Hitting Down on the ball with Longer Irons

**HookEmHorns** · May 27, 2009

Hey y'all,
I have heard and seen all the posts about how to "hit down" on the ball when using irons. When everyone mentions this in the threads, they talk about their wedges and 7, 8, and 9 irons. I would like to know, but think that I know the answer, if I should do the same with the long irons (3, 4, and such). I'm assuming that I should, but I just want to make sure before I go to the driving range tomorrow and try to change my swing.
I have been trying to scoop the ball so far, having the ball right where the lowest part of my swing is, or right behind it slightly, and I haven't been doing too bad really. But since I now know that I am swinging incorrectly, I am going to try to change tomorrow.
(I have already tried hitting down on the ball, but I wasn't sure I was doing it right, so I went back to trying to scoop it. So it's not like I'm starting off not having the slightest clue. lol).

One last thing, I watched a video last night where the guy said to keep the left wrist straight so is that correct? Should I start off with the handle in front on address or try to mess with that later? I haven't tried it yet, so it may be easier than I think. (I always have the problem of over analyzing everything.. lol).

Thanks!

**chspeed** · May 27, 2009

Yes, you want to hit down on the ball with long irons. I've read many times that you want a more sweeping motion with your long irons, but I think that is a dangerous image for beginners, as it can lead to scooping.

Ball position is key here. Make sure to move the ball up in your stance for long irons, and stand further away from the ball. This will flatten your swing out a little more, so that the "hitting down" motion is not nearly as steep as with, say, a pitching wedge. Many people don't move the ball up in their stance when hitting these clubs, and end up hitting these clubs too low, which eats into your distance.

**mirv** · May 27, 2009

moe norman and sam snead are two of the greats who both swept their long irons (i believe they started hitting down once they got to a 5 iron). just treat those long irons the same as if you were swinging a fairway wood. you don't scoop those when you swing, nor do you hit down with them, you just brush the ball off the ground.

**ryohazuki222** · May 28, 2009

im curious as well... im awesome with up to the 5 iron... and hit down with all the short clubs as well as the 5. once i get to the 3, 4, and hybrid i can't seem to do anything consistently..... ive hit amazing shots hitting down... hit great shots sweeping........... but i get inconsistent results and don't feel like im doing it right so i just randomly change things up at random times.

itd be really helpful if someone can refer me to some reputable source explaining which is the "right" way... and WHY it's the right way...

**TN94z** · May 28, 2009

It's more of a sweep than a downward blow. For instance, with your 7I you take a pretty noticeable divot because you are hitting down on it. With the 3I, you still take a very small divot but it is just enough to take the grass off the top...this is because it is more of a sweeping motion.

**HookEmHorns** · May 28, 2009

Well I was wrong in my terminology, I haven't been scooping the ball, it is more of a sweep. I have been having pretty good luck but would hitting down work better? Since it is actually using the club to do the work I would assume that it would be the better choice.

kyhunter · May 28, 2009

there's a short article in the last issue of Golf Digest about the thousands of tips submitted over the years. I think the number was around 36,000. Someone put a book together of the top 250 (or so) ideas. There's a quote from Jack Nicklaus saying something to the effect of pretending your 3 iron was stamped as a 7.

**65withatriple** · May 28, 2009

Just hit the little ball first. If you making contact with the golf ball before the earth its should be solid contact. I dont think its good advice to hit down on long irons. More like a 3 wood. I agree with TN94z, sweep more than down. I think high handi players who concentrate on hitting down tend to jab straight down and not follow through. Just remember to hit the little ball first and make solid contact. There is a new trend where many pros are trying to take small divots. It may not even be that new but its much easier to be consistant picking the ball than it is to hit down on it creating a bunch of spin. Just my thoughs!

**Leftygolfer** · May 28, 2009

Just hit the little ball first. If you making contact with the golf ball before the earth its should be solid contact. I dont think its good advice to hit down on long irons. More like a 3 wood. I agree with TN94z, sweep more than down. I think high handi players who concentrate on hitting down tend to jab straight down and not follow through. Just remember to hit the little ball first and make solid contact. There is a new trend where many pros are trying to take small divots. It may not even be that new but its much easier to be consistant picking the ball than it is to hit down on it creating a bunch of spin. Just my thoughs!

