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Question about the best way to draw and fade on purpose:

1) Line up the clubface with the target, aim your feet where you want to start the ball, then swing alone your feet.

2) Deliberately change your swingplane to manipulate that path of the club (maybe I'm not saying this the right way) i.e. finish with your arms higher to fade and more over your left shoulder to draw.

3) Something else?

When I try #1 I just hit it dead straight, even after checking my clubhead alignment, grip, etc. Is this because I'm playing cavity backs? Is it because I'm just no good?

I'd love to be able to take advantage of shaping the ball but I was having no success and want to do it the right way. Who can help?

Thanks!

Although some cavity back clubs make it very difficult to shape a shot, your DCI's should not be too difficult.

It does not help you much; but, your examples are all correct. That said, they go for naught if you do not release the club correctly through the impact zone. I am sure others will have some very valid suggestions for you and here is my attempt.

Practice at the range square to the target line and limit your swing from slightly more than hip high back and through the same distance.Hit several balls and you will more than likely hit them pretty straight. Notice and feel the position of the knuckles on your forward hand at impact and just after.
Now practice drawing the ball by insuring the knuckles of your forward hand are rotated a little more to the ground after impact. Make very small incremental adjustments.You should notice the ball curving a bit as desired. Do not try to "kill" the ball! Remember light grip pressure encourages a draw.

After you are able to accomplish a draw with some consistency, try to alter the ball flight the other way, a fade. You execute this by trying to maintain the knuckles of your forward hand more toward the sky through impact. Grip pressure can be a little firmer in the last three fingers of your left hand for a right handed golfer. You will notice after some swings that the ball will fly a little higher and bend opposite the draw.

You will also note that your swing plane will change somewhat for the two different shots without any conscious effort. The draw will be a little more around and the fade a little more up. Try to ingrain the feel of both releases. The examples you gave enhance what you are trying to accomplish, but, in order to get to some level of consistency your release of the club has to go along with the program.

Hope this helps you,
Bob

Do option 1...only it isn't the feet that need to be lined up for where the ball should start, the shoulders are the determining factor...square yourself open or closed and make your usual swing with the face aligned to the target...ball position will appear to change as well, so take note of your swing bottom with a couple practice swings...

BTW...while you can do countless manipulations to affect shape of a shot, the only way that I have been able to be consistent is to keep my swing and grip intact and adjust with shoulder position...start to mess with release, grip, grip pressure and the like and it is HARD to hit the next shot well as you are playing with feels...for me, keeping the same swing feelings breeds consistency, only adjustments being in the length of the swing (on pitches) and the shoulder position for working the ball...anything more is too much for my small mind to handle...

Bob, thanks for the tips.

I think I may first try bump's suggestion as I am with him in wanting to keep the swing essentially the same no matter what the shot. It seems that you could be more consistent in your shaping if you had an objective marker like clubface and/or shoulder angle to judge it by.

But if that doesn't work as well for me I may end up doing it the other way. Definitely helpful advice all around.

Hey give it a shot! It may work good for you. Consistency is the key. If you find it there, great. Learning to control the club face is essential in a myriad of shots however. It might be good to tinker with that too over the long haul.
Wish you success,
Bob