Long irons got you stuck? Well Not Anymore.
Long Irons can be very frustrating to hit at times because the results don't come with the ease of say a 8 or 9 iron. That pure, flushed feeling can seem so out of reach when hitting the longer clubs.
But, that does not have to be the case. And don't worry, we are not going to give you a long, drawn out explanation of what to do. It is just three simple tips.
Three Focal Points to Puring The Long Irons
Ball Positioning
Angle of Attack
Swing Tempo
Well, now that you know the secrets, go out there and start stuffing 4 irons!
We might have missed a few explanations, but I promise it will not take too much time.
Let's move forward.
Ball Positioning
Consequently enough, as the irons get longer the ball should also be moving forward in your stance. Ball Positioning is so key, essential and important to making contact with the ball at the right time, in the right place and at the angle. We need more room to get through the swing with the longer irons so the ball is hit best when it is more forward in your stance. It should be forward from the middle of your stance to just off the front heel. Taking a practice swing to determine where the club bottoms out will help you get the precise location to position the ball. But in general, the longer the iron, the more forward the ball positioning.
So that wasn't so bad. At least we didn't try to describe it from every angle.
But that is not to say different angles don't matter. Angles are the building blocks of the golf swing as well as the masterminds behind every ball that flies so effortlessly into the air.
Angle of Attack
As we set up with our long irons, we look down and see almost a flat surface perpendicular to the ground. It can be a little unnerving as our mind tries to decipher how that surface will send the ball into the air. That is why our angle of attack is so crucial when swinging our irons.
And what is this attack angle I speak of...well it is quite simply DOWN. As in, hitting down on the ball. Making sure you hit ball then ground. This downward angle will allow the ball to bounce off the club straight into the air. And we need to trust this is a mathematical phenomenon based on angles and not because we scooped the ball into the air. A common fault is to try to help the ball up into the air by hitting up on it. Unfortunately, our little scooping motion is not going to get the ball into the air, but instead result in a scold, duff or thinned shot, you know, those shots we all desire and write home about.
I hope this has not taken too much time, but sometimes getting your point across needs to be slow and steady. Just like our next point.
Swing Tempo
We have learned that slow and steady wins the race, but it also makes for the best long iron swings. Another misconception with the long irons is needing to swing hard and fast. This can result in very erratic swings and subsequently very erratic ball flights, if the ball even makes it that high.
So, we need to slow our mind and body down. The best way to do this is take a few slow practice swings, take a pause at the top and feel the swing out. By doing that we will remind ourselves it is the same swing as the one we make when hitting the 9 iron. But also, it will calm the fallacy to swing hard and fast on the longer irons. Smooth, even tempo is the key.
So next time you pick up your 4 iron, don't sweat it. You got this. Just remember to move forward, attack down and keep the tempo smoooooth.
I'm jazzed, time to start tooting our own horns on the improvement of our iron game.
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