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. They send chills down the spine even of the best golfers in the world. 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. If you want to know how to hit irons consistently and flush, this is super important. — with E. Michael Johnson. How to hit long irons Now for most golfers, the long iron has been abandoned for the rescue hybrid . Hitting long irons high is key. DECLARE YOUR INTENTIONS 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. This is another very common mistake amateurs make and leads to constant mishits. 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. The 5 iron oftentimes the longest iron in the bag for most amateurs. Just because it’s a long iron doesn’t mean you need to swing like John Daly on the way back. 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. This is especially true into the wind, so take your time. As a general rule, the longer the club, the wider the feet. Even though you’re thinking 80%, in reality, you’ll probably end up just short of parallel which is perfect. 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. You may experience a shallow angle of attack along. If you’re a high handicap player, don’t make golf any harder than it already is. Some players set up to something closer than their actual target, but that doesn't work for me. This is a huge mistake! A Drill to Hit Your Irons Better. While it might be slightly longer than a mid-iron, don’t over do it to driver level. Focus on timing and tempo, not swinging out of your shoes! Don’t try to do too much and lift the ball up. As explained in the video above, the straighter the face, the easier it is to miss big. Isn’t sweeping and sliding the same thing? Why You Can’t Hit Your Irons Anymore. Next, check your alignment. Let’s face it, long irons are a weak part of most amateurs game. 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. The next part of hitting long irons pure is addressing the length of your backswing. The long bottom makes it easy to sweep the turf so you don’t have to hit down on the club. A great way to add distance to your irons and hit the ball further is to improve your range of motion by stretching. Most players want to try to help the golf ball get airborne. Plus, the higher the golf ball goes, the more it will get affected by the wind. Sign up today and as a bonus receive your FREE 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. More Instruction It is critical to hit the ball solid with your long irons. The ideal ball position to hit long irons is the front-center of your stance. The longer a shaft is, the more time it needs to enter the hitting area with a square club … Think of the ball as merely a point on the path of your swing. Choose a club … Pretend the club in your hand is a 7-iron and the distance you have is 7-iron distance. It's as if the swing thought is to trap the ball. That's unfortunate, because these clubs are valuable tools. 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. Consider adjusting your stance so that the ball is slightly forward. If you want to hit it higher, you can either hit a fade or use hybrids. One … As there is less loft, it’s easier to hit these clubs low, under trees, and shape them back into play. Hitting it low is all about the follow through as well. You have got an awful lot of them in the bag, so you really need to get it good right from your short irons, through to your long irons. 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. 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. These basics will give you the greatest chance of hitting a 5 iron consistently. Chris Nunn, director of golf at The Burstead Golf Club in Essex, says: “The one thing to focus on with the longer irons is balance. 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. “SWING YOUR 4-IRON WITH THE SAME TEMPO AS YOUR PITCHING WEDGE.”, APPROACH CONFIDENTLY For example, a two iron can conceivably cover anything between a hundred and eighty to two hundred yards. You'll also have a better chance of making centerface contact, which matters most when swinging these clubs. Long irons, on the other hand, are often approached with trepidation. Try to think “80%” backswing on the way back. Ball position is another huge key to hitting long irons consistently, just as it is with being a good iron player in general. 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. But you can control the ball better with your long irons if you can hit them well. 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. One of the biggest mistakes amateur golfers make with a 5 iron is that they rush the transition. If it's off, you're not going to hit the ball very well. But it is 100% possible and achievable once you learn the basics. 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 have longer shafts. Most everyday players, however, loathe their long and middle irons and are reluctant to use them. By choking up, you make the club slightly shorter and easier to control which is crucial if you’re hitting into the wind. While it is a lot of fun (and … Hi Paul, Today I took several practice swings in the air before hitting my long irons. You are using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer. 