Aim, slice, hook, draw, fade
Most missed shots start at address. The clubface sends the ball. The feet send the curve. If the aim is already offline, a straight strike still misses.
How do you aim a golf shot if the tee box is not square?
Do not trust the tee markers or the mat. Pick the target, then set the clubface and the feet square to that line, not to the tee.
Five degrees offline at 150 yards is about 13 yards wide. Ten degrees is about 26. What feels straight is often not aimed at the flag.
Vector Shaper puts a laser shaft on the target and lasers on the feet, so the address is the target line and not the furniture.
Why do amateurs slice?
A slice starts right of the target and curves further right, for a right-handed player. The usual first fault is aim and stance, not a mysterious swing.
Feet aimed left, shoulders aimed left, clubface open to that path. The player then swings along the feet and the ball curves away.
Check the aim before you rebuild the swing. Square the feet to the target, clubface square to the same line, then hit ten balls. Vector Shaper holds that square so the next ten match the first.
What causes a hook?
A hook starts left and curves further left. The mirror of the slice: feet and shoulders aimed right, clubface closed to that path.
It is often a player who has been told to “turn through” and has shut the stance without knowing it.
Set the feet square to the target and the clubface square to laser 3. If the hook remains, it is the strike. If it goes, it was the address.
How do you set a draw on purpose?
A draw is a curve toward you. Right-handed, that is right to left. It is not a hope. It is a stance.
Target shaft at the flag. Rotator one click closed, 5 degrees. Feet match lasers 1 and 2. Clubface square to the target, not to the feet. The path follows the feet. The face sends it at the flag. The ball draws.
Hit ten. Then two clicks, 10 degrees. Then three, 15. Same grip, same face. Only the feet move. That is a repeatable draw.
How do you set a fade on purpose?
A fade curves away from you. Right-handed, left to right. Same rule, opposite click.
Target shaft at the flag. Rotator one click open. Feet on the lasers. Clubface square to the target. Path open, face at the flag, ball fades.
Left-handed players mirror the clicks. The shaft still points at the target. The feet make the shape.
Path is controlled by stance.
Most golfers struggle with the same hidden problem: their natural foot position feels comfortable, but is often significantly off-square. Even experienced players who align carefully with sticks on the range frequently revert to poor foot alignment the moment they step onto the course.
Without a constant, precise visual reference, it is extremely difficult to consistently set up with feet, target line and ball position perfectly aligned. That incorrect foot alignment is one of the biggest causes of inconsistent ball flight — slices, hooks, and unintended curves.
Vector Shaper was developed to solve this. It gives a precise, repeatable visual for foot alignment, target line and ball position — every time. When the feet are correctly aligned, the shoulders follow.
How to aim when shaping shots
Vector Shaper is for right-handed and left-handed golfers. The principle is identical — you mirror the setup. Each click on the rotator is 5°. The point of the device is not a single good shot. It is that the setup is exactly repeatable.
Straight
Main shaft at the target. Then check the five lasers:
Lasers 4 and 5 on the toes — same place on each foot.
Lasers 1 and 2 on the sides of the feet — same place on each shoe (front or back of the foot does not matter, matching does).
Clubface square to laser 3. That is square. Path and face are matched. The ball flies straight.
Draw or fade
Same checks as straight. Then experiment with the rotator — one, two or three clicks — so you feel 5°, 10° and 15°. Face stays on laser 3. Path follows the feet.
Fade (left-to-right): rotate the housing right — open stance.
Fade (right-to-left for you): rotate the housing left.
Lasers 1 and 2 still hit the same place on each shoe. The feet line is now off the target. That is the shape.
Make it repeatable
This is the benefit. Set one click (5°). Hit ten shots. Change nothing except the ball. Then two clicks (10°). Ten more. Then three (15°). Ten more. You will feel exactly what 5, 10 and 15 degrees of draw or fade do — and you can go back to that number next time, on the range or the course.
The method for each shape is on Shot shapes.
What the curve actually is
These tables are yards of curve at typical carry — the same maths as the sliders on the home page (tangent of the stance angle × carry). Typical carry is a straight shot. Fade uses the same numbers as draw. The only difference is which way the rotator turns.
Start with one click (5°). That is plenty. The larger angles are here so you can see how fast it grows.
