The Sweet Spot - Golf Podcast Was Ben Hogan Wrong About Shot Shaping?
Feb 23, 2026
A deep dive into whether shaping every shot helps or hurts your game. They compare launch monitor data, physics, and on-course experience to show why tighter shot dispersion often beats prettier ball flight. Practical talk on when to learn shapes, club choice tradeoffs, and how testing can reveal the winning pattern for scoring.
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Straight Shots Aren't Easier Than Shapes
- Straight shots are not uniquely easier than shaped shots; both require precise face and path control to be repeatable.
- Adam points out a 10-yard draw is as hard to hit exactly as a perfectly straight ball, so evaluate patterns over many shots not single attempts.
Test Patterns Over Hundreds Of Shots
- Test shot patterns over many shots and compare dispersions before choosing a stock shape to play with on course.
- Adam recommends using launch monitor data and statistical measures (average and standard deviation) to pick the shot pattern with the tightest dispersion.
Fade Tightens Left Right While Draw Tightens Carry
- Fades tend to produce tighter lateral (east-west) dispersion but greater distance (north-south) spread, while draws give tighter carry distance but wider lateral spread.
- Adam's tests (6-iron fade vs 7-iron draw same carry) showed similar overall proximity to the flag, just different dispersion shapes.