Big Play WITH DAVID GLENZ

Hale Irwin is still winning at 58, thanks to his power fade,
which he used to split the fairway at the critical final hole of
the Legends

ANALYSIS

Contrary to popular belief, a fade, not a draw, is the most
powerful shot to hit, as well as the easiest to control,
especially under pressure. The fade was always favored by Jack
Nicklaus, Sam Snead and Lee Trevino, and more recently it has
been embraced by power players such as John Daly and Phil
Mickelson. The fade is the key to Irwin's amazing longevity. At
the Legends, Irwin and Gil Morgan were tied when they reached the
final tee. Morgan, who draws the ball, pushed his drive into a
bunker and made bogey. Irwin calmly split the fairway and made
par for his record 39th Champions tour victory.

THE TIP

Pull, Don't Push, For a Power Fade

To learn how to play a power fade, hold a short iron with the
grip flat against your belt buckle, the shaft parallel to the
ground and the clubhead against your right palm (inset). Rotate
your body as you would while swinging, making sure not to push
the club with your right hand. The rotation will pull the club a
little outside the target line and leave the club face slightly
open at impact. (If you do this drill the wrong way and just push
the clubhead without turning, you'll feel the difference.)

AND ANOTHER THING ...

"Stewart Cink definitely should have been penalized for teeing up
his ball when he moved that debris in the waste area at Hilton
Head."

******

"To eliminate future controversies, waste areas should be treated
like sand bunkers, in which you cannot touch anything."

******

"To combat slow play, the Tour should use a 24-second clock and
slap a two-shot penalty on anyone who takes longer than that when
it's his turn to play."

COLOR PHOTO: ANDREW GOMBERT

COLOR PHOTO: COURTESY OF ABC (IRWIN)

TWO COLOR PHOTOMONTAGES: ANDREW GOMBERT/JIM GUND (BACKGROUND)

Glenz teaches at the Crystal Springs Golf and Spa Resort in
Hamburg, N.J., and is a Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher.