How to use the ground to hit a draw, a fade, and a straight shot

By: Don Sargent, Jr July 4, 2020

Don Sargent, Jr. is the Director of Instruction and Scioto Country Club and a GOLF Top 100 Teacher.

After playing and teaching golf for over fifty years, I continue to learn every day. Most golfers spend the whole of their lives trying to swing the club more to the right (for draws), more to the left (for fades), and straight for the desired straight shot. All of us were trying to do the correct thing, but few of us succeeded in our quests.

Why?

For many years we have been blinded by an invisible forcee that does not allow our arms and club to do what we intend to do.

It is called Ground Force.

Ground force is the direction the feet are pushing against the turf when we are swinging. By learning this very simple technique in your feet, you can forever change the direction your club path moves throughout the swing.

As we start the downswing, our pressure — or weight shift, as many golfers call it — begins to move forward, towards the front foot. Which direction it goes will influence your swing path, so use it to your advantage…

1. To hit a draw

Use the ground to push from the inside of the right heel towards the ball and toe of the left foot. This diagonal pressuring slows down your body and sends the club direction towards the ball of the left foot. This move generates an inside-out path direction that will promise an in-to-out swing direction and right-to-left ball spin.

2. To hit a fade

The pressure in the ball of the right foot will pressure its force toward the left heel creating a more traditional hip opening or turning of the hips. This foot pressure will cause the hips to turn more quickly while making the club direction travel more out-to-in and produce a left-to-right ball spin.

3. To hit it straight

We need our Ground Force to pressure the ground along our target line parallel to the line of our aim. This will make the club move on a straighter path line with less hand flip and will also reduce the side spin on the golfer’s shot.

With every golf shot, the ball curves due to side spin. The club path and swing direction are determined by the line of FORCE the feet are pushing against the ground. With my study of millions of shots and the assistance of my new SwingCatalyst Pressure Monitor, we can now change every golfer’s swing path forever!