LPGA star Grace Kim on how to hit the perfect draw.
Grace Kim, like a lot of tour professionals, makes the golf swing look so easy. Watching the Sydneysider hit two-metre draws with her Srixon irons, it appears she simply pulls the club back, turns and pushes the club back through. It’s not that simple, though. Thousands of hours of practising certain sequences within her silky swing have produced the final product we see today, winning on the LPGA Tour and posting top-15 results in major championships.
We caught up with the 23-year-old earlier this year to find out exactly how she’s simplified hitting that perfect draw.
Over time, I’ve become a half-feel player, half-technical player. I think I’m more technical than feel. I like to have the TrackMan out there on the range just to get the numbers dialled. But other than that, I like to hit draws, so if I start losing shots right, I always come back to trying to hit big hooks. Then, I can even it out and come back to square.
My 7-iron, generally, carries about 135 metres. I would say I’m more accurate than long as a golfer, so I’m never going to be a bomber. But I’m making sure I’m ticking those boxes for a reason and always trying to build strength while maintaining my accuracy.
When I’m trying to hit a draw, I move the ball forward and try to groove an in-to-out swing path. I have the ball more forward in my stance, which gives me extra time for the club to catch up and be a little bit closed after impact.
Footwork is also part of hitting a draw, for me. I’m with adidas and wear the BOA, or laceless, version of the TOUR360. If you need to adjust the tightness during a round, you just reach down quickly and turn the dial. They’re fantastic. The spikes do give me that stability, too. Stable feet are important because I use my feet and the ground quite a bit to produce my draw with foot pressure and weight shifts.
Getty images: andy lyons
