Do average tour pros work the ball both ways regularly?

[QuigleyDU]

i have been a few events and top to bottom. they do not work the ball much. they all have their normal flight and pretty much just stick with that. working the ball left to right is overrated. High low is underrated. i would say that 90% can move the ball the opposite way of their normal shot but really dont ever need to.

[Pepperturbo]

No. For example, Tom Lehman has always hit a draw. There's an opinion that bounces around the tours that say fade is better than a draw. So some years back Tom took on the challenge to learn how to hit a fade. I believe he stuck with it for a few years but failed miserably so went back to what he could trust.

 

Hitting a controlled fade or draw on command is different than hitting a fade/slice or draw/hook and hoping. The latter is more common on tour than the former. :beach:

 

On the other hand, Tom Lehman hit a beautiful fade with a 3 wood into a par 5 yesterday near the end of the tournament to help keep him in contention, after the commentators specifically discussed that he had been working on his fade.

 

Doesn't surprise me. He can still hit some good shots. However, TL has wanted a fade for his stock shot for years. Unfortunately he struggles as draw mechanics affect his intent.

[Golfjack]

someone earlier mentioned a more important ability that most good pros can do and that is to control their shot trajectory..TW in his heyday could control his trajectory better than anyone...It also gives them the ability to hit an iron a certain distance or the ability to turn an iron down a little and control trajectory and distance

 

the average amateur hits most of his irons the same trajectory, no matter the loft

I hit my irons all different trajectories, but never know what it will be lol.

[Obee]

For those of you who don't think pros work the ball, watch Tiger's trackman stuff on approach shots from the last two days....

 

The (IMHO) greatest iron player of all-time definitely works the ball.

[Nard_S]

The ball & equipment make all shots straighter but shot tracer shows many guys are trying to control the kick of release and are in fact hitting small fades and draws at a higher rate than I presumed. Bread & butter tendencies do prevail but these guys are noodling ball flight quite a bit. Tiger and Bubba are extroverted in this, but many are much more sublime w/ maybe a 5 yard drift.

[Obee]

The ball & equipment make all shots straighter but shot tracer shows many guys are trying to control the kick of release and are in fact hitting small fades and draws at a higher rate than I presumed. Bread & butter tendencies do prevail but these guys are noodling ball flight quite a bit. Tiger and Bubba are extroverted in this, but many are much more sublime w/ maybe a 5 yard drift.

 

Yes indeed.

[mahonie]

Gmac did a clinic at the Irish Open last year where he demonstrated the shots he would need for playing the series of links tournaments that were coming up. He had 9 shots...high draw/straight/fade, mid draw/straight/fade, low draw/straight/fade and called each one beforehand he hit it.

 

He did say that playing on the PGA Tour he typically had one shot - high and straight - as he didn’t need to hit anything else.

[RichieHunt]

Good lord, no.

 

They usually stick to a stock shot unless there's a particular hole that they can't hit that shot effectively. And if they work it the other way of their stock shot, usually it's after getting a lot of practice on that hole and feeling comfortable with that shot.

 

For example, one of my clients hits a draw. On the 8th hole at Bay Hill he simply cannot hit it well off the tee with that draw. And he doesn't like hitting 3-wood off the tee because of the elevated green makes longer approach shots more difficult. After practicing the tee shot numerous times he feels comfortable hitting a fade off the tee on that particular hole.

 

But, on #10, another dogleg right...he just hits his stock draw and the same with #16.

 

 

 

 

 

 

RH

[taporsnap17]

I'm sure they can hit any shot they want but there's always a preference or "natural" shape