If you watched this year’s Masters Tournament, you witnessed some of the most spectacular golf shots in recent memory.
Sure, there was Justin Rose’s epic putt that ultimately led to a playoff, but it was eventual champion Rory McIlroy who really showed off his superb ball-striking ability, shaping golf shots like only a few players in the world can.
Whether it was McIlroy’s “shot of a lifetime” on No. 15 — a big, sweeping draw that rolled to a few feet of the pin — or his impeccable strike on No. 17, the five-time major winner put on an absolute ball-striking clinic.
While 99% of us can only dream of hitting it like McIlroy, we can at least learn some fundamentals to help! That’s why the Rainmakers Golf crew tapped top-ranked golf instructor Kelvin Kelley to share some pro-level tips on shaping golf shots — which you can see in the video below.
How to Shape Golf Shots – Hitting a Draw
Shaping golf shots might be an elevated skill, but when you understand the concept and what changes you need to make in the golf setup, it’s actually easier than you might think.
Kelley acknowledges this, and explains how to shape golf shots by simply repositioning your feet.
“Shaping the ball is an important skill in golf, and it’s actually pretty easy if you understand the physics of how the clubface and shaft work,” Kelley says.
To get started, Kelley sets up an easy drill on the driving range that can help you practice shaping golf shots, simply laying down a golf club on the ground between the ball and his feet. He then explains how to position your feet based on the desired ball-flight.
“If I want to draw the ball, I just drop my trail foot back, which closes off my body and promotes a more in-to-out club path,” Kelley instructs. “The face starts it in the golf swing and the path will curve it.”
When using your feet to shape golf shots, Kelley reminds players the importance of swinging along the body line — helping to promote the proper swing path — and ensuring the face is square at address. He then offers a quick trick.
“A quick trick that’ll help you get that feeling is taking a range ball and [using or drawing lines] on it,” he shares. “I’ll take those lines and, for my draw, point them out to the right. So when I drop my right foot back, I’m going to picture the path coming from the inside and hitting that line.”
How to Shape Golf Shots – Hitting a Fade
Now that you understand the fundamentals for hitting a draw, conversely, Kelley explains what adjustments to make when shaping golf shots for a fade.
“To hit a fade, I’ll take those lines on the golf ball and get them pointed to the left,” he explains. “I’m now going to open my stance, so my feet, hips and shoulders will be pointing left of the target.”
Just as you would when hitting a draw, Kelley reinforces the importance of swinging along your body line, which will ensure your path is correct as it comes through impact.
By making the suggested adjustments and dialing in your fundamentals, Kelley says you can use his golf tips to work on shaping shots during golf practice.
“So alter your feet the next time you’re on the driving range to shape it, but also use the golf ball to get a feeling of the path,” he states.
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