How to Hit a Fade with a Strong Grip Complete Guide

When trying to play a fade shot with a strong grip, it is important to make some adjustments in order to achieve the desired result. Firstly, it is crucial to understand the difference between a fade and a draw shot. A fade is a shot that curves gently from left to right (for a right-handed golfer) and is ideal when trying to navigate certain obstacles on the course. To hit a fade with a strong grip, it is essential to make the grip slightly weaker than the strong grip that is typically used for a draw shot. This can be accomplished by slightly rotating the grip of the top hand counterclockwise. By doing so, the hands will be able to release the clubhead through impact, promoting the desired fade spin.

It is important to note that making too drastic of a change in grip can lead to inconsistency in the shot. It is advisable to progressively adjust the grip strength until finding the desired balance between a strong grip for power and a weaker grip for fade. Alternatively, using a neutral grip can also provide a degree of flexibility in shaping shots, allowing the golfer to hit both draws and fades.

Table of Content

Understanding a Strong Grip

Before making changes, it’s important to understand what constitutes a strong grip. There are a few key indicators:

Hand Positioning

With a strong grip, both hands are rotated further clockwise on the club handle. For right-handed golfers, this means the palms are facing more leftwards. The right palm may face the target at address. The left palm faces the sky.

V’s Point Left

When looking down at your grip, the V’s formed between your right hand thumb and forefinger and your left hand thumb and forefinger should both point left of the target. If they point to the right, it’s a weak grip.

Exposed Left Wrist and Knuckles

With a strong grip, more of the underside of your left wrist and knuckles are visible to you at address. Less forearm is visible.

Pressure Points

The pressure points in your left hand shift from the pad of your last three fingers to the pad of your index and middle fingers. Your right palm exerts more pressure down the handle.

How To Hit A Power Fade With Irons

Hitting a power fade with irons can be a valuable shot in a golfer’s repertoire, allowing for controlled distance and accuracy. To execute a power fade with irons, start by addressing the ball with a slightly closed stance and an open clubface. This alignment will promote a left-to-right ball flight. Additionally, focus on a controlled backswing, keeping the clubhead slightly outside the hands and the clubface square to the target line. As you begin the downswing, the key is to transition your weight onto your left side while maintaining a strong lower body and torso rotation.

This will help generate the necessary clubhead speed and power for the desired fade. At impact, ensure that the clubface remains open to the target line, producing the desired left-to-right ball flight. It’s also important to maintain a smooth and balanced follow-through, ensuring that the clubface remains open and the ball flight stays on course.

With consistent practice and attention to detail, hitting a power fade with irons can become a reliable and effective shot in a player’s arsenal. It’s worth noting that while the power fade can be a useful tool, it’s important to also develop a variety of other shots to maximize performance on the golf course.

Whether it is shaping shots around obstacles or adapting to different course conditions, having a versatile shot selection can help elevate a golfer’s game to the next level.

Grip Adjustments

To hit a fade, the first step is subtly weakening your strong grip. Here’s how:

Rotate Both Hands

Rotate both hands counterclockwise slightly back on the club. Your left palm will face more upwards and your right palm will face less at the target.

Check V’s

Ensure your V’s point just slightly left of your chin. They should no longer point far left of the target. To ensure your V’s point just slightly left of your chin and not far left of the target, follow these steps:

Stand in your shooting stance with your feet shoulder-width apart and facing the target.
Position your arms so that your non-dominant hand supports the bow grip, while your dominant hand forms the V shape.
Bring the bow up and align the V shape with your dominant eye.
Make sure your dominant eye is directly in line with the target.
Adjust the position of your V’s point by slightly rotating your torso and shoulders to the left.
Maintain a relaxed yet stable posture, keeping your shoulders back and your back straight.
Check that your bow hand remains steady and aligned with your forearm.
Continue practicing this positioning until your V’s point just slightly left of your chin, ensuring it is more consistently pointing towards the target without veering too far left.

Reduce Pressure

Loosen your left hand pressure points by placing more pressure into the last two fingers and less into the index and middle fingers.

Test Adjustments

Make small incremental grip changes. Check the mirror to ensure your grip changes are subtle. Drastic changes could negatively impact your swing.

