Five Keys to Hitting a Draw
If you know how to hit draws from the tee box, then you know how to play a dogleg right to left hole. Knowing how do that is also useful when the wind is blowing from right to left, or you’re playing a long par 5.
Draws are useful off the tee because the ball runs once it hits, adding distance to your shots. That helps take pressure off your short game. Draws are ideal for players that lack length off the tee but keep the ball in play.
Here are 5 tips to hitting a perfect draw:
- Pick out a target on the fairway
- Align your body right of target
- Aim for the target
- Relax your lead arm
- Turn the club over to create more spin
Pick out your target on the fairway. Choose something that’s easy to see. Then align your body slightly left of target. Now point the club face at it and relax your lead arm. That encourages more forearm and club face rotation through impact.
Take the club back and make a smooth transition at the top. On the downswing, you should feel as though your lead arm stalling as the clubhead approaches the ball. This move lets your trail arm play catch up, with the club’s toe passing its heel. That, in turn, helps turn the clubface over and promotes the right-to-left spin you need for a draw.
Another way to help create the right to left spin you need for a draw is to strengthen your top hand grip. That means turning your top hand on the grip until you can see three knuckles. Then focus on relaxing and slowing down your lead arm.
Learning to hit a draw on demand is a great way to help you go low consistently. It’s ideal on long par 5s, when playing a right to left wind, or when the fairway doglegs right to left. Just be careful on doglegs not to hit the ball so far that it runs through the fairway.