Let's be honest. Do you really "work" the Ball?

[PlaidJacket]

Since I've been a member here I've read a lot of stuff. Good stuff mostly. However, I read lots of guys stating that they "work" the ball. I see this stated often when reading about equipment, balls, swings, etc. I have found in my lengthy career that there are really very few amateurs that can work the ball at will. By that I mean.... left, right, high, low, etc. I can't work the ball at will. I can however play a higher or lower shot. But my stock shot is a fade draw*. I can on occasion fade the ball low and out of a trouble situation but even that is a crap shoot it seems. I have no idea what the average handicap is for MGS members but I'd guess it's around a 15. My question is this....

 

When you're out playing a round and a hole requires a draw or a fade or even straight; do you intentionally play the shot shape? Can you really do that? Be honest.

 

EDIT: *I now draw the ball mostly. For the past year and 1/2 been talking lessons/coaching.

[apprenti23]

In my early years learning how to play golf, I used to be able to hit the ball dead straight. Not kidding. Drives, Irons, on a freaking string. Then as I learned more my stock shot became a draw. I have always wished I could play a fade and in 2003 made an attempt to switch that, was god awful for a few months and then gave up.

 

To answer your post- I can hit a draw, slice, hook, or fade on command. With that being said though, I wouldn't bet on me dropping it right down next to the flag because I don't practice that. When playing a round of golf, if I am faced with a tee shot or iron shot where I can't hit my normal shot, then I will attempt to "work the ball." However, I hit draws off the tee all the time when faced with a dog leg right. No point in me blocking a fade into the right trees if I can still hit my stock shot.

[Kenny B]

First, I am surprised at your guess of a 15 average MGS HCP. I have always thought that it was more like 10. I have always felt like I was average at best.

 

I almost always try to hit a straight shot. Working the ball seems to get me into trouble. My Ping i20's are better for straight shots. I CAN hit a draw, but it doesn't always draw. I can hit a fade because a slice was my shot for a lot of years. However, I can overdo it easily so I try not to hit one unless I have no choice. I can hit a low draw off the tee into the wind most of the time, but can't hit a high draw. High shots are OK and straight or a slight fade. Most of the time tee shots are what I would call medium in height.

[Undershooter]

It depends on the day to he honest. Some days I can turn it both ways at will and move it up and down. Those days are not normal though.

 

Generally I hit the ball high and play a baby cut. I can hit a bigger cut if I want or hit it dead straight if needed. I also can turn one over on command but I don't necessarily have control of how much it draws and where I start it.

 

I find it's easier to just play my stock shot and adjust if that isn't possible.

[Bogey in The Woods]

Let me be the first to say it: HELL NO. 

 

There are no other options for me. I hit a cut(slice). Period. There have been ,at various times, differing degrees of cut. I couldn't draw it to save my or your life. I can however hit it high or low off the tee. Which, of course, I work by degree on the driver in combination with tee height. 

 

But also, as the tale tale number to the left of this post says, I am not yet average. 

[hckymeyer]

I always hit it high, but I can try to hit it lower.  i try to play a draw off the tee, but usually it's fairly straight.

 

So short answer is just like Bogey, hell no I can't work the ball at will.  I play my shot and if I need to do something else I'll most likely just hit to somewhere else that will allow the best possible outcome while still hitting my shot.

[Mike Z]

When I was young, I was enamored with hitting a draw - all the "good players" did.  As we all know a baby draw is to a hook as a kitten is to a cat.  I was hitting a slinging hook and could hit a block fade.  I hate cats.

 

Fast forward to three years ago.  I have gone through a complete rebuild.  I hit a baby fade most of the time.  I can hit a cut when necessary and I can attempt to draw the ball.  Does not always work and once in a while I get a cat - so I reserve that for when I am feeling it or when I absolutely must.

 

Flighting it up/down is another matter entirely.  I hit the ball high.  I have been working on getting the flight down for a while with mixed success.  While I can hit it high again easily, hitting it low in purpose is difficult.

 

Punch/trouble shots I can "work" a lot more if I have to, but keeping it low (under the branches) is the first priority.

