Any tips for long iron play?

[jfrain2004]

I'm starting to realize I'm adding shots to my game because from 180 and further I give up on attempting to make the green as I don't want to risk over swinging my 5 iron and don't have to confidence to use my 4 or 3 iron. I've tried using 3/5 wood / Utility clubs but find distance control to be very difficult with these clubs. I know they are easier to get in the air but distance and accuracy are the only thing I'm interested in and these clubs don't give me that. Also from experience I see too many people pulling out 3 woods on a fairway and going OOB so these clubs are not going to be in my bag. I can comfortably get round in less than 10 over but need to understand why there is a glass ceiling for me between my 5 and 4 irons. I can crack a 5 iron 180 almost every time but the 4 could go 200 or just 20 yrds. As I'm afraid of thinning the ball I sometimes end up hitting it fat with a huge divot. I have no problem off a tee with my 3 or 4 so can anyone tell me what one swing thought they employ to pull the fairway 3/4 iron shot off?
I play the ball forward in my stance and always make sure to take a full shoulder turn.

[Shindig]

I'm starting to realize I'm adding shots to my game because from 180 and further I give up on attempting to make the green as I don't want to risk over swinging my 5 iron and don't have to confidence to use my 4 or 3 iron. I've tried using 3/5 wood / Utility clubs but find distance control to be very difficult with these clubs. I know they are easier to get in the air but distance and accuracy are the only thing I'm interested in and these clubs don't give me that. Also from experience I see too many people pulling out 3 woods on a fairway and going OOB so these clubs are not going to be in my bag. I can comfortably get round in less than 10 over but need to understand why there is a glass ceiling for me between my 5 and 4 irons. I can crack a 5 iron 180 almost every time but the 4 could go 200 or just 20 yrds. As I'm afraid of thinning the ball I sometimes end up hitting it fat with a huge divot. I have no problem off a tee with my 3 or 4 so can anyone tell me what one swing thought they employ to pull the fairway 3/4 iron shot off?

I used to be afraid of everything stronger than a 7-iron. These things happen. How often do you hit the 4-iron on the range? I bet if you alternate between the 5-iron and 4-iron on the range for maybe two dozen shots, you'll find yourself comfortable with the 4-iron after those shots. Knowing you hit it well those many times should help in pulling it out on the fairway -- and then you can hit it with confidence.

[golf_junkie27]

Why don't you practice swinging your 4I like you do your 5I?

A drill that was given to me that I've shared with others. Take your 4I and choose the 150 yard, target. You know that you can easily reach this target which is the point. Take your swing, nice and easy, monitor your results. If your getting 190, 195, voila, you now know exactly how far and how much effort you've extorted. The point of the drill is to also relax your mind. When you know you can reach a distance, you tend to swing much easier, generating positive results. It may seem dumb but it works.

[Bradenator]

Why don't you practice swinging your 4I like you do your 5I?

I've done a similar drill, and had good results as well. I started with an 80-90 yard target with a 3 iron (fun drill just for recovery shots anyways), focusing only on making a good solid strike. Very gradually, increasing swing speed, then backing down if I had any inconsistency, just focusing on a nice smooth swing. It took a bit, but agree that it took the pressure off when I was able to hit a VERY smooth and easy 3 iron 150-160 yards, and enabled me to feel better as I ratcheted my speed up a bit.

I haven't measured it in some time, but the clubhead speed on my 3 iron is about the same as my 5 iron, so I am swinging a bit easier with the 3, and to a lesser degree with the 4. I just strike the ball better this way, and don;t like the feel of hybrids, so I'd rather work with my irons. I lose just a bit of yardage, but think I get more value in consistency and ball flight. I can use a 100% swing off the tee with confidence, but just feel better backing off a bit when hitting off the deck, and tend to think that long iron play is largely mental. When I am tense, I always run into problems...

[jfrain2004]

Thanks for the replies. When I'm on the range I always play "a round of my home course" first hole is a 360 yrd Par4 so I hit a Driver and making an educated guess on that distance I'll then pull out my PW or maybe 9I. This way it keeps me thinking and keeps the pressure on. I continue this for every hole. When working on my long irons my swing usually "gets going" after 10 or so shots and I get crisp contact but as any golfer knows you don't get 10 chances out on the course. My swing is the same for all irons with my stance slightly wider as I go up in clubs. In any case I have no problem getting 200+ consistently with my 3I off a tee so my swing can't be too far off but hitting it off the deck is another story.
I will give the half shots with my long irons a go, working up to a full swing to see how that goes :)

[Dub]

I'm a hacker who is just returning to the game.....not a pro who's figured out all the mysteries of the golf swing.

At the same time, I'm a hacker who enjoys hitting his 3,4,5 irons a great deal.

It wasn't always that way, though. I used to fear hitting them but as my swing developed and begame more efficient, I was able to see incremental improvements....you know how that goes.

Sounds like you are hitting the 3I very well from the tee. The thing now is to hit it flush from the fairway. 200+ yards off the tee is very solid as far as I'm concerned.

The things that I try to keep in mind when hitting the long irons off the deck is to:
1) pivot about the imaginary rod through my body...no leaning or drifting.
2) continue to hit down on the ball and take the same divot I would with a 7I
3) nice wide arm extension

These may or may not help....but it's what I consider when I'm making a practice swing. Then I simply look up and focus on the target from that point forward and hit the shot.

Good luck!!!

I suspect you are getting good clubhead speed but just need to be able to flush it from the deck. You can do it.!!!!!