There are few things that feel more satisfying than a perfectly struck iron shot. Unfortunately for most of us, it doesn’t happen all that often but that can easily be changed.
A lot of players like to go to the range and pound their driver all day but the truth is, if you can hit your irons well (especially your long irons) you should be able to hit any club in the bag.
Use some of the tips below next time you’re out practicing and watch as your shots fly higher, farther and straighter.
Stay Balanced – Balance is one of the most important aspects of any golf swing. If your weight is too far on your back foot you’ll hit thin shots and if it’s too far forward you’ll hit chunks. At address, your weight should be distributed evenly on both feet. As you start your swing, you should feel your weight shift to the ball of your right foot and then as you start your downswing it should shift back to your left foot. You can adjust the width of your stance to avoid swaying but if you can master the weight shift, your iron shots will improve.
Keep a Good Wrist Hinge – In every properly struck golf shot (besides shots off the tee), the goal is to pinch the ball in between the ground and the club. To do this you have strike the ball with a descending blow. The ball should be hit first and then the ground. In order to consistently do this, you have to have your hands ahead of the ball at impact (see the picture to the left). If you’re hands are behind the ball at impact, it’s impossible to compress the ball. The wrist hinge is what gives your ball height, spin and distance, and if you can master it, you’ll become a better iron player.
Keep Your Feet Still – In order to consistently strike the ball you need to have a solid base and if your feet are moving or sliding, it’s impossible to do. Next time your out practicing, try to focus on keeping your feet firmly planted on the ground. The only time your back foot should move is after impact. If you can see the soles of your shoes any point before your club has hit the ball, you’re doing something wrong.
Get Your Right Palm to Face the Target at Impact – If you have even a semi-conventional grip, your right palm (assuming you’re a right-handed golfer) should be facing the target at impact. If it’s facing to the right, your clubface is probably open and you’re ball is going to start in that direction. If it’s facing left, your club face is closed and you’re going to hit a pull. So try to focus on keeping it facing your aiming point.
Release the Club – A lot of amateur players think that after you’ve reached the bottom of your swing, it doesn’t matter what kind of moves you make but this isn’t necessarily true. After impact, you need to release the club. Players that release it too early tend to pick the ball and players that don’t release it at all are inconsistent ball strikers. Use the picture to the left as a reference for what you should look like after you make contact with the ball.