How to Hit a Fade in Golf

Controlling your golf ball's flight is the final frontier for many players, and no shot offers more predictable control than a soft, high fade. It's the go-to shot for champions past and present who value precision and reliability above all else. This guide will walk you through exactly how to hit a fade, from the simple setup changes that produce the shot to the swing thoughts that make it second nature. We'll break down the right way to add this game-changing weapon to your arsenal so you can hit more fairways and hold more greens.

What is a Fade (and Why You Should Learn It)

First, let's be clear about what a fade is and what it isn't. For a right-handed golfer, a fade is a golf shot that starts slightly left of the target line and curves gently back to the right, landing softly on the target. It's the complete opposite of its ugly cousin, the slice. A slice is an uncontrolled, high-spinning shot that robs you of distance and typically finds the trees. A fade, on the other hand, is a controlled, intentional shot shape.

So, why would you want to learn to hit a fade? The benefits are immense:

• Predictability and Consistency: Because a fade is hit with a slightly open clubface, it reduces the risk of the face "shutting down" too quickly through impact - a common cause of hooks. This leads to a much more repeatable shot pattern, which is why players like Jack Nicklaus and Dustin Johnson built legendary careers on their go-to fade.
• Higher Trajectory and Softer Landings: Fades tend to fly higher and land at a steeper angle than draws. This is a huge advantage when you're hitting into firm greens, as the ball will stop much more quickly instead of running through to the back edge.
• Strategic Advantage: Knowing how to shape the ball is like having more tools in your bag. You can use a fade to work the ball around a dogleg right, aim away from trouble down the left side of the fairway, or access a pin tucked on the right side of the green. It gives you more options on the course.

The Core Mechanics: Hitting a Fade with Setup Changes

Here’s the great news: you don’t need to overhaul your entire swing to hit a fade. The magic truly happens before you even start your backswing. By making a few small, deliberate adjustments in your setup, you can create the conditions necessary for a perfect fade without any funky in-swing manipulation. Think of it as programming the shot before you hit "go."

Step 1: The Grip - Take a "Weaker" Hold

Your grip is the steering wheel of your golf swing, and a small change here can make a big difference. To encourage a fade, we want to adopt a slightly "weaker" grip. This doesn't mean you hold the club loosely, it refers to the position of your hands on the club.

For a right-handed golfer, a weaker grip means rotating both hands slightly to the left on the handle. When you look down at your left hand, you might only see one or one-and-a-half knuckles instead of the usual two or three. The "V" formed by your thumb and index finger should point more towards your chin or left shoulder, rather than your right shoulder.

This subtle shift makes it more difficult for your hands to rotate and close the clubface through impact. It predisposes the face to remain slightly open relative to your swing path, which is exactly what we need for that left-to-right spin.

Step 2: The Alignment - Aim Your Body Left

This is the most significant setup change. To produce the out-to-in swing path that causes a fade, you need to align your body to the left of your final target. A good visual is to imagine a set of railroad tracks.

Imagine one track runs from your ball straight to the flag. This is your target line. The other track is the one your body will be on. For a fade, your feet, hips, and shoulders should all be aligned parallel to each other, but aiming left of the target track. How far left? For a standard 5-10 yard fade with a mid-iron, aiming about 15-20 feet left of the target is a good starting point. You can adjust this for more or less curve.

Step 3: The Clubface - Aim It at the Final Target

This is the secret ingredient, and the part where many golfers go wrong. While your body is aimed left, your clubface must be aimed directly at your final target - where you want the ball to land.

So, at address, you'll feel and look "open." Your feet, hips, and shoulders are pointing left, but the face of the club is pointing straight. It's this difference between the clubface angle and your body's swing path that creates the side-spin. Your club will swing along the line of your body (out-to-in), but because the face is a little open to that path, it will impart cutting spin on the ball, causing it to curve back to the right.

Step 4: Ball Position

Generally, you won't need a major change in ball position. For a standard fade with a mid-iron, keeping the ball in the center of your stance is perfect. With longer clubs like a driver or fairway wood, some players find success moving the ball a half-ball forward in their stance. This can make it feel a little easier to swing across the target line. Experiment and see what feels most natural to you without disrupting your solid contact.

