A Golfer’s Insight into Solving Long Iron Problems

Feb 25, 2020

As a golfer, you already know that long irons are some of the hardest clubs to hit in the game. In fact, in recent years, more and more players have been tossing out their three irons and four irons in favor of extra hybrids. While that’s a good choice for some golfers, it’s not right for everyone. To hit long irons well, you need to know how to swing a golf club properly, and you need to spend plenty of time in practice. Let’s take a look at a few key tips for this area of the game.

Flat at the Bottom

Perhaps the biggest problem for the average golfer when it comes to hitting long irons is a steep downswing. If you are swinging down on a steep path into the back of the ball, it’s going to be hard to strike the shot cleanly. Yes, you can hit down on your short irons with good results, but long irons are a different animal. To get better results, move the ball a bit forward in your stance and shallow out your angle of approach. This should improve the launch conditions for your long iron shots, and the consistency of your strike should improve dramatically.

golf club iron head

Don’t Try Too Hard

Knowing it can be difficult to get long iron shots up off the turf, some players try to swing harder than normal to force the issue. Unfortunately, this is only going to make things worse. Do your best to maintain the same level of effort for every golf swing—even those made with a long iron. It’s good to make an aggressive swing but trying to swing as hard as possible will lead to poor contact and disappointing results. Use a smooth swing and trust the club to do the work of getting the ball up off the ground.

Focus on the Strike

The best thing you can do with a long iron shot is to hit the ball as close to the sweet spot as possible. It’s always a good thing to hit the sweet spot, of course, but it’s particularly important on these kinds of shots. If you miss the sweet spot by a big margin, you’ll see that error reflected in the distance the ball travels.

golf player at the end of downswing after hit a golf ball

To give yourself the best possible chance of hitting the sweet spot, focus on your balance and keeping your head still. These two basic points are key fundamentals in the golf swing—and for good reason. Keeping your head still and your body balanced as you swing will go a long way toward helping you find the middle of the clubface over and over again.

Trust the Industry Leader

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