Instruction Feature: How to Draw and Fade the Ball with Amy Boulden

In 2020, Amy Boulden achieved a lifelong dream, making her breakthrough LET victory at the VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open with a three-shot win at 17-under-par. Her final round of 64 (-8) is a new career-low score and helped her to finish 16th on the Race to Costa del Sol. Here she tells us how she hits a draw and a fade.

Hitting a Draw

To hit a draw, I would aim the face of my golf club where I want the ball to start, so for example, 10 yards right of the pin. Then, I would set my feet up slightly further right of that position and then I would feel like I swing my club along the line of my feet, so it should be a slightly in to out swing path, which should create a little draw. At impact, you feel as though your body is a little bit behind the ball.

To hit a bigger draw, more like a hook, if you are in the trees, for example, I would move the ball back in my stance and could also strengthen my grip a little more. You could even hood the club face a little bit and aim further right as well.

Having the ball further back in the stance means that you’ll be flipping your hands a little bit more and your hands would naturally turn over. I would suggest you practise on the range before taking this to the course!

Hitting a Fade

To hit a fade, I would aim the club where I want the ball to start, so for example, 10 yards left of the pin and I’d aim my feet further left of that position. I’d swing the club along the line of my feet which would be an out to in swing path, cutting across your body. The ball position would be further forward in the stance and I would grip down a little bit as well. For me, that helps me to hit a controlled low fade, which brings the ball down. I feel on top of the ball more, so my head and weight is more over the ball at impact. You have the feeling that you can really rip through it, getting onto your left side.

Your hands would be more stable through the ball and you’d hold the club face off a bit, meaning the clubface would be more open as you hit the ball and that would help you to fade it.

It will be an out to in swing, so the grip of your club is hitting your left pocket, that is how I like to feel it.

If I want to over emphasise or hit an extreme fade, I would weaken my grip and really swing across my body, to hit a hard fade. As long as your body is aiming left and open to the target, I think it should naturally get your arms out in front and bring them across your body to hit a fade.