Woods vs. Irons

[Dr Draw]

Alright, this distinction has been pissing me off for too long. I always find that whenever I hit my irons well, I am driving the ball terribly and always missing the fairway or hooking it into the woods. However, whenever I'm driving the ball into the fairway consistently and hitting my woods really well, I am hitting all my iron shots every way possible (fat, thin, shank, hook, pull, push, etc.) except straight and solid. I can't get out of this, and very rarely do I ever have a round or even practice session where I am hitting both consistently or even decent. It's bugging me so much. Recently I found that for my 3 wood I have been topping it all the time, so I made a couple minor adjustments like getting my arms at or above my right shoulder at the top of the backswing. I also have been working on making my takeaway a one-piece takeaway where my shoulders and my entire upper body is together to start the backswing. This was working great!...... for my 3 wood. I then pulled out my irons and everything I hit was fat. The feeling was just horrible and it felt out of sync and just not right. But when I swing my 3 wood I do a lot better. It just doesn't make sense. Aren't the swings for all clubs supposed to be identical?

[saevel25]

With out seeing your swing. My best guess is that you come over the top, with a steep angle of attack. So that will hurt the drive. But if your topping your 3 wood, then your weight is not far enough forward.

Post a video of your swing in the My Swings thread and you'll get some good tips.

[Dr Draw]

With out seeing your swing. My best guess is that you come over the top, with a steep angle of attack. So that will hurt the drive. But if your topping your 3 wood, then your weight is not far enough forward.

Post a video of your swing in the My Swings thread and you'll get some good tips.

Thanks, makes sense for the drives, about the weight being too far back. However, rather than a slice problem that would be caused from coming over the top, I have been hooking the ball when I hit my irons decent. I come too much from the inside and my instructor tells me to almost FEEL as if I'm coming over the top, but in actuality I'm getting the club face square at impact.

[saevel25]

Thanks, makes sense for the drives, about the weight being too far back. However, rather than a slice problem that would be caused from coming over the top, I have been hooking the ball when I hit my irons decent. I come too much from the inside and my instructor tells me to almost FEEL as if I'm coming over the top, but in actuality I'm getting the club face square at impact.

Does your instructor have video of you swinging from the inside, or is he just assuming based on ball flight? Post a video. I can't say if you are coming from the inside or not. You can hook the ball with an over the top move if your clubface is closed enough.

[Truegolf]

Without getting to overly complicated, my approach and setup is different for my woods vs irons I tend to "hold" my woods and let swing tighten my grip pressure With the irons I tend to grip tighter at address depending on the type of shot I want to exucute and keep steady pressure It's become a feel manner especially the woods

[flopster]

You may want to find out swing weights and other specs from your woods vs irons, if they are severly different it's possible a timing issue is whats going on. Some days your swing fits the woods and some days the irons.

[mvmac]

Does your instructor have video of you swinging from the inside, or is he just assuming based on ball flight? Post a video. I can't say if you are coming from the inside or not. You can hook the ball with an over the top move if your clubface is closed enough.

Correct you can hit a pull hook and come over the top.  Dr. Draw, you probably have the same swing issue with all the clubs, you just compensate differently.  If you're hitting your irons fat, very good chance the weight isn't far enough forward at impact.  Why that's happening I can't say for sure, this should help.