to the Target line" and imparts a sideways spin on the golf ball.

When you practice the swing in order to fade the ball remember:-

1) To rotate the " Upper Body" (as taught in lesson 2)

2) Keep the head slightly behind the ball and also in the "Fixed Frontal" condition"

3) Watch the ball until the club head makes contact.

Please Note.

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