[GolfSpy Tim]

I can work it both ways....

 

just happens that I have nearly no control of which way it's gonna get worked at any given time.

 

I've been getting some coaching from a friend who finally makes sense to me when he explains things... we've gone from me fighting a slice to me fighting a hook. It's making the game "interesting"

 

But no... I can't work the ball in a consistent/controlled fashion. If I try too hard to draw, I hook, if I try and fade... all hell breaks loose and everyone but the guy behind me should probably just duck.

[BK in TEXAS]

I love to work the ball!  Nothing is more thrilling than watching the ball gracefully curve through the air. 

 

However, I love lower scores even more.  Unless there is a beaver dam good reason the ball needs to curve.....I'm hitting it straight.

[Kanoito]

Left and right is OK for me... just open or close my stance.

And only do it when I have to get around a tree or something.

Can't control height though.

[L.I. Rich]

I only try to control height on drives based upon wind conditions - I find I'm much (gulp!) better at controlling height than direction off the tee.

 

I'll rarely try to control height or direction with irons, usually go right at it. If the green layout is appropriate, I may try a fade with the irons, but usually I'm happy to put it on the green. When I try to hit a draw, it usually turns into a 20 yard hook and long. With wedges, I will try with varying degrees of success, more varied shots.

[HighFade]

The rare times I have tried to work the ball, usually one of two things happen:

 

1. Ball flies dead straight

2. I over cook it

 

The tour still hasn't called yet....

[jdiddyesquire]

All the time.

 

[MmmmmmBuddy]

 

When you're out playing a round and a hole requires a draw or a fade or even straight; do you intentionally play the shot shape? Can you really do that? Be honest.

 

On my most recent handicap revision, I am a 9.9. I have played to as low as a 2.3 and as high as 12 in the past 20 years. When I played all the time (15 years ago) I was capable of hitting every shot with every club. High, low, left, right, and straight. I worked very hard to learn how, and practiced hitting these types of shots all the time. The equipment made this lots easier back in the day. Spinner balls, smaller woods and irons, the ball just wanted to curve.

 

Today, the shots just want to go straight. I will still try to shape the shot to fit the hole location as much as needed, but this is really only with irons anymore.. It is just too difficult to hit gentle shapes with the new drivers..  

 

The only real difference is that today is that I have no idea if my planned shot is going to come off or not..  On some days, it all works, and I score fairly well.. On others.....

[apprenti23]

It seems to me that golf equipment trends are very circular. Once the golf ball trends back to high spinning it'll be much easier. Now equipment is so much more forgiving it makes it much more difficult IMO

[silver & black]

Being honest:

 

I can fade the ball when I want to 95% of the time... with the driver.

 

I can draw the ball 50% (maybe less) when I want to... with the driver.

 

I can't do either when I want to with irons.

 

I'm just not that good... nor do I have the time to put in that it takes to be THAT player.

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

When I'm swinging well, my natural shot shape is a slight draw.  Driver, however, can be a slight draw, straight or a fade -- I can't tell it what to do, tho. It makes up it's own mind mid-swing.

 

Short answer -- no way in hell can I "work" the ball.  I just try to hit it in the general direction of the green.  Any time I try to hit a fade I usually wind up hitting a gorgeous draw....

[jdiddyesquire]

When I'm swinging well, my natural shot shape is a slight draw.  Driver, however, can be a slight draw, straight or a fade -- I can't tell it what to do, tho. It makes up it's own mind mid-swing.

 

Short answer -- no way in hell can I "work" the ball.  I just try to hit it in the general direction of the green.  Any time I try to hit a fade I usually wind up hitting a gorgeous draw....

 

In all seriousness, last time I tried to hit a fade with my driver my driver head ended up 50 yards down range and I was left holding a very light stick. Not sure what happened.

[Fireinthehole]

First year I started playing, i only played a draw- what came natural. Then tried to learn to hit a fade and that became the norm. Now, when I am "working the ball," its a good day. I don't worry too much about height due to lack of wind in my area and some pretty flat courses, but I like to play a fade off a tight tee shot & short irons or wedges into Par 3's,  or a draw when tee shot has room or I am hitting an approach shot. Since I don't grip down or try to play 3/4 shots, I hit a draw or a fade when I am trying to manage 10-5yds. Only hook or play a cut when behind trouble that is manageable. Try to keep it simple as much as I can.

