I am a fader of the golf ball. It is just the way that “The fat kid” works. I have no desire to change. I like the control I get with a power fade, and I rarely lose a ball so far right that I can’t scream at it in mid air to try to turn it back ha ha.

So imagine my surprise last week when I hit a ball out of bounds……….LEFT!

When I was in my second year of college, I got the hooks. In fact, I can remember the first time it affected me so badly I wanted a change. I had been a fader for my entire golf career and got sick of it. I taught myself how to draw the ball to try to gain some extra distance. It worked…I hit the ball further and I thought the draw was the way it was going to be.

Then something strange happened that many of my friends who play a draw encounter on a frequent basis. I lost the ball WAY left. The draw became a hook and if you have ever played a hook, you know that you can not talk to a hook in mid air. If it is going left, it is going there in a hurry.

I started to hit balls out of bounds left and decided this was not for me. In fact, at one tournament in particular, I hit 4 balls out of bounds…all left. I made a decision to teach myself how to fade again. I spent a winter and a spring “re-learning” the fade.

Now I fade it all the time. If I lose it, it is going right. It looks awful, but I lose golf balls very infrequently and find more fairways with the power fade. Heck, if it works for Tiger than it will work for me ha ha.

Then it happened. On the 9th hole at West Seattle Golf Course. At 1 under through 8 and putting fairly poorly, I double crossed myself and hit one out left. I stood there stunned. It has literally been 10+ years since I lost a ball left out of bounds. I re-teed and weakly faded one down the right side and trudged my way to a double.

The rest of the round I hit the driver AWFUL. I sure hope this is not the start of something bad ha ha.

I will trust that the fade will still be there and keep swinging. If the draw develops again…it might be time for bowling or badminton for this cat.

Wish me luck.

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