This means you’re hitting the club past impact as the club is coming up which leads to a two-groover, super thin shot or even topped shot. Even though you’re thinking 80%, in reality, you’ll probably end up just short of parallel which is perfect. You never want to hit toward trouble and hope it curves away. Required fields are marked *, Over 10,000 golfers already enjoy our newsletter. How to Hit it. If you want to hit one flush with a middle or long iron, don't swing down too steeply. It is important to concentrate on “striking” the ball rather than “scooping” it. Don't get me wrong; I make a good turn, and my arms are extended away from my body—that's a good feeling to have—but the point is, I'm not overswinging. If you want to hit it high, make sure to finish high. Amateurs tend to overcorrect and position the ball too far in the front of the stance. Even a few degrees off and it can make for some big misses and even higher scores. If you want to hit it higher, you can either hit a fade or use hybrids. Try to be more thoughtful. If you’re struggling to hit the ball solid with your long irons, then by all means, play the ball in the middle of your stance or a ball or two forward of center, like you would an 8-iron. The long bottom makes it easy to sweep the turf so you don’t have to hit down on the club. Consider adjusting your stance so that the ball is slightly forward. This is another very common mistake amateurs make and leads to constant mishits. Hey wait a minute! When you put the ball too far in the front of your stance, it’s easy to make contact with the ball on the way up. First, your goal should be to pick a conservative target so you'll feel better about making an aggressive swing. Instead, use a hybrid if you have one or open the clubface slightly with a long iron. Clay Ballard: Now the pros hit their irons, and they just boom, way up in the air, float, and float, and float, and float. For example, if there is water on the left and the pin is in the middle or the right side of the green, I'll go at the flag. One … different web browser. A 3 iron usually has around 21 degrees and a 4 iron normally has 24 degrees of loft. Even they struggle with hitting long irons from the rough. In fact, don't try to hit the ball at all - just make a smooth swing at it. If you’re a high handicap player, don’t make golf any harder than it already is. Think of the ball as merely a point on the path of your swing. DECLARE YOUR INTENTIONS I'll take you through my strategy and swing thoughts with them and have you playing the longer holes better in no time. Remember what I said about aggressive swings toward conservative targets. I am still pushing a few to the right or slicing a little, so I am going to do the roll-over drill … A driving range can help a golfer get used to the distance the club can generate. One of the main reasons amateurs hit long irons offline so much is because the club has very little loft. TAKE YOUR TIME Hitting irons may be the difference between scoring a good or bad round. This makes it an excellent option as a second club in a par five-hole. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does it’s such a great feeling. The 5 iron oftentimes the longest iron in the bag for most amateurs. Hitting long irons isn’t something that everyone will pick up the first time around. The main thing to focus on is your follow through. Practicing for a Consistent Stroke Use your irons on the driving range. That's unfortunate, because these clubs are valuable tools. When you address the golf ball, your left shoulder will be in front of the golf closer to the target. That should get it done any week on tour. The shorter and more loft on the iron, the more the ball is in the middle of your stance. When I'm too steep, it's usually because I have too much weight on my left side as I start down. Amateurs tend to overcorrect and position the ball too far in the front of the stance. The biggest difference is the ball position. To hit it straight you have to swing down the line. Too often, what happens when amateurs try to hit long irons is they let their wrists do the work, attempting to "scoop" the ball. Hitting it low is all about the follow through as well. Hitting long irons requires careful consideration of the current context. How to hit long irons Now for most golfers, the long iron has been abandoned for the rescue hybrid . A high 3 or 4 iron that carries 230, lands soft and set ups an epic putt. Trust the loft of the club, even if it’s not that much with long irons and position the ball front center. Using a longer club creates the tendency of a harder swing. But if you swing these clubs just like your short irons, your timing will be a lot better. This is especially true into the wind, so take your time. As a general rule, the longer the club, the wider the feet. It is critical to hit the ball solid with your long irons. I'm coming off a recent win at the CIMB Classic, and my iron game into the par 5s was a big reason I got it done. This is because long irons are very hard to control and master. Most players want to try to help the golf ball get airborne. You'll also have a better chance of making centerface contact, which matters most when swinging these clubs. I recommend using hybrids. It's a bad habit of mine, and I see it a lot from everyday players. Another benefit to being shallow is good extension of the arms, which improves contact and power. This is a huge mistake! It’s important to get slightly steeper so you can make solid contact. I’ve you read our post all about how to hit hybrids, I’m sure you understand the importance of the right setup to hitting these longer shots. Your email address will not be