How to Hit a Draw in 3 Steps

Many highly skilled golfers favor a draw. Draws typically result in increased distance, and a golfer with a draw in their arsenal is equipped with more shot options to select from on the course.

Being able to hit a draw allows you to cut corners, avoid hazards, and position your ball in the perfect spot for your next shot.

Ultimately, hitting a draw provides you with greater control over your game and leads to lower scores.

A draw is created when your club follows an inside out swing path relative to your target line, and your hands fully release the club. As the club turns over it puts the clubface in a closed position, relative to the club path, at impact. This generates draw spin on the ball, causing the right to left ball flight (for right-handed golfers).

The simplest way to hit a draw is to adjust your address position.

Follow these 3 steps to set yourself up to draw the ball:

1. Square your clubface to the target line: Aim the clubface toward the point where you want your ball to end up.
2. Align your body to the right: Your feet, hips and shoulders should all point down a line that is right of your target (to the left for lefties). This is the line you want your ball to start on.
3. Swing on the line your body is aligned on:  Rather than swinging down your target line where your clubface is aimed, simply swing square to your body.

Following this set up closes your clubface to your swing path, but keeps it neutral to your target. Swinging on the line your body is aligned towards promotes the inside out swing path needed to manipulate your ball flight and produce a draw.

The size of your draw is determined by the degree to which you close your clubface and stance. To hit a big draw, keep your aim point the same and close your stance even more. To hit a baby draw adjust your stance closer to square, still keeping it slightly closed.

Play around with the breadth of your draw on the practice tee before taking it to the course.

If your draw isn’t drawing the way you want after following the steps above, here's a quick checklist to run through to get your draw on track:

• Grip the club in line with your body, not with the clubface. To find the correct position, set the clubface behind the ball square to your target without gripping the club. Then strengthen your grip by rotating your lead hand over the club toward your trail side.
• Release your trail arm over your lead arm through impact. This ensures the clubface is closed when it meets the ball and puts draw spin on the ball.
• Swing down to the ball on an inside to out path. If you have a tendency to slice the ball, hitting a draw can be extra challenging. A slice is caused by coming over the top on the downswing, as opposed to a draw, which results from the inside-out path as it approaches the ball.
• Check your club settings to ensure they are adjusted correctly. Many clubs today have adjustable settings. If your clubs are set to a fade bias, it will make it more difficult to draw the ball with those clubs. Adjust them to the neutral or draw setting.
• Be clear on exactly how you want to shape your shot. Pick a specific target where you want the ball to land and a specific line to start the ball on and set up accordingly. Then visualize the shot before you swing.

As I mentioned above, honing your draw will take a little practice at the range before you can execute it on the course reliably. Here's how to practice hitting draws.

1. Start by selecting your target on the practice tee, ideally a flag stick.
2. Next, set two alignment sticks on the ground pointing on the line to the right where you want to start the ball. 
3. Then follow the 3 steps above: aim clubface to target, align body to right (matching alignment sticks on ground), swing along the path of the alignment sticks.
4. Play around with the width of your draw by adjusting the aim point of the clubface and your body alignment.

Hitting a draw is relatively simple. Once you’ve gotten the grove of drawing the ball, then take it to the course, where you can shape your shots around obstacles to attack hidden pins and reach ideal landing areas to encounter the perfect angle for your next shot.