On the draw vs fade bit... I agree that fades are easier to control but I would disagree a bit on the wrist action being the primary culprit. Hitting a draw is driven more by swing path (inside-out) than wrist action. If a player is having to use a lot of wrist action to hit a draw, it almost always means their swing path is too far inside out-out and they are trying to compensate at the last second for this deficiency.
I think fades are preferred for control primarily because of ball flight / spin mechanics and the severity of their misses. Fades generally land softer because they tend to have more backspin then topspin. This is not only handy for keeping it on the green but also for off-target drives where a big bounce can compound trouble. Also, over-doing a draw is more punitive as it has a more penetrating ball flight that doesn't carry as far and lands very hot, whereas over-done fades (banana slices aside) tend to float up in the air and land quite a bit softer.
Sep 6, 2023·edited Sep 6, 2023Liked by Hugh Clarke
Thanks for this. I wrote something similar but not technical a few years ago. I think the new stroke also puts a ceiling on longevity. Consider the forehand flameouts of Roddick, Harrison, and Sock long before they hit thirty. 27 is the new old age.
On the draw vs fade bit... I agree that fades are easier to control but I would disagree a bit on the wrist action being the primary culprit. Hitting a draw is driven more by swing path (inside-out) than wrist action. If a player is having to use a lot of wrist action to hit a draw, it almost always means their swing path is too far inside out-out and they are trying to compensate at the last second for this deficiency.
I think fades are preferred for control primarily because of ball flight / spin mechanics and the severity of their misses. Fades generally land softer because they tend to have more backspin then topspin. This is not only handy for keeping it on the green but also for off-target drives where a big bounce can compound trouble. Also, over-doing a draw is more punitive as it has a more penetrating ball flight that doesn't carry as far and lands very hot, whereas over-done fades (banana slices aside) tend to float up in the air and land quite a bit softer.
Thanks for this. I wrote something similar but not technical a few years ago. I think the new stroke also puts a ceiling on longevity. Consider the forehand flameouts of Roddick, Harrison, and Sock long before they hit thirty. 27 is the new old age.
https://goodcallgenius.tumblr.com/post/186926844505/a-unified-theory-of-why-federer-nadal-and
lovely quote by nadal, made me feel some type of way