published. Some players set up to something closer than their actual target, but that doesn't work for me. Yes, the hybrid allows the ball to get off the ground easier but for the one striking the ball, they lose the opportunity to control the distance or the flight of the ball. In this grip, the index finger of the left hand and the pinky of the right hand will be interlocked (for right-handed golfers) producing a grip in which the right hand is in front of the left or lower on the club at address. With such a low amount of loft, it’s nearly impossible to hit these clubs pure from the deep stuff. Whether you're hitting a 4-iron from 200 yards or 9-iron from inside 100 yards, knowing the proper technique for iron shots is a key to success. Do you want to learn how to finally hit long irons and give yourself more chances to shoot lower scores? Ball position is another huge key to hitting long irons consistently, just as it is with being a good iron player in general. The ideal ball position to hit long irons is the front-center of your stance. If you need some more help make sure to check out this drill to help you make more consistent contact when you’re hitting off a tee or from the fairway. You may experience a shallow angle of attack along. It’s a very versatile club that allows you to hit so many types of shots. Plus, the higher the golf ball goes, the more it will get affected by the wind. But shots with long irons are supposed to fly lower than your middle irons. A Drill to Hit Your Irons Better. For example, a two iron can conceivably cover anything between a hundred and eighty to two hundred yards. One thing I encourage you to do is not feel like you have to hit a long iron, even if you are a single digit handicap player. Using Your Irons Effectively Let the club lift the ball rather than trying to force it into the air. Tips and drills to Hit Long Irons. It is important to create effortless club head speed with your long iron swings. You're better off swinging slower and making sure everything is moving in the right downswing order—body, arms, hands, then club. It’s so impressive to see it pulled off correctly. Whether you're going for the green in two, trying to hit a green in regulation on a 200-yard par 3, or looking to run one up on a long par 4, let me help you rethink avoiding these clubs. As explained in the video above, the straighter the face, the easier it is to miss big. The biggest mistake I see players make it putting it too far back in the stance. This leads to the maximum amount of speed before you actually hit the ball. Long irons, on the other hand, are often approached with trepidation. If you can bomb it off the tee and play sharp around the green, you have two of the three essentials licked. But if the pin is near the water, I'll aim away from the trouble and try to work the ball back toward the green. I didn’t nail every one, but there was a big improvement from the last round I played. You are using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer. For the week, I played the par 5s at TPC Kuala Lumpur in 14 under par. Please upgrade to Internet Explorer 11 or use a Long irons have longer shafts. If you want to know how to hit irons consistently and flush, this is super important. But if some of my weight stays on the right side, I'm in business. The longer a shaft is, the more time it needs to enter the hitting area with a square club … And the same Monkeys that say you need to sweep the ‘long irons’ and hit down on the ‘short irons’ will tell you that when you use a lob wedge (60 degree wedge) that you need to slide the club underneath the golf ball. Long irons are the most dreaded on the golf course. Your feet should be slightly wider than shoulder width. When you try to do that, a lot of times what I see is players begin to flip the club when it comes to impact. Good weight distribution is vital. The main reason why a golfer can’t hit their irons consistently is due to incorrect stance, poor contact with the ball, or using an iron that is too long or short for their height. Most players want to try to help the golf ball get airborne. It depends on your swing, handicap, and amount of time you can practice. Isn’t sweeping and sliding the same thing? If the ball is starting out way left or way right at impact, check out this stick drill in the video to quickly correct your mistakes. Instead, position your hands slightly ahead of the ball and try to have your left wrist match accordingly. Here’s how to fix it: For most long irons and hybrids, you want to make sure the stance is slightly wider than normal. © 2020 DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Tour Technique: Secrets To Pure Long Irons, USE OF AND/OR REGISTRATION ON ANY PORTION OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF OUR. This will make the ball stop quicker on greens, making it easier to play a long hole where you have to hit a long iron for your approach shot. Shallow Angle of Attack / Fat Shots. That pitches my body toward the target and prompts a steeper angle. One of the best shots to hit during a round is a high long iron that lands soft and gives you a great look at making birdie or eagle. More Instruction Timing is super important. If you ever watch me swing a long iron, you'll notice that although I'm about to hit a long shot, the shaft of my club does not reach parallel at the top. Using an alignment stick or an extra club will give you a great visual representation of where you should be swinging on the way down. Don’t try to do too much and lift the ball up. Focus on timing and tempo, not swinging out of your shoes! While it should be behind normal, don’t put it off the back of your right foot. Choose