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Tips For Hitting Long Irons
Mastering long irons will take a significant amount of time and patience, and many hours of practice. But if you are serious about your game, it’s worth it, and will pay off big time.
The one iron through four iron are the most difficult clubs to learn completely and master fully, but there are methods that can help you with this. Follow these helpful tips, and you will have more confidence and greater precision.
The 4 Elements of Mastering the Long Irons
Every shot you make with your long irons must include four key elements to be successful. These elements are:
- careful targeting
- excellent balance
- proper club head acceleration
- smooth tempo
If even one of these elements is missing, the shot will be less successful. When you initially start using your long irons the aim is to make a clean and crisp strike on the ball directly on the club face sweet spot. There are several steps involved in doing this.
Proper Address
Your address needs to have a stance that is solid and balanced, with slight knee flexibility for steadiness during every stage of your swing.
Smooth Movement is Crucial
A smooth movement from the start of your swing until it is completed is important, especially during the transition from your backswing to your downswing. This will help you keep the proper club face alignment and will also provide club acceleration that gives you distance.
Keep Your Head Down
Keeping your head down is important with any club, but especially so with your long irons. These clubs are very unforgiving of even the smallest mistake, and your head should stay down and still. If your head moves or comes up then it is very likely that your club head will end up bottoming out before you can hit the ball, and this will ruin the shot.
Don’t Hit the Ground First!
Always hit the ball first, not the ground. A common mistake is believing that you need to strike the ground before the ball, so that you can scoop the ball up, but the opposite is actually true. A descending arc is needed to avoid hitting the ground first, and you should disregard the fact that the long irons do not have much loft. Let the club perform, and concentrate on your part.
Swing With Your Body, Not Just Your Hands
Avoid using your hands to control your swing, and instead unwind your body from the hips and the feet once you have reached the height of your backswing. When you uncoil your lower body, you will achieve more power and hit the ball farther.
Keep Your Forward Arm Straight
Your forward arm should always remain completely straight, without any bend at all. If your arm bends then this affects the distance from the head of your club to the ball, and requires an adjustment. If your arm stays straight then no adjustment is needed.
Always Follow Through
Always use the follow through to finish your swing. Your club path should lead right up to the target as you finish your swing.
Just Like Everything Else…Practice Makes Perfect
Practice regularly and you will see continuous improvement in your game and your long iron play. Cabarrus Country Club in Charlotte, NC is a great place to get this practice, or you can visit one of the many other courses across the greater Charlotte area.