01 November, 2007
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By Lee McLaughlan
Open Champion Padraig Harrington is chasing more silverware this week - the Harry Vardon Trophy. A second Order of Merit title in as many years is top of Harrington's agenda at the season-ending Volvo Masters at Valderrama, where a top three finish is a must if he is to overhaul Ernie Els.
But in battling the 7,000 yard course - and the longer monsters around the globe - Harrington's former coach and PGA Master Professional Howard Bennett explained how it was necessary for his former protégé to quit the fade and be quick on the draw if he wanted to make the most of his talent.
Distance is hardly an issue professional golfers are ever going to suffer from, which includes Padraig Harrington.
Though hardly the biggest hitter on the tour, he's ranked 66th in driving distance, his 285-yard average off the tee is far from a figure to be sniffed at.
Technology has no doubt helped through the years to add distance to every golfer's shots with clubs and balls of the highest spec, but a decade ago Harrington made an even more crucial decision that would impact on his golf.
As an amateur he was distinctly a fader of the ball, but the price was a loss of distance, however Bennett, who worked with the Irish ace for ten years - eight as an amateur, has revealed how all that had to change when Harrington joined the paid ranks.
"Padraig had a different game as an amateur to the one he's got now," said the former Irish national coach.
"As an amateur he had a fade. That was how he played his shots but when he went professional he knew he needed more length and that meant he needed to draw the ball instead. As I was with him for ten years it was a discussion we had many times but it was always going to be his decision as to if and when he went down that route.
"He'd hit his fades but they wouldn't go that great a distance, that's the nature of the game because they are more prone to catch the wind and hold up more. The draw doesn't do that to the same degree.
"At that stage it wasn't too big a factor because Padraig could always get the ball round the course and while he remained an amateur he didn't want to change that.
"But in the pro ranks he was ultimately going to have to hit it further if he was going to reach the long par fives in two, so he decided to draw the ball." As with any swing change, the process is not achieved overnight and going from a swing that fades to a draw, requires a number of subtleties.
"You have to change certain things at address, like your aim and grip position to get shape of the swing and more rotation," said Bennett.
"Padraig's swing was more up and down than a rotation movement, so it was a big change and it is not something you can just do as you go along on the course, it's something you really have to work at it by practicing.
"In perfecting it, the best demonstration is playing the ball on a slope. If it's above your feet on an uphill lie you need a more rounded swing and the ball will draw naturally. With the ball below your feet, the fade becomes more natural."
So how exactly does the fade differ to the draw in terms of the distance achieved?
"The club face is more open on the fade so the ball climbs higher. This means it catches the wind and is held up more. It's like a Frisbee in the wind. You wouldn't throw it up into the wind because it would go as far and could come straight back at you. That's the impact on the ball with a fade.
So armed with the Claret Jug, a perfected draw and steely outlook, what about Harrington's approach to the Volvo Masters, given he has to finish in the top three at the very least, will he change he approach to the tournament?
Not according to Bennett.
"He will treat this week like any other tournament," said the 70-year-old. "If he's feeling good about his game it will come down to his course strategy over the four days. He will stick to what he knows and will not change his routine - golfers are creatures of habit.
"His mental side of the game is very good and what he will know is he can't affect what anyone else does, he can solely focus on what he does.
"Professionals also know that a tournament can't be won on the first day but it can be lost so it is difficult to see Padraig pushing his game. Maybe, on the final day, with a couple of holes to go and he needs a birdie-birdie finish then he may take calculated risks."