How to Hit a Right-to-Left Golf Shot

Hitting a controlled right-to-left golf shot, often called a draw, is a goal for countless golfers. Not only does it demonstrate an advanced level of ball control, but it's a powerful and practical tool that can lower your scores. This article will give you a clear, step-by-step guide to understanding and executing this sought-after shot, moving from the essential setup changes to the in-swing feelings you need to master.

What Exactly is a Draw and Why Should You Learn It?

For a right-handed golfer, a draw is a golf shot that starts slightly to the right of the target and gently curves back to the left, landing on or near the target line. (For left-handers, it’s the opposite: a shot that starts left and curves right.) It’s the beautiful, aesthetically pleasing shot shape you often see pros hit, especially with their long irons and woods.

But it's more than just a pretty shot. Learning to hit a draw has serious practical benefits:

• Added Distance: A draw typically flies a little lower and has less backspin than a fade (a left-to-right shot). This means it often rolls out further after landing, giving you precious extra yards off the tee and on approach shots.
• Course Management: The game becomes much easier when you can shape the ball. A draw allows you to attack pins tucked on the left side of the green and effectively navigate challenging dogleg-left holes.
• Fighting the Slice: The mechanics of hitting a draw are the polar opposite of a slice. Understanding how to create a draw will give you the knowledge and tools to finally tame that persistent, score-killing banana ball.

It's important to distinguish a draw from its unruly cousin, the hook. A draw is a controlled curve. A hook is an overcooked shot that starts left or straight and curves violently to the left, often getting you into trouble. Our goal here is control, not chaos.

The Physics Behind a Right-to-Left Shot (The Simple Version)

Before we stand over the ball, it's helpful to understand what we're trying to achieve at impact. Shaping a golf shot comes down to the relationship between two factors: your swing path and your clubface angle.

• Swing Path: This is the direction your club is traveling through the hitting area. To get the ball to start right of the target, your swing path must be moving from inside the target line to outside the target line (often called an "in-to-out" path).
• Clubface Angle: This is the direction the clubface is pointing at the moment of impact. To get the ball to curve left, the clubface must be pointing to the left of your swing path. However, and this is important, it still needs to be pointing to the right of your final target.

Think of it this way: The path dictates where the ball starts, and the clubface curving in relation to that path makes it turn. Getting these two elements to work together is the whole game, and the easiest place to start is with your setup.

Mastering the Setup: Your Foundation for the Draw

You can pre-set a draw ball flight before you even start the club back. For many players, spending time on these setup adjustments can produce a draw without making massive changes to their core swing. This part might feel strange at first, but stick with it.

Step 1: Stance and Alignment

The first step is to aim your body to the right of your final target. This encourages an in-to-out swing path. Imagine your target is at 12 o'clock.

• Set your feet, hips, and shoulders to aim at 1 o'clock.
• This "closed stance" feels like you are aligning away from the target, and that’s perfectly fine. You are creating the space for the club to swing "out to the right" and get the ball started on the correct line.

Step 2: Clubface Alignment

This is where it all comes together. While your body is aimed to the right (at 1 o'clock), you need to aim your clubface directly at your final target (back at 12 o'clock). When you look down, the clubface will appear visually "closed" or pointing left relative to your feet and body line. This is the exact face-to-path relationship we talked about earlier. Setting it up at address gives you a huge head start.

Step 3: Grip Tweak (Optional but helpful)

A "stronger" grip can make it much easier to release the club and get the face to close through impact. A "strong" grip has nothing to do with grip pressure, it's about the rotational position of your hands.

• For a right-handed golfer, rotate both your hands slightly to the right on the handle.
• For your left (top) hand, you should be able to see two-and-a-half to three knuckles when you look down.
• For your right (bottom) hand, the "V" formed by your thumb and index finger should point more towards your right shoulder.

This grip change makes it more natural for the clubface to rotate closed as you swing, helping to produce that drawing spin.

Step 4: Ball Position

A final small adjustment is to move the ball position back in your stance just a touch - perhaps half a ball's width to a full ball's width further back than normal for that particular club. For a mid-iron, this means moving it from the center slightly toward your trail foot. This small change makes it easier to strike the ball while the club is still traveling on its in-to-out path.

The In-to-Out Swing: Feeling the Motion

With the setup dialed in, it's time to make the swing. The entire feeling you're chasing is swinging the club out away from your body and to the right of the target.

Creating the "In-to-Out" Feeingl

Trying to force a swing path rarely works. Instead, use drills and mental images to encourage the correct motion naturally.

Drill 1: The Gate Drill

This is a classic for a reason. Place an object (like a headcover or a water bottle) about a foot behind and a foot outside your ball. Place another object about a foot in front and a foot inside the target line. This creates a "gate" for your club to swing through on an ideal in-to-out path. Your goal is to swing the clubhead through the gate without hitting either object. This provides instant feedback on your swing path.

Drill 2: The Right Elbow Feel

Many slicers let their right elbow flare away from their body in the downswing, which forces an "over-the-top," out-to-in path. To reverse this, feel like your right elbow stays closer to your right hip for longer as you start the downswing. This "drops" the club into the "slot" on the inside, priming it to be delivered to the ball from an in-to-out direction.

Releasing the Club

The final piece of the in-swing puzzle is the release. You cannot hold the clubface square through impact and expect a draw. You have to let it turn over.

As you swing through the impact zone, feel as though your right hand and forearm rotate over your left. You are actively releasing the clubhead. If you have the stronger grip we discussed, this motion will feel much more automatic. Your goal is to finish your swing in a full, balanced position, with the club wrapped around your body, feeling as if you've let all the energy go towards the target.

Putting It All Together: Practice and Common Faults

Now, let's tie everything together on the practice range. It's smart to start with a short or mid-iron, like an 8-iron or 9-iron, and make swings at 50-75% speed. Focus on the setup and the feeling of swinging out to the right before you try to hit full-power drivers.

As you practice, you'll inevitably hit some errant shots. Here’s how to diagnose and fix them:

• The Straight Push: The ball starts right and just keeps going straight right.
  • What it means: Your swing path was good (in-to-out), but your clubface was square to that path instead of closed to it. You didn't release the club.
  • The Fix: Check your grip to make sure it's strong enough. Focus on the feeling of your right hand rotating over your left through impact.
• The Pull Hook: The ball starts left of the target and curves even further left.
  • What it means: This is a classic "over-the-top" swing path combined with a closed clubface. You're swinging out-to-in.
  • The Fix: This is a path problem. Go back to basics. Re-check your closed stance setup and go back to the Gate Drill to retrain your swing direction.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to hit a right-to-left draw is an incredibly rewarding process. It all starts with setting up for success by closing your stance and aiming your clubface at the target. From there, it's about grooving the feeling of an in-to-out swing path and allowing the club to release through impact. Be patient, start with smaller swings, and you'll add this powerful shot to your game.

As you work on your game, understanding when to apply shots like a draw is just as important as knowing how to hit them. Sometimes you need a second opinion on the course, whether you're debating if a draw is the right play for a dogleg or you're stuck with a difficult lie. That's why I created Caddie AI. Our app acts as your personal on-course expert, giving you instant strategic advice on shot selection and club choice. You can even take a photo of your lie for a smart recommendation, removing the guesswork so you can commit to every swing with confidence.