RoboTest: Is it better to hit a draw or fade off the tee for distance?

Having a consistent shot shape can make a huge difference when it comes to having confidence in your driver, as well as having an impact on distance and accuracy.

The question then becomes, if you had the option of choosing to play either a draw or a fade, is one really better than the other?

We took this question to the Golf Laboratories’ swing robot to find out just how much difference there is between hitting a draw or a fade off the tee, and whether one really is better.

Using a 10.5-degree driver and hitting the ball with a square club face at 95mph, with a 3 degrees in-to-out (draw swing path), and then 3 degrees out-to-in (fade swing path) we compared shots hit and where they ended up relative to the center target line and for distance.

We measured the results using Foresight’s GCQuad and found that the answer isn’t quite so simple depending on what your game needs off the tee.

Check out the video below for the full results.

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So whether you are choosing to play a fade to help hit more fairways or hitting a draw to maximize potential off the tee, sticking to a shot shape can help increase or margin of error to hit it longer,and help hit more fairways too.

Want to overhaul your bag for 2022? Find a fitting location near you at GOLF’s affiliate company True Spec Golf. For more on the latest gear news and information, check out our latest Fully Equipped podcast below.

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Golf.com Editor

Ryan Barath is GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com’s senior editor for equipment. He has an extensive club-fitting and -building background with more than 20 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. Before joining the staff, he was the lead content strategist for Tour Experience Golf, in Toronto, Canada.

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