Setup to Hit a Fade Consistently

In order to consistently set up to hit a fade in golf, it is important to pay attention to the grip on the club. A common mistake that can hinder the ability to effectively execute a fade shot is having a grip that is too strong. Having a strong golf grip means that the hands are rotated too far to the right for a right-handed player, which can cause the clubface to close at impact. To properly set up for a fade shot, it is recommended to slightly weaken the grip by adjusting the hands slightly to the left. By doing so, the clubface will be more open at impact, allowing for greater control over the ball flight and promoting a fade.

In addition to grip, setup adjustments are key for hitting fades with a strong grip:

Open Stance: Open your stance by aligning your feet, knees, and hips slightly left of your target line. Aim 10-15 degrees left.
Clubface Aim: Aim the clubface 2-3 degrees right of your target at address. This clubface position relative to the swing path promotes fade spin.
Ball Position: Position the ball forward, off your left instep or aligned with your left heel. This inside ball position relative to path also helps produce fade spin.
Weight Distribution: Distribute 60% of your weight onto your front foot at setup. This helps you stay centered during the swing.
Check Alignment: Use an alignment rod to check your stance and clubface aim. Have an instructor observe your setup position as well.

Backswing Adjustments

Modifications to the backswing help control the clubface and direct the club on the proper path:

Wider Takeaway

Initiate the backswing by taking the club back low and wide. Avoid an inside takeaway which shuts the clubface.

Weaken Grip

As you take the club back, consciously feel your hands rotating counterclockwise on the grip to a neutral position.

Clubface Control

Monitor the clubface as you take it back so it doesn’t close too soon. Keep it open relative to the backswing path.

Weight Favoring Trail Foot

At the top of the backswing, your weight should be slightly favoring the trail foot to allow for centered downward move through impact.

Avoid Over-Rotation

Don’t over-rotate your upper body and hips through the backswing. This leads to a too closed clubface.

Transition and Downswing

The transition and downswing require timing and proper sequencing to square the clubface to the slight outside-in path:

Start Downswing with Lower Body

To get the club swinging back out-to-in, initiate the downswing by moving your lower body laterally toward the target. This will pull the club inside on the correct swing path.

Maintain Lag in Wrist Cock

Keep your wrists cocked and “lagged” as long as possible on the downswing. Releasing too early will close the clubface and eliminate your chance of hitting a fade.

Swing Club to Right of Target

Make a feeling of swinging out toward right field as you start the downswing. This will encourage an out-to-in path, even though your clubface is still aimed at the target.

Release Clubfully

Time your release by fully uncocking your wrists through impact, just after you’ve made solid contact with the ball. This will square the clubface up as you swing left of the target.

Practice Drills for Fading with a Strong Grip

Incorporating targeted practice drills is vital for truly mastering how to hit fades with a strong grip. Here are some great drills:

Grip & Setup Drills

Dedicate time to practice nothing but your grip and setup position. Master these elements before making full swings:

Position an alignment rod horizontally on the floor, indicating the desired direction. Align yourself by placing the rod beneath your toes and knees, establishing correct positioning as a habitual practice.
Check hand and wrist positions in a mirror while taking your grip. Ensure proper rotation for a slight fade grip.
Have a teaching professional observe your grip and setup at address and provide feedback.

Swing Path Drills

These drills train the outside-to-inside swing path vital for producing fade spin:

Wall Drill

Set up with your back a few inches from a wall. Make practice swings focusing on keeping your backswing wide of the wall. Don’t let your arms hit the wall. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your back facing the wall. Take your golf club and hold it with both hands, positioning it across your chest.

Start by taking a slight step away from the wall to create some space for your swing.
Begin your backswing by turning your torso away from the wall while keeping your arms extended.
As you swing back, focus on keeping your arms and hands away from the wall, ensuring they don’t hit it.
Maintain a wide arc in your backswing, feeling the stretch across your shoulders and keeping your wrists hinged.
At the top of your backswing, pause for a moment, checking that your arms are still clear of the wall.

Alignment Stick Drill

Place an alignment stick 2-3 feet outside your target line. In your downswing, focus on routing the clubhead outside the stick then shallowing into the ball. By placing an alignment stick 2-3 feet outside your target line, you can help improve your swing path and promote a shallower approach to the ball. Here’s how to do it:

Set up the alignment stick: Place the stick parallel to your target line, around 2-3 feet outside it. Ensure it is securely planted into the ground so that it won’t move during your swing.
Address the ball and take your backswing: Begin your swing as you normally would, focusing on a proper takeaway and maintaining a good posture. During this phase, your clubhead should be moving inside the alignment stick towards the top of the swing.
Transition to the downswing: As you start your downswing, you want to make a conscious effort to route the clubhead outside the alignment stick. This means that instead of taking a steep path toward the ball, your goal is to keep the clubhead outside the stick.

