If you ask the average professional golfer to identify the most important skill in golf, many of them will tell you distance control. When you hit the ball the correct distance, it’s unlikely that you’ll be far from your desired target. Even if your accuracy was not spot on, a shot that was hit the correct yardage is usually playable, at the very least. Along with regular practice, using a launch monitor to track your distances is a big help.

We can’t tell you how far you are going to hit each of your golf irons, as distances vary from player to player. With that said, we can offer some basic tips to improve your performance when using irons and shoot lower scores.

In golf, the driver gets a lot of attention—and for good reason. Who doesn’t love crushing a long drive right down the middle of the fairway? There is nothing wrong with working on your driver, but that work should not come at the expense of your irons. Whether just hitting balls on the range or using a launch monitor to fine-tune your performance, improving your iron play is essential in the quest for lower scores.