I hope you had a chance to watch the 40th PGA Professional National Championship at the incredibly beautiful Sunriver (Ore.) Resort. If you did see the championship, you saw the top club PGA Professionals vie for one of 20 coveted spots available to them for the 2007 PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club, in Tulsa, Okla., Aug. 6-12.

The PGA Professional National Championship has an impressive list of past Champions, led by the legendary Sam Snead, Bruce Fleisher, Don Massengale, Bob Boyd, Brett Upper, Bruce Zabriski, University of Illinois Coach and U.S. Open competitor Mike Small, and 2006 Champion Ron Philo Jr. - the brother of LPGA star Laura Diaz. And Chip Sullivan, this year's champion, is a superb player and a wonderful person -- who happens to have a great inspirational story to go with his game.

One thing you may have noticed during the PGA Professional National Championship was the attempt by many players to create the flight path of their shots according to the layout of the hole and the tough windy conditions they faced. This ability to curve and control the golf ball is a major factor in maintaining the consistency to score your best. The on-course strategies available to players who are able to curve shots on-demand enable them to record lower scores far more often.

There are two different types of curve shots. Last week, I explained how a fade shot differs from a slice, and how a draw causes less movement than a hook. The main component that separates these shots lies in controlling just how much the ball curves while it is in the air.

Fades and draws (curves in-flight of less than 10 yards) are used to position shots in the fairway and control the ball's roll on the greens. These are shots that are used for normal playing conditions and course strategies.

The adjustments necessary to hit fades and draws all take place at the address position.

For example, the alignment used to hit a straight shot positions your eyes, shoulders, hips, knees and feet, so they are set parallel to the desired target line. However, if you want to create a fade shot, you need to open the alignment of your eyes, shoulders, hips, knees and feet, so that they are aimed to the left of your desired target line (for a right-handed player). Meanwhile, the clubface remains aimed down the target line.

This new alignment causes the path of your forward swing to move from out-to-in. As a result, this path allows the club to strike on its outer half, with an open clubface position that imparts side spin and causes the ball to fade.

To create a draw, the player needs to set up the alignment of their eyes, shoulders, hips, knees and feet in a closed position to the desired target line (aimed right for a right-handed player). Again, the clubface's aim remains down the target line. The new alignment causes the forward-swing path to move from in-to-out. This allows for the club to strike on its inner half with a closed clubface position that imparts side spin and causes the ball to draw.

If you'd like to take lessons on fades, draws and the other kinds of shots you encounter in the game of golf, you can find facilities near you that offer instruction programs for players of all ages and abilities by using the zip code search engine on www.playgolfamerica.com.

There are programs for young and old, beginners and experts alike. To illustrate, here at the PGA Learning Center, in Port St. Lucie, Fla., we offer PGA of America Golf Schools year-round for golfers of all levels. We also present summer camps, clinics and golf schools for kids ages 3-18. In addition, kids 21-and-under can enjoy complimentary rounds of golf all summer long nearby at The PGA Golf Club, when accompanied by a paying adult.

Call (800) 800-GOLF for more information or visit www.pgavillage.com.

Try working on your fades and draws, and next column we will focus on creating slices and hooks.

Here's to better golf!

Rick Martino is Director of Instruction for The PGA of America. He teaches at the PGA Learning Center in Port St. Lucie, Fla., and is ranked among the Top 50 instructors by Golf Digest Magazine. The author of the PGA Manual of Golf (Warner Books/$34.95), Martino can be reached at (800) 800-GOLF or by email at pgalearningcenter@pgahq.com.