Practicing this drill can help you develop a more effective and efficient swing path, leading to better ball-striking and increased consistency. Remember to start with slower, controlled swings and gradually build up speed as you get comfortable with the new movement.

Towel Drill

Place a towel or headcover wide of the ball target line. Swing outside the towel, brushing it at impact to shallow the swing plane. The purpose of placing a towel or a headcover wide of the ball target line is to provide a visual aid to help golfers swing on a shallower plane. By swinging outside the towel and brushing it at impact, golfers are encouraged to maintain a more shallow angle of attack, which can lead to better ball striking and consistency.

Clubface Control Drills

Use these drills to gain control over the clubface through the swing:

Weak Grip Drill

Strengthen then weaken your grip between practice swings to get a feel for manipulating clubface position with your hands.

Impact Bag Drill

Hit an impact bag while holding the face open at impact to get feedback on solid contact with an open clubface.

Mirror Drill

Make practice swings in front of a mirror, holding the face open to target at impact. Check positions with different clubs.

Incorporating Fade Technique

Finally, take the adjustments to the course:

On the driving range, rehearse proper grip, alignment, swing path, and clubface control.
Hit balls starting with mid and short irons, checking ball flights for gentle left to right shape.
Work your way up through the bag as you dial in your ball position and technique.
Play a round focusing on sweeping the ball gently from the inside towards the target.

With consistent practice using these drills and shot rehearsal, you’ll learn to reliably work the ball right to left and expand your shot repertoire. Soon you’ll be hitting beautiful fades even with your strong grip!

Putting It All Together

Making coordinated swing changes takes practice. Be patient and focus on one piece of the fade puzzle at a time. Start by perfecting your setup position, then ingrain a strong backswing position. As it starts to feel more natural, work on your hip and torso action in the downswing. Once you can shallow the club, let your arms and wrists release naturally through impact. Gradually piece together each element of the swing until you can hit fades on command.

With the proper adjustments, you can control the curve of your fades even with a strong grip. Stay committed to the changes and you’ll add this versatile shot to your arsenal.

Benefits of Mastering the Fade

Being able to intentionally fade the golf ball provides many advantages for your game. Here are some key benefits:

Shot Shaping

Fading the ball adds shot shaping to your skill set. You can manoeuvre the ball around doglegs and reach tucked pins more easily. Fading the ball refers to hitting a shot that has a controlled left-to-right trajectory for right-handed golfers (right-to-left for left-handed golfers). This shot shape can be advantageous in certain situations on the golf course.

One benefit of fading the ball is the ability to maneuver it around doglegs. Doglegs are holes on the golf course where the fairway curves to the left or right. By using a fade, you can start the ball more towards one side of the fairway and allow it to gently curve back towards the center. This can help you avoid obstacles or position yourself better for your next shot.

Accuracy

Fades are more accurate and precise than a slice. Learning to fade improves accuracy as you master controlling the clubface. Fades and slices are both types of ball flights in golf, but they have different characteristics. A fade is a controlled shot that starts straight and then curves slightly to the right (for right-handed golfers), while a slice is an unintentional shot that starts to the left and then dramatically curves to the right.

When it comes to accuracy and precision, fades are generally more reliable than slices. This is because a fade is a deliberate and controlled shot that requires proper clubface control and swing technique. By learning to fade the golf ball, golfers develop the ability to consistently control the clubface and have a better understanding of how to shape their shots.

Distance Control

A fade’s gentle curvature results in less distance lost compared to a slice. Better distance control improves scoring. When a golfer hits a fade, the ball starts slightly left of the target for a right-handed golfer and then curves gently back to the right. This gentle curvature means that the ball doesn’t lose as much distance compared to a slice.

A slice, on the other hand, starts to the left of the target for a right-handed golfer and then curves sharply to the right. This sharp curve causes the ball to lose more distance since it travels a longer distance sideways before reaching the target.

