HOW TO USE VISUALIZATION TO PRODUCE DRAW & FADE BALL FLIGHTS

1.        My Fellow Golfers, Greetings to all of you and I am back again with my next blog on “HOW TO USE VISUALIZATION TO PRODUCE DRAW & FADE BALL FLIGHTS ”. Just to recapitulate the concept ‘Visualization act as a catalyst between the intentions (Draw or Fade) and the desired outcomes in a golf swing’. Simply speaking what you will see from your mind’s eye is what you will most likely to get as a final outcome. More often than not we are unable to hold on to our intended visualization in a golf swing for a longer span of time and the outcome does not match up with our expectations.  

2.        Every golfer has a desire to shape the golf ball both ways (Left to Right & Right to Left) like pros does all the time. It is unquestionably a confidence booster skill to acquire for golfers of all skill level and is necessarily a progressive step in becoming a better golfer.

3.        Mind being the most attentive and functional unit of human body is never at rest. Also, it has a unique tendency to shift through various thoughts/ visualizations and move on to the next one too quickly. Essentially, it is this tendency of human mind which makes it a bit difficult to work through this art of visualization and will require patience to yield its results. Now the question arises as to how do I acquire this skill and put to use in producing Draw’s & Fade’s with my golf Swing as per my wish?

4.        The key to unlock an ability to produce Draws & Fades at all times rest with one’s ability to visualize the golf shots in the mind before their execution. Incidentally all of us (as Golfers) visualize the golf shots with our respectively perceived methodology. For e.g someone will talk to his own golf club at address and will say ‘give me a draw on this hole’ or might close the face to produce the same or might take a close stance at address etc.etc.  The point, I am trying to make here is that we do not hold our attention long enough to a specific image in our minds to produce our intended results. It is indeed very important to understand that keeping more variables constant in a golf swing will always lead us to play a better golf. Therefore, I always recommend that one should create the Draws/Fades ball flights using body alignments with respect to the club path instead of resorting to last minute manipulation of club face invoking active usage of wrists to achieve similar outcomes. In a golf swing, it is much easier to control the club face by using your body alignment close or open (bigger muscle group like Chest, Hip & Feet ) in relation to the club head path through the impact zone during a golf swing.  

5.        As per my diligent practices and research in this area the following steps will certainly enhance your shot shaping ability while playing at your home course:-

• Step 1– Stand behind the golf ball (whether it’s Teed up or lying in the fairway) about 4 to 6 feet and visualize the entire trajectory of your golf ball.

• Step 2– This visualization must start from the golf ball and finish at a specific landing area chosen by you in your visualization.

• Step 3– Now pick up a reference points on this visualized trajectorial path of the golf ball either on ground or in the backdrop of the direction of play from where you want the golf ball to start and subsequently curve as per your imagined trajectory (i.e draw or fade).

• Step 4– These reference points can be anything (For e.g a small corner tree Or a bend in the fairway Or may be a distance branch of a tree Or any other easily identifiable feature on the golf course etc. etc).

• Step 5 – Now get into the address position by taking an Open stance for Fade ball flight and a Close stance for Draw ball flight and once again visualize the entire trajectory of your golf ball using your peripheral vision.

• Step 6 –  While being in address position make two complete practice swing in a slow motion( Out – to –In OR In – to -Out)  and paint the intended club path in your favourite colour (preferably  yellow) thinking as if the club head is a paint brush. Taking practice swing in slow motion will help you in building and retaining the immediate muscle memory for a desired outcome.

• Step 7– During the practice swing make a distinct usage of your eyes to create a strong visual reference of the club head path especially through the impact zone as rehearsed in Step 6.

• Step 8 – Make a Rhythmic and Unhurried golf swing through the golf ball over this visualized and freshly painted club head path.

• Step 9 – For a perfectly desired outcome ‘Do not Swing the golf club with pre-requisite apprehensions or outcome’. Trust your body to swing the club naturally to produce the different trajectories for you.

Suggestion/Tip :-  One should practice the above steps at least few times on the golf range for more encouraging results on the golf course. Initially during the actual play, the entire process of visualization suggested from Step 1 to Step 9 is likely to take 35 seconds and with regular practice will reduce down to 25 to 30 Seconds.  Try to retain the image of club head path in relation to the body alignments during the golf swing for consist Draw and Fade in your golf shots.

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Joe