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A long hitting draw shape seems to be the requirement of many a golfer and this is because the hardest shot to hit consistently is the draw so players believe they are an accomplished player once the ball starts moving from right to left.

A draw shape can also encourage more distance on your shots as the trajectory is lower than that of a fade and due to this, once the ball lands, it will roll down the fairway for longer than a fade shot would upon its landing.

Technically, the draw shape is the total opposite of hitting the fade shot. The way the body works makes it easier to hit the ball with a fade because the hips and hands move to the left through impact rather than wanting to push out to the right of the target which would help create a draw.

A draw shape needs some of the basic fundamentals to be correct as well as making sure the swing is good enough to hit the shots:

• The grip must not be weak, it is better off being neutral to slightly strong to encourage the rotation of the hands through impact
• The feet must be closed to the target (pointing right), with the club face also pointing right of the target but left of the feet
• Ball position is key to determine when the hands will rotate and at what angle the club face will be as it does rotate through impact. Too far forward will cause too much rotation and too far back will not allow the hands to rotate enough.

These fundamentals encourage the swing path to approach the ball from an in to out path with the club face closed to the path at impact but open to the target so the ball starts right of target and finishes on the target line.

The swing should be on plane during the back swing, and from the top of the swing, keep the right arm compact to the body and the hands close as the hips transfer the weight to the left side and begin to rotate to the target. This movement allows the hands to come down to where the hips were and approach the ball from an in to out path and extend to the right of the target through impact whilst releasing the wrists.

A draw shape is created through the set up and then the swing path of the club approaching the ball. If the swing path is in to out then a faster rotation of the hands through impact will close the face relative to the target and path, causing a hook or a pull hook shot. If the swing path is out to in then the fast hands releasing will cause a pull hook shot also.

An open stance will encourage an out to in swing path which will then produce a faded shot from left to right. A weakened grip will also slow the club face down at impact leaving it open to the path and or the target, encouraging the ball to move right.

Hitting a draw with a driver can sometimes be the hardest shot to play due to the swing path, and the level of discipline required in the swing to produce an in to out path, but it is certainly not impossible. Many players have a go to shot of a fade because they find it easier to perform but it depends on the players natural swing and preference.