I thought the margin for error was so much greater when hitting down into the ball. I have never met a scratch golfer who doesn't take a good divot.

toddmcguire · May 28, 2009

I agree with you Leftygolfer. If you notice on tour, those guys take huge divots due to the steep swing they take at hitting down on the ball. Even with those long irons. Irons are "digger" clubs. Woods are "sweeper" clubs.

**TN94z** · May 28, 2009

I agree with you Leftygolfer. If you notice on tour, those guys take huge divots due to the steep swing they take at hitting down on the ball. Even with those long irons. Irons are "digger" clubs. Woods are "sweeper" clubs.

You don't want your long irons digging in though. They are not necessarily a "sweeping" club but they "sweep" more than your mid-short irons.

**1UnderU** · May 28, 2009

I read something to this effect in Tiger Woods - How I Play Golf. He teaches w/ the 3/4 iron to sweep the ball and make sure on the backswing that you take it inside your target line. That really helped me because I was getting too steep on my long irons. But basically anything 5I and below I'm concentraiting on a decending blow.

**65withatriple** · May 28, 2009

I thought the margin for error was so much greater when hitting down into the ball. I have never met a scratch golfer who doesn't take a good divot.

I do see some pros, definitely not all taking big divots and I do at times also. If your trying to put a bunch of spin on a short iron hitting down on it creating a big divot is the way to go. I get myself in a lot of trouble by spinning the ball too much. Im not making an argument against divots, but when Im hitting my wedges bad my divots are HUGH!!!

PS....I play with several scratch golfers who dont make much of a divot at all.

**1UnderU** · May 28, 2009

Geoff Ogilvy is a good example of this. He hardly takes a divot on this short irons/wedge and no divot on mid-long irons. One announcer made the comment of him being a course superintendent’s best friend.

**Leftygolfer** · May 28, 2009

I do see some pros, definitely not all taking big divots and I do at times also. If your trying to put a bunch of spin on a short iron hitting down on it creating a big divot is the way to go. I get myself in a lot of trouble by spinning the ball too much. Im not making an argument against divots, but when Im hitting my wedges bad my divots are HUGH!!!

I see alot of pros take very noticiable divots with there long irons (I am thinking tiger in particular).

There is a big difference between not taking a divot and not taking much of one. Your friends not take much of one, but I am sure they are taking small ones and hitting there shots with a decending blow. I know for a fact there is more room for error with a decending blow. A little thin and you will be ok. If you are sweeper, a little thin is going to be really really bad. A little fat is the same case. You would come up short still but not nearly as short if you typically sweep the ball and hit is fat. This is something I am trying to change about my swing. I know my iron play will get better if I take more of a divot. I had a lesson last night. This is something I am really trying to work on. I noticied when I took a divot the not one ball had any hook on it. When I didn't and I hit it with a sweeping motion I would hit it right with a hook.

**Scottydoint** · May 28, 2009

You should swing every club the same (obviously not the putter). What exactly is a long iron? You play your longer irons up a little farther in your stance which then makes impact a little more at the end of downswing. So you are actually not hitting down as much, but not because you change your swing or even swing thought, but because it is further up in your stance.

**TN94z** · May 28, 2009

I see alot of pros take very noticiable divots with there long irons (I am thinking tiger in particular).

I also see alot of pros not taking noticeable divots. You are hitting down on the long irons even if you are sweeping them a bit, otherwise why don't you take a big divots like you do with your SW? I hardly ever take a big divot with my long irons but I am still hitting down on them. You are basically making the same swing throughout but there is no way that the club is doing the same thing because it is longer.

Hitting down on the ball does not necessarily mean less room for error. What if you hit down 2 inches behind the ball (fat)? How much distance do you lose with a fat shot? What if you hit the top of the ball on a descending blow (topped shot)? What will happen then? I think it is just all part of your natural swing. Just because golfer A takes a big divot with his 3I doesn't mean that golfer B needs to do the same. If you are hooking the ball it is not necessarily because you didn't take a divot. I can take a big divot and the ball goes straight or I can barely touch the turf and the balls goes straight.

**Leftygolfer** · May 28, 2009

You should swing every club the same (obviously not the putter). What exactly is a long iron? You play your longer irons up a little farther in your stance which then makes impact a little more at the end of downswing. So you are actually not hitting down as much, but not because you change your swing or even swing thought, but because it is further up in your stance.

Exactly. It is only a ball difference in position comparing a 3 iron to a 9 iron. Maybe a ball and half.

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