Beginner
Fade
A fade is a controlled shot that curves gently from left to right for a right-handed golfer. It is the playable version of a slice, produced by a face slightly open to the swing path.
A fade flies a touch higher and lands softer than a draw, trading a small amount of roll for control and a left-to-right shape that holds greens. It comes from a path mildly out-to-in (or square) with the face open to the path but pointing at or left of the target. Many of the best ball-strikers favor a fade for its predictability under pressure.
Example
A player aims down the left side and lets the ball drift back to a pin on the right — a fade used to attack a tucked flag.
Related terms
- DrawA draw is a controlled shot that curves gently from right to left for a right-handed golfer (the opposite for a lefty). It is produced by a clubface slightly closed to the swing path but still open to the target line.
- SliceA slice is a shot that curves sharply away from the target — to the right for a right-handed golfer. It happens when the clubface is open relative to the swing path at impact.
- Face-to-PathFace-to-path is the difference between face angle and club path at impact. It is the single number that determines how much, and which way, the ball curves.
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