How to Hit Better Iron Shots
by Mitchel White on Apr 05, 2022
Between the tee and the green is the fairway, and on the course irons are key. Occasionally a wood could be used (for a longer approach shot), but irons are definitely the bread and butter on the golf course.
Are irons boring? Unlike a driver, they are not powerful or comfortable as your favourite putter. However, any golfer who wants to play better golf must improve their iron shots.
Here are five tips that you can use to hit better irons:
-
Don’t be afraid of divots.
Yes, the divots need to be replaced. However, since the best iron shots are hit when the clubface is descending, it’s perfectly ok for the bottom edge of the club to touch the ground as you complete the swing. Trying to avoid this will result in thinning the ball rather than hitting the ball in the perfect place, leading to a low shot without any backspin and usually too far leaving you in a difficult position.
-
Avoid swinging for distance and aim for control/consistency with striking the ball.
It does make sense to drive your tee shot with 100 per cent of your power. However, trying to hit your irons like you smash your driver may not end up the way you want it to. You should swing comfortably and smoothly at around 75 per cent power until you are consistently striking your ball. Your main objective should be to maintain distance control. Whether you’re shooting for the green or laying up for a chip, aim to hit the precise distance you want with each iron shot.
-
Know your yardage.
It is simple. You should know how far you normally hit the ball with each club. There are many ways this can be decided:
a. Spending time on the practice range with your irons.
b. Using a launch monitor like Trackman. There are many places now that will have the use of trackman technology.
c. combining this knowledge with the skill of knowing your yardages on the course will tell you which iron to use for each shot.
-
Know your good strike compared to a bad strike.
We all know the feeling of purring an iron on the course. Get familiar with the sound, the feeling and it will then become second nature to hit a good iron shot.
-
Moving on from knowing the sweet spot.
You will never find the sweet spot on your club if you don’t have a clean club. While the sweet spot varies according to the design of each iron set. If your club is dirty you will struggle to find the sweet spot, and this can affect distance and ball spin when landing on the green. Our Clean Strike sustainable golf club cleaner is great for cleaning your clubs on the course, at the driving range and outside at home. To find out how to clean your clubs read our blog post How to Clean Golf Clubs.