Versatility

Executing different shots like fades makes you more versatile and able to score from anywhere. You don’t have to always hit a straight shot. Absolutely! Being able to execute different shots like fades adds versatility to your game and makes you a more unpredictable scorer. It allows you to effectively score even when facing tough defense or being closely guarded. When you can consistently hit shots from different angles and positions, you become a more difficult player to defend against, as your opponents never know what type of shot you’ll make next.

Confidence

Shaping a controlled fade builds confidence in your ball striking. You feel in command of your swing on each shot. When you are able to shape a controlled fade, it means you have a good understanding of your swing mechanics and the ability to manipulate the clubface to produce a desired shot shape. This level of control builds confidence in your ball striking because it shows that you have the skills and knowledge to consistently execute the shot.

Scoring Improvement

Shaving strokes off your scores is easier when you possess shot versatility and distance control. Less big misses too. Here are a few tips to help you improve your shot versatility and distance control, reducing big misses and ultimately shaving strokes off your scores:

Practice different shot types: Spend time on the driving range practicing different shot shapes and trajectories. Work on hitting high and low shots, draws, fades, and straight shots. This will give you more options on the golf course and enable you to adapt to different situations.
Develop a consistent pre-shot routine: Creating a pre-shot routine not only helps with focus and mental preparation but also ensures that you approach each shot with the same setup and mindset.
Consistency in your routine will lead to more consistent shots and better control over your distances.
Master your short game: The short game is where many strokes can be saved, so dedicate time to become proficient in chipping, pitching, and putting. Develop touch and feel around the greens to control your distances accurately.

Avoiding Trouble

Fading around hazards and doglegs avoids penalties and big numbers. Staying out of trouble helps lower scores.

In summary, mastering how to hit fades expands your shot selection for smarter course management. You’ll benefit in many areas from shot versatility and accuracy to better scoring.

FAQs

How do you hit a consistent fade?

To hit a consistent fade, use a stronger grip with your hands rotated clockwise. Position the ball forward and align your feet, hips, and shoulders slightly left of target. Make a backswing with minimal wrist hinge to retain your wrist angles. Start the downswing by firing your hips left while keeping your torso closed. Allow your arms to drop into the slot, then release through impact with an open clubface to produce the left-to-right ball flight.

What is the driver grip for a fade?

For hitting a fading driver, use a stronger grip with your lead hand rotated clockwise on the club. Keep your trail hand underneath to prevent shutting the face too quickly. Position the ball up in your stance and align your feet and torso left. Make a wide backswing with minimal hinge to setup an in-to-out downswing path.

Can a strong grip cause a pull?

Yes, a very strong grip can cause pulls and hooks. It promotes a shut clubface through impact. To compensate, align your body left, restrict wrist hinge, and focus on clearing your hips open on the downswing. This shallower swing path will square the clubface to hit fades rather than pulls.

Can I play golf with a strong grip?

You can play golf with a strong grip, but will need to make setup and swing adjustments. Aiming left, minimizing hinge, and emphasizing hip rotation prevents the clubface from closing too soon. With practice, even strong grippers can shape shots both ways through impact positions and swing paths.

What is the proper grip for a fade?

The proper grip for hitting a fade involves having your lead hand strong with the palm facing the target at finish. Your trail hand should be under the club to open the face. Keep light grip pressure and don’t allow your wrists to hinge too much. This grip promotes an open face through impact to generate fade spin.

What is the hand position for a fade?

For a fading hand position, the lead hand should be strong with the palm rotated clockwise on the grip. The trail hand sits underneath to prevent excessive closing. Keep the clubface pointing right of target during the backswing. Allow the lead arm to fold naturally through impact, avoiding flipping the hands over too quickly.

Conclusion

Learning to intentionally fade the golf ball with a strong grip requires adjustments but is very achievable. With proper grip modifications, setup positions, rehearsed swing motions, and practice drills, hitting controlled fades becomes second nature.

The benefits are immense. Fade technique leads to shot versatility, enhanced accuracy, improved distance control, and greater confidence. Your scoring and trouble avoidance improve.

Take the time to ingrain an open setup, outside-to-in path, delayed release, and clubface control. Be patient and keep practicing with purpose. You’ll master this shot and have a reliable fade in your arsenal to attack courses strategically. Then watch your handicap drop as you make your strong grip work for you.