 

Never been able to hit the ball straight, I prefer to see some curve to the flight- helps me play more consistent. Must be the routine?

[Jmikecpa]

Generally no I don't.  I hit a draw naturally and that is the shot that I play 95% of the time and struggle to fade the ball although I am getting a bit more comfortable with it these days.  I try and flight the ball up and down when I have to, but as much as possible I stick to what works and is repeatable.  Would rather hit a 3 wood draw on a dog leg right than try and fade driver around the corner. 

[jbil8802]

In all seriousness, last time I tried to hit a fade with my driver my driver head ended up 50 yards down range and I was left holding a very light stick. Not sure what happened.

 

Hahaha it's funny but it's not. I had a similar occurrence last year on the long drive hole in a charity tournament after a few beers. Not sure what happened.

[BIG STU]

A baby trap fade is my stock shot with the irons and also with the driver. I can pull off a draw if I really really concentrate and my timing is dead nuts on that day. I try to shy away from the draw because I am notorious for a rope hook. The only 2 clubs in my bag I can get away with drawing if my timing is off is my 7 and 9 woods. Like someone else said I think a lot of it has to do with today's equipment. that is why I re engineered my old blade irons and switched to a softer ball (see my updated profile). I played my reworked old blades over the last weekend holiday and my workability improved over my forged CB irons. That last sentence is not to say CBs are bad but the old blades seem to work better for me. I can say I can work the ball sometimes but I prefer my baby cut. But then again I don't practice or play as much as I used to when I attempted to do it for a living

[revkev]

I remember starting a similar thread a while back. I'm with Plaid Jackect, I've played golf with tons of people, tons of them, some who are very good players. Very few of them were comfortable hitting all the shots even if they could.

 

Go to a tour event and many guys will play their prefered shot unless in trouble. Jack Nicklaus hit high fades 90 percent plus of the time and would annually retool his game to play draw at the Masters and then back to fade again for the US Open.

 

So can I fade the ball, sure and I will even practice fades now and again. I will certainly never intentionally fade a tee shot. I would not hit a fade just because there is a right pin either. I will only hit a shot that I can safely execute 90 % of the time unless I'm desperate. That would not be a fade.

 

Having written that I will work the ball up or down depending on the wind or conditions, but that's the extent of it. If I'm hitting fade I'm in a pickle with no other way out.

[HighFade]

All I read was Jack Nicklaus and High Fade.

[jdiddyesquire]

All I read was Jack Nicklaus and High Fade.

You're basically the same person.

[RoverRick]

Yes, I work the ball every shot. I prefer right to left with the short irons, but often work the ball higher or lower. I also work the ball either way off the tee depending on the hole layout.

 

The only reason the SLDR/Paterson combo got kicked out of the bag was I could only  hit a draw with that set up. Constantly hitting draws is harder on my back than hitting fades with the driver. The Titleist/Fubuki Combo was much better for this, although it is shorter. Some day the fairways may dry out enough to see if I can get decent roll to make up the difference.

[jaxbeachpackerfan]

Nope.

[Kenny B]

The well-struck shot keeps golfers coming back, but for me, there no better feeling than visualizing a shot, stepping up and hitting the shot exactly as I planned. It might go where I wanted, but I hit it the way I wanted!

[MattF]

I have enough trouble hitting the ball straight, which is what I want to do, there's no way in God's green Earth that I'm working the ball. If it happens, I'll take it but I didn't do it intentionally.

[RoverRick]

I have enough trouble hitting the ball straight, which is what I want to do, there's no way in God's green Earth that I'm working the ball. If it happens, I'll take it but I didn't do it intentionally.

 

This is exactly why I do work the ball. If I set up to hit it straight, any errors in the swing and I have no idea where the ball is going. By setting up to hit a draw I can eliminate the right side.

 

I learned to shape the ball, so that I could go and find the ball.