How to Hit a Draw (For Beginners and Advanced)
Practice / DrillsI’ve covered two different methods for hitting a draw shot in golf. The beginners method is generally easier for most golfers that helps understand how your set up affects the flight. The advanced version offers more control and more workability.
Playing A Draw With The “New” Ball Flight Laws
The draw method that I’ve outlined below is based on the “new” ball flight laws in golf…
Recent data from launch monitors and high speed cameras proves that a golfer’s swing path and club face angle at impact, has a different affect on the golf ball than was traditionally taught by most teaching professionals.
Without going into detail here, rest assured that the instructions below are based on this improved understanding of ball flights in golf. I think you’ll find this method easier to work with and more consistent compared to older shot-shaping methods.
If you would like more details on this topic please see this explanation of the new vs old ball flight laws.
Golf Draw Method (Beginners Version)
- Set up so that the club face is aiming slightly to the right of your target.
- Aim your feet, hips and shoulders further to the right than the club face (this will, in effect, give the club face a closed position in relation to the swing path, imparting draw spin on the golf ball).
- Swing along the line of your feet, hips and shoulders, starting the ball out right and allowing the closed club face to curve it back left.
In this video and article we’ll look at how to draw the golf ball in a way that offers more control and more workability…
Watch summary video here.
How to Draw a Golf Ball (Advanced Method)
Advanced method teaches how to draw the golf ball in a way that offers more control and more workability…
This method is more suitable to better players. For an easier way to draw the golf ball (albeit with less control) see here.
For this method, rather than adjusting your stance, alignment and clubface angle at set up, you consciously adjust the path of your swing and the rotation of your hands through impact.
How To Draw A Golf Ball
- With the easier method of drawing a golf ball you alter your alignment and the direction the club face is pointing at address. However, with this method you don’t change your setup or alignment – your feet, knees, hips and shoulders should be pointing directly at your target and so should the club face.
- Take a normal backswing up to the top, but then consciously drop the club on a more inside path during the downswing (see the image to the right). Feel as though the club is travelling on a path to the right of your target (or to the left for the left-handed golfer).
- Aggressively rotate your hands through impact so that the club face is closed when it strikes the ball. Remember though – you should feel as though you are throwing the club out to the right of your target as you rotate your forearms and hands.
- This is a more difficult method of drawing the golf ball than this easier option but it gives you a more controlled, more workable ball flight.
- Watch summary video here.