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The title kind of says it all. I am a fade hitter and I can work the ball both ways with my short irons. Sand wedge to an 8 iron. The problem is, I can't seem to do this with my longer clubs. I wouldn't dare trying to hit a draw with my 3 iron because it'll probably just fade. The same goes with my fairway woods. The funny thing is, I can hit draws with my driver.

Now, from what I understand, it's supposed to be easier to work the ball with lower lofted clubs (the longer ones). So why would I have this problem? Now, when I draw or fade with my wedges, it doesn't go much but it's enough that I can align myself 5 yards right or left to the target.

Maybe it's the fact that it's supposed to be easier to work the ball with the longer clubs that makes my fade more pronounced with them?

I'll state the obvious first...if you can do it with the lofted clubs, you are not making the same swing/setup adjustments with your longer irons. Hit a couple draws/fades with your 8-iron and then take your 4 or 5 iron and try the same thing.

I guess my other question would be what does the shot look like when you attempt to hit a fade/draw with the long irons? Is it a consistent fade as you mentioned?

Hello victory,

You make this statement:
".......Now, when I draw or fade with my wedges, it doesn't go much but it's enough that I can align myself 5 yards right or left to the target..........

Along with the alignment, do you:

1. work the clubhead (as in release early or late)?
or
2. change your grip to creat the draw or fade?
or
3. do you simply close or open the clubface at address to creat the spin and swing parallel too your alignment?

WHICH ONE OF THESE DO YOU DO?

Yes, I figured it was because I was swinging differently. I can feel with the shorter irons, I pick the club up quicker and I notice taking it inside more. With the longer irons, I guess I tend to draw it back before really picking it up. As for the ball flight, I do hit a pretty consistent fade with the longer irons.

One thing I do notice about the ball flight is it seems to fade right away and then half way into the flight, it'll almost go straight from there. With the shorter irons, it seems to go right (I'm a right hander) a consistent amount the whole way.

It is probably becuase you are swinging differently, but mostly because longer irons are just harder to draw. They take more power to get through the shot with them. I don't know you're stats or anything, but this is why most higher handicappers and people just starting have trouble with the longer sticks. It takes more club head speed to get all the way through the ball...hence the reason for the hybrid clubs replacing the long irons. Woods are easier to hit then the long irons.

If it makes you feel any better, I always had this problem as well. I could draw my short irons, but faded my longer irons and sometimes even my woods. Up until about 5 years ago, this was a big problem with my game. I have learned to do both now with every club, but I prefer a draw. Just keep working, you'll get it I'm sure.

As usual, glfdiva has a great observation. The only three ways to work the ball will give huge insight into what is going wrong for you on the long irons. All things being equal though, my money is on a little "steerage" with the long irons instead of trusting the swing that works...but I could be wrong.

glfdiva,

I don't do any of those actually. What I actually try to do when trying to draw the ball is take the club back in a more inside path. I find when I do this, the clubface naturally tends to close at impact. I figure something must be happening when I do this but I don't consciously do it.

If you are taking your long iron back to the inside and still fading the ball, you may be getting it too far inside and actually blocking yourself out forcing a slight over-the-top move to get back to the ball. I have found that to get a repeatable and predictable ball flight, I simply adjust my grip slightly and swing normally. If I really need to work the ball hard, I adjust the grip and then adjust the path as well. Whatever you are doing works with your shorter irons, it sounds like from your description that you are either getting the club too far behind the body and therefore blocked out or the ball is too far back in your stance and the clubface hasn't quite gotten closed yet. The "fix" may be as simple as moving the ball forward in your stance barely 1/2 an inch. At least, that's where I would start.

i think it could be something thats everybody has missed "or not - i walked off the course today with a migraine , not fun when your blind to anything left of center "
check where your placing the ball in your stance , it might be too far forward or from you to draw the ball

could be, more likely, too far back

yeah , typical
its mentioned above , or a variation of it
line 3 tees up in the ground in a line thats right of your target
and swing thru them to see if your going thru the right path
if you are then its your clubface being open causing the prob
maybe a flatter swing could help too

For many people a fade becomes the more previlant shot the less loft the club has due to the fear of not being able to get the ball airborn. This can be reactionary and subconcious. Once you progress to the driver, the ball is already on a Tee and getting the ball airborn no longer seems an obstacle... it's already in the air.

You might also consider the possiblity that your shafts are not correct. Many manufacturers do not have a consistent frequency gradient which makes the longer clubs stiffer than they should be.

The third thing I will mention is weight transfer. If you are attempting to strike the ball further with your longer clubs, you may be lurching ahead of the ball... combine this with the following:

The fourth thing is ball position. You may have the ball too far back in your stance. This will cause both points #1 and #3.

Hi victory,

When swinging all clubs the same the shorter the more upright and the longer the more flat the swing, that is if you accomodate the length of the club.

You may be thinking too much about how to swing as Jcgolfpro said and "steerage" maybe your problem.

Work on the modern way to work the ball:

1. Hook or draw = aim right of target start with closed clubface and swing parallel to feet.

2. Slice or fade = aim left of target, start with open clubface and swing parallel to feet.

3. Straight = aim parallel to target, square clubface and swing parallel to feet.

This is as simple as it gets, at first you may see more spin than you want but with practice you will be able to spin it with all lengths of clubs.

IMPORTANT: Do you know how to take a neutral grip with a closed clubface? and do you know how to take a neutral grip with an open clubface?