Junior female (average 12–16 years)
| Club | Typical carry | 5° | 10° | 15° | 20° | 25° |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | 150 yds | 13 | 26 | 40 | 55 | 70 |
| 3-Wood | 130 yds | 11 | 23 | 35 | 47 | 61 |
| 5-Wood | 110 yds | 10 | 19 | 29 | 40 | 51 |
| 3-Iron | 100 yds | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 47 |
| 4-Iron | 90 yds | 8 | 16 | 24 | 33 | 42 |
| 5-Iron | 80 yds | 7 | 14 | 21 | 29 | 37 |
| 6-Iron | 70 yds | 6 | 12 | 19 | 25 | 33 |
| 7-Iron | 60 yds | 5 | 11 | 16 | 22 | 28 |
| 8-Iron | 55 yds | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 26 |
| 9-Iron | 50 yds | 4 | 9 | 13 | 18 | 23 |
| Wedge | 45 yds | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 21 |
Junior male (average 12–16 years)
| Club | Typical carry | 5° | 10° | 15° | 20° | 25° |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | 180 yds | 16 | 32 | 48 | 66 | 84 |
| 3-Wood | 160 yds | 14 | 28 | 43 | 58 | 75 |
| 5-Wood | 140 yds | 12 | 25 | 38 | 51 | 65 |
| 3-Iron | 130 yds | 11 | 23 | 35 | 47 | 61 |
| 4-Iron | 120 yds | 10 | 21 | 32 | 44 | 56 |
| 5-Iron | 110 yds | 10 | 19 | 29 | 40 | 51 |
| 6-Iron | 100 yds | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 47 |
| 7-Iron | 90 yds | 8 | 16 | 24 | 33 | 42 |
| 8-Iron | 80 yds | 7 | 14 | 21 | 29 | 37 |
| 9-Iron | 70 yds | 6 | 12 | 19 | 25 | 33 |
| Wedge | 60 yds | 5 | 11 | 16 | 22 | 28 |
Adult female (average amateur)
| Club | Typical carry | 5° | 10° | 15° | 20° | 25° |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | 190 yds | 17 | 34 | 51 | 69 | 89 |
| 3-Wood | 170 yds | 15 | 30 | 46 | 62 | 79 |
| 5-Wood | 150 yds | 13 | 26 | 40 | 55 | 70 |
| 3-Iron | 140 yds | 12 | 25 | 38 | 51 | 65 |
| 4-Iron | 130 yds | 11 | 23 | 35 | 47 | 61 |
| 5-Iron | 120 yds | 10 | 21 | 32 | 44 | 56 |
| 6-Iron | 110 yds | 10 | 19 | 29 | 40 | 51 |
| 7-Iron | 100 yds | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 47 |
| 8-Iron | 90 yds | 8 | 16 | 24 | 33 | 42 |
| 9-Iron | 80 yds | 7 | 14 | 21 | 29 | 37 |
| Wedge | 70 yds | 6 | 12 | 19 | 25 | 33 |
Adult male (average amateur)
| Club | Typical carry | 5° | 10° | 15° | 20° | 25° |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | 230 yds | 20 | 41 | 62 | 84 | 107 |
| 3-Wood | 200 yds | 17 | 35 | 54 | 73 | 93 |
| 5-Wood | 180 yds | 16 | 32 | 48 | 66 | 84 |
| 3-Iron | 170 yds | 15 | 30 | 46 | 62 | 79 |
| 4-Iron | 160 yds | 14 | 28 | 43 | 58 | 75 |
| 5-Iron | 150 yds | 13 | 26 | 40 | 55 | 70 |
| 6-Iron | 140 yds | 12 | 25 | 38 | 51 | 65 |
| 7-Iron | 130 yds | 11 | 23 | 35 | 47 | 61 |
| 8-Iron | 120 yds | 10 | 21 | 32 | 44 | 56 |
| 9-Iron | 110 yds | 10 | 19 | 29 | 40 | 51 |
| Wedge | 100 yds | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 47 |
Yards in the degree columns are lateral curve, not remaining distance. A 5-iron at 150 yards, 5° offline, is 13 yards wide — the same figure as the home page.
Distance loss when shaping
A deliberate draw or fade usually costs a little total distance versus a straight shot. Sidespin and a slightly different launch take carry and roll.
Typical loss (approximate): mild shape (5°–10°) about 5–15 yards; stronger shape (15°+) about 15–30+ yards. Longer clubs lose more than short irons. That is normal. Control is worth the yards.