Master the draw video

Golf Monthly Top 25 coach Barnet Puttick has some tips to help you stop slicing and master the draw for longer, straighter drives.

master the draw

Golf Monthly Top 25 coach Barney Puttick has some tips to help you stop slicing and master the draw for longer, straighter drives.

Try these tips to master the draw if you suffer wit a strong fade or a slice, and you could do with a few extra yards off the tee.

Most amateurs who struggle with a weak fade or a slice, do so because of a weak move at the start of the downswing that causes them to come into the ball on too steep an angle.

The club attacks the ball from outside the ball-to-target line, the face remains open at impact and the result is a fade or a slice.

So I have a drill to help you get the club attacking the ball from a shallower path. From an inside path, you’ll be able to fully release your hands for a draw.

Move to the top of your backswing as normal and then start down, dropping your hands into the ideal position so the club find a shallower path.

Repeat this simple move from the top of the backswing a couple of times. As soon as you have a feel for the right move, hit the ball looking to replicate this transition from backswing to downswing.

As long as you make a full release through the ball, you should be able to turn your fade into a draw.

Another good drill for this is to take your stance and then withdraw your right foot back by six inches (this will make your stance feel closed). This position automatically creates a flatter swing and a shallower angle of attack into the ball. as long as you release fully, closing the face through impact, you'll turn your fade into a soft draw.

Top tips

  • A slice is often caused by a weak move at the beginning of the downswing.
  • This causes the clubhead to arrive at the ball on too steep of an angle.
  • With the club attacking the ball from outside the ball-to-target line, the face stats open through impact and imparts left-to-right spin on the ball causing the excessive shape.
  • To hit a draw, you must attack the ball from a shallower, inside path to enable you to full release your hands for a draw.
  • As long as you make a full, committed release through the ball, you should be able to turn your fade into a draw.
Thomas Patrick Clarke
Sports Digital Editor


Tom Clarke joined Golf Monthly as a sub editor in 2009 being promoted to content editor in 2012 and then senior content editor in 2014, before becoming Sports Digital Editor for the Sport Vertical within Future in 2022. Tom currently looks after all the digital products that Golf Monthly produce including Strategy and Content Planning for the website and social media - Tom also assists the Cycling, Football, Rugby and Marine titles at Future. Tom plays off 16 and lists Augusta National (name drop), Old Head and Le Touessrok as the favourite courses he has played. Tom is an avid viewer of all golf content with a particularly in depth knowledge of the pro tour.