The Fade Swing: Putting it All in Motion

You’ve adjusted your setup perfectly. Now, what do you do in the swing? As little as possible.

The number one mistake golfers make when trying to hit a fade is trying to create it during the swing. They manipulate their hands, consciously try to "cut" across the ball, or throw their arms over the top. This leads to inconsistency and weak, slicing shots.

Your only swing thought should be to swing normally along your body line. Trust your setup. Take the club back along your foot line, and swing through along your foot line. You've already aimed left, so your swing path will naturally travel from outside to inside relative to the anget. Your setup and weak grip will take care of the rest. Focus on a good, full body rotation and maintaining your tempo. It should feel like a normal, powerful swing, just directed a bit left of waar you want the ball to end up.

Common Fade Faults and How to Fix Them

As you learn, you might run into a couple of predictable issues. Don't worry, they are easy to diagnose and correct.

Fault: The Ball Slices Violently to the Right

This is the classic fade-gone-wrong. It happens for two main reasons: your body is aimed too far left, or you are coming "over the top" with your arms instead of rotating your body. You've exaggerated the out-to-in path.

The Fix: Soften everything up. Aim your body only slightly left of the target to start. Think more about a 5-yard fade instead of a 25-yard one. Secondly, feel like your downswing is initiated with the turn of your lower body, allowing the club to follow your alignment path rather than being forced by your arms.

Fault: The Ball is Pulled Straight Left (Doesn't Fade)

This happens when the shot starts left and just keeps going left, never curving back. This is a classic pull, and it means your clubface was square - or even closed - to your swing path at impact.

The Fix: Re-check your clubface alignment at address. It's easy to subconsciously align the face with your feet and hips. You must consciously check that the face is pointing at your final target while your body is aimed left. This is the difference that creates the fade.

Fault: You're Losing a Lot of Distance

A fade will almost always travel slightly shorter than a pure, straight shot or a draw, because side spin is a little less efficient than pure backspin for transfer of energy. However, if you're seeing a huge drop-off in distance, you're likely making a glancing blow.

The Fix: Focus on solid contact. Remember, the swing should still feel powerful and rotational. You're not just sliding the club across the ball. Make sure you are still hitting down and through the ball for your irons. Prioritize center-face contact, and you'll find the distance loss is minimal, maybe 5-10 yards at most, which is a worthy trade-off for the added control.

A Simple Drill to Master the Fade

Here’s a fantastic drill you can use on the driving range to make the fade visual and easy to learn. All you need is two alignment sticks (or two extra clubs).

1. Place one alignment stick on the ground, pointing about 10-15 yards left of your target. This is your body line. Set up with your feet, hips, and shoulders parallel to this stick.
2. Place the second alignment stick on the ground a few feet in front of your golf ball, pointing directly at the flag. This is your target line.
3. Now, hit shots with your normal swing, trying to let the swing follow the first stick on the ground. Your goal is to start the ball so it flies just to the left of the second stick (the target line stick) and watch as it curves back towards it.

This drill gives you instant feedback. If the ball starts right of the target stick, your path wasn't out-to-in. If it doesn't curve back, your face wasn't open to your path. It removes the guesswork and helps you groove the correct feel.

Final Thoughts

Mastering the fade comes down to understanding and trusting a few key adjustments in your setup - aligning your body left while keeping the clubface aimed at your target. By simply swinging along your new body line with a smooth, committed motion, you'll produce that reliable, controllable left-to-right ball flight that holds more greens and keeps you out of trouble.

Learning new shots like the fade takes practice, and getting timely, accurate feedback can make all the difference. When you get stuck, we’ve found that instant, personalized guidance is a game-changer. That's why we built Caddie AI to act as your 24/7 golf coach, you can ask any swing question, get shot advice by taking a photo of a tricky lie, or even receive smart strategy for an entire hole right from your pocket. It removes the guesswork so you can focus on swinging with total confidence.