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What Is A Fade In Golf? (And How To Hit One!)

By Chris Moore •  Updated on 04/04/22

Golfers love to hit what is known as a fade when they play.

The fade can be a tricky shot to master, but it can add yards and accuracy to your shots if you do learn how to execute the shot properly.

This post will help you understand what a fade in golf is and give you some tips on how you can add this type of shot into your arsenal!

What is a fade in golf?

A fade is a type of golf shot that when hit correctly, starts from the left side of the target and curves back slightly towards the target you’re aiming for.

And if you’re a lefty golfer, it would start on the right side of the target and curve back towards the target.

One of the main reasons to fade a ball is it adds distance to your golf shot since it adds more spin to the golf ball, creating extra distance.

A fade can also add accuracy and control to your shots since you’ll know exactly how the ball will come off the club each time. You can take these factors into account, and draw up the perfect line for your fade.

In addition, a fade can be used to avoid trees, hills, or anything else that may be in your way!

How do you fade a golf ball?

To fade the golf ball, there are a couple of adjustments you’ll need to make to your golf swing. While they may be uncomfortable at first, with practice, you’ll become more consistent with it!

Here are the four things to keep in mind when hitting a fade shot.

Club Grip

When attempting to hit a fade, you’ll want to hold the golf club with a weak grip.

A weak grip means your dominant hands’ knuckles should be showing, while your non-dominant hands’ knuckles aren’t showing at all.

Swing Path

When attempting to hit a fade, you’ll want a slight outside-to-in motion, which means you start with a wider swing and end coming across your body towards your line.

Like the other tips we’ll cover, this will give the ball the ability to fade to the right towards your target.

Club Face

When attempting to hit a fade, you’ll want to have your club face slightly open.

This means that when you take your backswing, the club face should be looking towards the right of your target if you’re a righty golfer, and to the left of your target if you’re a lefty golfer.

Having a slightly open club face on contact will cause the ball to curve right, achieving the fade you’re looking to hit.

Golfer Alignment

When attempting to hit a fade, you’ll want to open your stance so the front of your body is showing towards the target.

This allows you to adjust for the fade in the air, with the ball starting to the left of your target so it can fade towards the target.

How to hit a fade with your driver

To hit a fade with your driver every time, here’s what you’ll want to do.

  1. Start by teeing your ball slightly lower than your normal driver shot.
  2. Line up your shot about 20-25 yards to the left of the desired target.
  3. Have a ball position right inside your front heel (left heel for righties, right heel for lefties).
  4. Open the clubface of your driver slightly, so the ball gets more spin on it.
  5. Move your left foot back away from the ball, only about 6 inches or less if it’s more comfortable.
  6. Take an aggressive, outside-to-in swing path and make contact with the ball.

How to hit a fade with your fairway woods

To hit a fade with your fairway woods every time, here’s what you’ll want to do.

  1. If it’s a tee shot, start by teeing your ball slightly lower than your typical fairway wood shot, keeping it close to the ground.
  2. Line up your shot about 15-20 yards to the left of the desired target.
  3. Have a ball position about 3/4 of the way towards your front foot (left heel for righties, right heel for lefties).
  4. Open the clubface of your wood slightly, so the ball can gain extra spin.
  5. Move your left foot back away from the ball, only about 6 inches or less if it’s more comfortable.
  6. Take an aggressive, outside-to-in swing path and make contact with the ball.

How to hit a fade with your irons

To hit a fade with your irons every time, here’s what you’ll want to do.

  1. Line up your shot about 10-15 yards to the left of the desired target.
  2. Have a ball position near the center of your stance for short and middle irons. If you’re hitting a long iron, such as a 3, 4 or 5-iron, your ball position can be a few more inches forward in your stance.
  3. Move your left foot back away from the ball, only about 6 inches or less if it’s more comfortable.
  4. Open your club face slightly to create more spin on your shot.
  5. Take an aggressive, outside-to-in swing path and make contact with the ball.

Everything else you should know about a fade in golf

When should you hit a fade?

A lot of golfers fade the ball naturally, but for others, it’s a situational shot.

You should hit a fade when there are hazards in the way, such as sand, water, or trees that you don’t want to hit into.

It can also be helpful when there’s a strong wind in your face, as you can use the spin to your favor and fade the ball back towards your target.

What’s the difference between a fade and a slice?

A fade is a controlled shot with good shaping, while a slice is uncontrollable and often times a mishit.

While they both have similar characteristics, going left to right for righty golfers, and right to left for lefty golfers, a slice has a lot more spin and is a lot harder to control.

That’s why golfers will try to hit a fade shot, and hope to avoid a slice at all costs.

Is a fade or draw better in golf?

It was always thought that a draw is a better golf shot to have than a fade, but recently, we’ve seen more and more golfers preferring fades.

In 2021, one of the worlds best professional golfers, Rory McIlory, committed to hitting a fade with his driver instead of his well-known draw.

Why can’t I fade the ball?

We covered everything you need to do to fade the golf ball earlier, so I’d recommend taking a video of your swing, identifying the issue, and working towards fixing it.

Most amateur golfers don’t need to worry about hitting a fade, but when you’re looking to become a scratch golfer, it’s a great shot to have in your bag.

So if you aren’t able to hit a fade just yet, don’t sweat it, you’ll get there with practice.

Final thoughts

Being able to hit a fade is a great shot type to have in your bag, but it’s unnecessary for a lot of beginners.

But if you’re looking to hit a fade shot, I’d recommend grabbing a bucket of golf balls from your local driving range, implementing each of the tips we covered in this article, and practicing with the entire bucket.

By the end of your session, you’ll have a much better idea of how to consistently hit a fade shot.

And whether you naturally hit a draw or fade, you can reach your goals. One isn’t necessarily better than the other!

Chris Moore

Hi, I'm Chris Moore and I'm the guy behind Golfah.com. As an avid golfer since 2010, I decided to create this blog to share everything I've learned over the years. Whether it's golf equipment, swing tips, or anything in-between, I want to make sure you have everything you need to become a better golfer.