a club … But there’s a problem with that. Trust me, you'll hit it a lot better with extension than if you're swinging with "crocodile arms.". Most everyday players, however, loathe their long and middle irons and are reluctant to use them. Here are the main ways to learn how to hit a long iron with consistency. Guide to Practicing Golf at Home. How to Swing a Long Iron. It is critical to hit the ball solid with your long irons. One of the main reasons that golfers don’t hit long irons consistently is that they try to do too much from bad lies. While it might be slightly longer than a mid-iron, don’t over do it to driver level. Hitting long irons high is key. Proper Way to Hit Golf Irons. Practice hitting balls with this 9-to-3 swing. Ball position is another huge key to hitting long irons consistently, just as it is with being a good iron player in general. Remember, long irons are for more advanced and intermediate golfers in the first place. Most amateur golfers setup too narrow which makes it nearly impossible to get the full shoulder turn. — with E. Michael Johnson. You shouldn’t have much of a forward press with your long irons as the club has much less loft than a short iron or wedge. Don’t fall into the trap of trying to use power alone to move the ball long distances. Let’s face it, long irons are a weak part of most amateurs game. Try to keep your follow through below your shoulders and more in your rib area. The point is don’t get shamed into it using them from your buddies. If you don't swing at least 95 mph, replace your long irons with a hybrid club or two. If it goes low, that's fine as long as you are hitting it solid. Just ask any amateur golfer and even low handicap players. These two basics are crucial to set up the rest of the swing. It’s not something that is practiced enough and easy to lose confidence if you hit a few chunky or thin during your round. Long irons are the hardest clubs to hit. A great way to add distance to your irons and hit the ball further is to improve your range of motion by stretching. This will produce crisp contact, a higher launch angle for better distance, and the height needed to get the shot to stop on the green. For example a 70 year old won’t hit as far as a 25 year old. When it was not so common to use hybrid clubs, every golfer was carrying long irons. One of the biggest mistakes amateur golfers make with a 5 iron is that they rush the transition. Just because it’s a long iron doesn’t mean you need to swing like John Daly on the way back. This will only lead to low, thin skulls that can lead to high numbers. Instead, to hit long irons consistently, widen your stance, position the ball accordingly, and swing smooth. Remember that long irons still have plenty of loft. Oftentimes, if you try to swing too hard you’ll forget to pause at the top and rush the transition. It's as if the swing thought is to trap the ball. Practice your starting stance and … You’ll be surprised by the power you can create with such a short swing, all because you made a full, toe-up to toe-up release. There are three essential parts to any complete golf game. Here’s how to hit it extra high when you need to ride the wind or get over something on the way to seeking the flag. If you struggle with your 3, 4, and 5-irons, you can probably transform your game just by learning how to hit a hybrid. Use whatever club you need to get the job done. But even low handicaps, don’t have that type of consistency with long irons. Hi Paul, Today I took several practice swings in the air before hitting my long irons. Pretend the club in your hand is a 7-iron and the distance you have is 7-iron distance. Check out this article to learn the 8 key steps on how to hit long irons along with a few helpful tips at the end. Iron shots make up a big bulk of the shots that you would hit on an entire round of golf. We all want to hit those high, long iron shots. Consider adjusting your stance so that the ball is slightly forward. You just have to trust the loft and swing like 7-iron. “SWING YOUR 4-IRON WITH THE SAME TEMPO AS YOUR PITCHING WEDGE.”, APPROACH CONFIDENTLY Move the ball slightly up in your stance, but not too much. I focus on where I want the ball to end up, and I set up to make that happen by taking shot shape into consideration. In fact, it’s really hard to do unless you have enough swing speed and a repeatable, consistent swing. Start wide enough so your shoulder can comfortably slide underneath your chin on the backswing. The hybrid was designed for you. Here’s everything you need to know about how to hit long irons and start giving yourself chances to shoot some of your lowest scores yet. These basics will give you the greatest chance of hitting a 5 iron consistently. The Drill used by Tiger Woods Instead, you want the club coming in on a shallower approach so it can sweep the ball off the fairway—or even a low tee. It also leads to potentially swaying on the way back instead of rotating around the body. While it is a lot of fun (and … How to Hit Long Irons – The Proper Grip The standard interlocking golf grip is perfectly suitable for hitting long iron golf shots. Why You Can’t Hit Your Irons Anymore. Generally, a 5 iron is plenty for most players. I call this drill the “waggle hit” because it starts with a motion very much like the waggle many players take before their swing. If you’re in single digits, then a 3 or 4 iron is usually the longest iron. Some player’s will swear by a good driving iron, while some of the best players on tour don’t carry more than a 5-iron. But if you’re more of an intermediate or skilled golfer and like irons more, you can do it. 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