When is it time to add a draw/fade to my shot making?

[Vintage]

Basically, I've been taking lessons the past month and a half or so.... I've totally re-done my swing.... and its to the point where I have it pretty good, its repeatable, I am getting consistant results (and for the first time, consistant yardage!).....My mis-hits have decreased rapidly. And even my mis-hits have improved, leaving me in the fairway, though at shorter distances.

I think I could start to add a draw and a fade to my game. But I am unsure if its too soon (and it might ruin what progress I've made thus far).


So....

A) Should I bother with this yet?
B) If so, how do I do either. I'm guessing for a draw I need to close the club face a little and roll my right hand over my left at impact? Or something like that?



Also..... a golf equipment question.

I have room for one more club in my bag... which would you recommend? 52* Gap Wedge or 60* Wedge?

I was leaning towards the 60* wedge.... reason being, on those shots where I have little green to work with, this is very useful. And with the numerous little half 56* shots I seem to take in a round....60* makes sense here too.

I can always choke down on my PW (instead of using a GW).....

I am pretty comfortable with taking half swings with my PW and SW for those in-betweeners....

But why do it if I don't have to. And I think having a 60* wedge around the green would be more useful.

Thoughs on this as well, would be appreciated.

 

[Hostile]

The 60 for exactly the reason you said.

Good luck on fades and draws. I find that when I do them I mess up what I'm doing right unintentionally.

 

[Vintage]

The 60 for exactly the reason you said.

Good luck on fades and draws. I find that when I do them I mess up what I'm doing right unintentionally.

That's what I am afraid of too (messing up what I am doing right), but.... OTOH, there are several times in a round where this would come in handy and save me a stroke or two....

 

[Hostile]

That's what I am afraid of too (messing up what I am doing right), but.... OTOH, there are several times in a round where this would come in handy and save me a stroke or two....

Yeah if you are on a par 5 with a dog leg it for sure can. I just find that when I try and add it I go too far with it.

If you can pull it off more power to you. You're a better golfer than I ever could be if you can.

My advice would be to spend a lot of time on the driving range before you even attempt it on the course. If you can't pull it off with some consistency on the range, I'd leave it out as an option.

 

[Vintage]

I guess I could go with both the 52* and 60* wedges....

My 3 Wood is nearing the end of its life. I don't know if I need to replace it. Normally, it would be a no brainer...

But I never use the 3 Wood from the fairway (I'll just lay up on the par 5s; why risk going for it in 2?). I only use it from the tees when I need the accuracy that it provides...

I could just use my 18* hybrid to do that. My 3 Wood is 15*.... I'll lose some distance, but I can still hit my 18* hybrid a good enough distance to make this a non-issue.... and I use my hybrid from the fairway when its needed... already. I can shift all of the responsibility of my 3 Wood onto my hybrid.


The more I think about...the more I like this idea. Let my 3 Wood morph into my hybrid also....

Then I can carry PW, 52*, 56*, 60*...



That will probably be a couple of years away though. I can't imagine losing my 3 Wood until its broken. Its the last piece of my H.S. days.... there's a certain nostalgic feeling towards it... all the times it has gotten me out of trouble...


Edit: And I know they sell wedge sets (52, 56, 60).... But of course, then I have to bring myself to replace my 56* wedge. Hmmm....

 

[trickblue]

There is a very easy way to hit a fade or a draw given you have a solid set of workable clubs. You don't have to make any grip or swing adjustments.

I'm assuming you are right-handed.

For a fade, address the ball in your normal stance. When set, drop your left foot back 6-8 inches so your left toe is close to lining up with your right heel. Swing normally (straight swing path through the ball) and the ball should fade.

For a draw, address the ball in your normal stance. When set, move your left foot forward 4-6 inches so your left heel is close to lining up with your right toe. Swing normally (straight swing path through the ball) and the ball should draw.

Obviously you have to work on how far you move your left foot and what is comfortable for you.