How to fade the golf ball by Basic Steps to Perfect Golf

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 ( Fade for a right hand golfer) it requires the ball to leave the tee peg with a very fast clockwise spinning motion.
However 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 cutting action and therefore using the grooves of the clubface to dig into the ball and cause it to spin.

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, basically because the golfer`s body is actually turned slightly towards the target area although only by a few degrees, 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.

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 strictly maintaining the distance between the feet and also the angles between the feet and the ball, shuffle the feet around the pivotal point to your left, until your whole stance is aligned facing to the right of the original stance.

Your body position at this point will indicate that the feet, the hips and the shoulders are now 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 in a straight line, 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 to slightly open the clubface.

The actual mechanics of the golf swing required to create a 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 automatically cut across the ball at the point of contact.

The whole swing process must be focused on using the left shoulder muscles to pull the passive arms through the contact area whilst the shoulders are held "Parallel to the Target Line" which is to the left of the actual spot you wish the ball to finish.

However it is important that at the end of the swing process that the shoulders have rotated around the central core of the spine to such an extent that the shoulders are now facing slightly to the left of the target point thus pulling the hips around so that they are squarely facing the target point.

(It is important to note that it is the target point that you are aiming the ball at, 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 club face is aiming at a point directly between the line that your shoulders and feet are aligned, and the actual target area. ( Basically splitting the difference.)

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 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. Therefore 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.

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

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