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. Instead, try to swing a 5 iron with the same tempo and rhythm of an 8 iron. Let’s face it, hitting long irons isn’t easy. Remember that long irons still have plenty of loft. A 5 iron is great because it’s still relatively easily to hit and can also help with punch shots as well. Now remember, the purpose of this drill is to teach your body and mind how the proper motion … How to Hit it. Long irons are the most dreaded on the golf course. At the end of the day, all that matters is that you use what clubs help you shoot the lowest score, not what clubs you used to make it happen. It is critical to hit the ball solid with your long irons. 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. We all want to hit those high, long iron shots. A driving range can help a golfer get used to the distance the club can generate. It depends on your swing, handicap, and amount of time you can practice. In fact, don't try to hit the ball at all - just make a smooth swing at it. Hitting long irons requires careful consideration of the current context. In fact, it’s really hard to do unless you have enough swing speed and a repeatable, consistent swing. I am still pushing a few to the right or slicing a little, so I am going to do the roll-over drill … I recommend using hybrids. 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. Amateurs tend to overcorrect and position the ball too far in the front of the stance. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does it’s such a great feeling. Start wide enough so your shoulder can comfortably slide underneath your chin on the backswing. 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. This makes it an excellent option as a second club in a par five-hole. Instead, position your hands slightly ahead of the ball and try to have your left wrist match accordingly. Timing is super important. Instead, you want to start the way down a little slower and accelerate at impact. 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. The biggest mistake I see players make it putting it too far back in the stance. It’s so impressive to see it pulled off correctly. Your email address will not be published. Good weight distribution is vital. To hit it straight you have to swing down the line. This is because long irons are very hard to control and master. It is important to create effortless club head speed with your long iron swings. The hybrid was designed for you. Tips and drills to Hit Long Irons. When I'm too steep, it's usually because I have too much weight on my left side as I start down. It’s important to get slightly steeper so you can make solid contact. Trust me, you'll hit it a lot better with extension than if you're swinging with "crocodile arms.". If you struggle with your 3, 4, and 5-irons, you can probably transform your game just by learning how to hit a hybrid. Hitting irons may be the difference between scoring a good or bad round. Move the ball slightly up in your stance, but not too much. © 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. Like many golf skills, the first step to hitting an iron pure is getting into the proper position, then developing a good swing– in this case, swinging down and into the ball on the downswing instead of scooping it up on the upswing. 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. Hey wait a minute! Ball position is another huge key to hitting long irons consistently, just as it is with being a good iron player in general. 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. But shots with long irons are supposed to fly lower than your middle irons. What if you hit the dreaded straight shot? Most amateur golfers setup too narrow which makes it nearly impossible to get the full shoulder turn. I call this drill the “waggle hit” because it starts with a motion very much like the waggle many players take before their swing. Proper Way to Hit Golf Irons. Your feet should be slightly wider than shoulder width. Also, if you’re struggling with hitting long irons straight, I also recommend choking up one inch on the club, especially if you’re playing in windy conditions. The biggest difference is the ball position. Do you want to learn how to finally hit long irons and give yourself more chances to shoot lower scores? Too often, what happens when amateurs try to hit long irons is they let their wrists do the work, attempting to "scoop" the ball. Guide to Practicing Golf at Home. It's a bad habit of mine, and I see it a lot from everyday players. 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. Try to be more thoughtful. That should get it done any week on tour. Similarly, you want to be able to hit long irons low as well. Then swing that '7-iron' in the same confident way you always do. Trust the loft of the club, even if it’s not that much with long irons and position the ball front center. First, your goal should be to pick a conservative target so you'll feel better about making an aggressive swing. The point is don’t get shamed into it using them from your buddies. How to Hit Long Irons – The Proper Grip The standard interlocking golf grip is perfectly suitable for hitting long iron golf shots. Practice your starting stance and … A 3 iron usually has around 21 degrees and a 4 iron normally has 24 degrees of loft. If you can bomb it off the tee and play sharp around the green, you have two of the three essentials licked. This helps to ensure that your motion sweeps instead of digs. If you don't swing at least 95 mph, replace your long irons with a hybrid club or two. It also leads to potentially swaying on the way back instead of rotating around the body. I didn’t nail every one, but there was a big improvement from the last round I played. Nowadays, most golfers replace long irons with hybrids. You never want to hit toward trouble and hope it curves away. 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