Specialty Shots Golf Instructions and Tips  - The Fade

Fading the golf ball refers to a shot that curves to the right.

A few important shots were left out when learning sequence from hole to green because to introduce the specialty shots would have disrupted the systematic progression from the putter stroke to the full swing. Let's pick up those specialty shots now, as they will certainly be needed from time to time.

At time it is necessary to curve a shot around some trees which interfere with taking a straight path to the target. A curve to the right is called a fade, and the shot requires nothing more than the normal swing with a slight adjustment in stance and grip.

In fading the ball, open the stance so that your alignment is actually a little bit left of the target. Now, without changing the position of the hands which are presently aiming left of the target, allow the grip of the club to rotate slightly in the hands so that the clubface is  pointed tat the target. From this set-up, a normal swing will start the ball down the line to the left of the target formed by your toes, then spin it back to the right in flight toward the direction where the clubface was pointing at address No changes in the swing are necessary. Just align your toes along the starting flight path to the left of the target, aim the clubface at the target, and take a normal swing.

Golf Tips. Set up for a fade. The golfer's feet are aimed to begin the ball's flight just to the left of the overhanging limbs in the foreground. The clubface is aimed more toward the center of the tree which should result in the ball curving to the right around the tree. A convenient image for the ball's flight which curves from left to right around the tree.