Iron Help, what am I doing wrong?

[Uthinkso]

This is something minor and something that I wasn't doing a week ago.

7i and higher lofted clubs I hit great. Straight, good distance, no complaints. My 5 and 6, I couldn't hit if my life depended on it. Either duff it 40yds or it goes off course and I just don't come through the ball like I should.

Also as a side bar I've notice that I slice all my long clubs now when I do happen to hit them. Driver, 3W, 5i, and 6i are all trouble. I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and sit in with a pro and see what the hell I'm doing. Any tricks I can try at the range to sort this out?

[MPS67]

Are you swinging down from the top with your arms? Many golfers that are guilty of this can get away with shots using the shorter irons through the use of brute muscle strength, but then suffer results as you're describing when using the more difficult longer clubs.

If you're one of these golfers, you may be swinging with too much tension in arms, not allowing an effective release down into the ball. The lack of club head speed will result in a weak and shorter shot. You must learn to hit late. In other words, use the correct movements in order to position your hands ahead of the ball with some club lag left. For instance, when your hands reach the position at the center of your stance during the downswing, it would be ideal if your club shaft angle lagged far enough back that is was just a few degrees lower than horizontal with the ground.

[swingcoach]

Most people look at the longer irons and think that they have to "help" the ball up into the air. When this happens, you are actually exposing the leading edge to the ball. Experiment with hitting the ball with a descending blow even with the long irons.

[Uthinkso]

Are you swinging down from the top with your arms? Many golfers that are guilty of this can get away with shots using the shorter irons through the use of brute muscle strength, but then suffer results as you're describing when using the more difficult longer clubs.

1000% what I am feeling!! I just swing hard at everything, and with the short irons I am able to scoop it up and get the ball where I need it. With the 5i and 6i I hit them better once I loose up and focus on where my wrist breaks on the down swing. To my credit I am pretty good about keeping my head down. I really need to post a video of my two swings with the short and long irons and see what people can identify.

[Uthinkso]

UPDATE

I went and played yesterday. Even though I consistently shoot under 100 I purchased breaking 100 just to get some tips and wanted to read the book. It was so highly praised here that I wanted to see what I was missing.

I figure out what I was doing on the long irons. I wasn't twisting my hips as much and was choking up on the club. So instead of coming through the ball with the face of the club I ended up hitting it with the toe or topping it.

The solution. I moved the ball forward from the center line of my stance, but only about a two ball widths forward. I tried hard to not drop my right shoulder. Stopped my left shoulder under my chin and turned at my hips. The result is that I am hitting my short irons great, long irons solid but short a little on distance.

Incidentally I completely fell apart on the tee. My solution was to tee it high and take a full swing, but at a very controlled tempo. The result was a drive of 175-200yd and straight. Obviously not ideal, but after losing five balls due to the slice from hell I wasn't taking any more penalty strokes.

[MPS67]

UPDATE

Be careful not to move it too far forward as this could lead to skulling the shot if you're yet too armsy in your swing.

Most people look at the longer irons and think that they have to "help" the ball up into the air. When this happens, you are actually exposing the leading edge to the ball. Experiment with hitting the ball with a descending blow even with the long irons.

Yes, this is true. Many higher handicap players subconsciously straighten up during the impact section in order to help the ball up. They're also not aware of how much they're using their arms, a golf swing killer.

When learning to hit with a descending blow through the back of the ball, it's a good idea to place the ball in the middle of your stance, or just a tad behind, IMHO. But you can not do it correctly with active arms. You must learn to take them out of the equation entirely. After you get to the top, let your feet, yes feet help lower your upper torso a bit during the beginning of your downswing. You see, at the top, your grip should be in front of your sternum, your arms should be relaxed, and your weight should be located on your right foot's instep and heel. Some golfers push off of their left foot's ball and instep to help them reach the top position. Try to keep your feet flat on the ground during this process. In the downswing, transfer the weight from your right heel to the balls of both feet while moving your right knee toward the target and your left knee CCW a little. This is an active lower body movement that will begin to pull down your upper torso. Your hips will simultaneously begin to get pushed forward and around a small amount. This small bump is the weight transfer move you hear so often. At no time during this initial portion of the downswing should you activate the arms in a swinging motion other than to maintain the triangular connection between the upper arms and upper torso. Let the lower arms and wrists remain dead, lose, and passive. But keep the hands in front of your sternum. The next downswing portion is where the upper torso and shoulders take over. Actively and aggressively rotate your shoulders down and around to the finish. There should be no arm action other than to keep your triangular connection. Keep your feet flat and start to push off your right foot's instep to help your upper torso rotate around. You must allow your left hip to rotate CCW and post your left leg. This left hip move opens up room through which your arms and wrists can swing. The posting of the left leg braces & prevents the lower torso from shifting any more towards the target and allows the hips to rotate. The resistance also establishes a fixed point so that the upper can pivot around as well. Keeping the right (push-off) foot flat promotes better rotation. While in the impact area, continue to transfer weight from the balls of both feet to the left heel as you feel the upper torso coming around. It's important to keep the wrists very passive and dead as they release through the ball. Don't force it, but allow the forearms to roll over a few feet after impact. At no time during any of these swing motions should the wrists and arms become active. Once you're in the correct hitting position in the dowswing, you must swing with your upper torso and shoulders. See this video for a little on the importance of foot work. L INK

[Uthinkso]

I can say without question that my swing in no way resembles what that video illustrates. Boy am I in trouble. I'm gonna need the range.

I noticed too that when I go hit my irons well that I am choked up on the grip pretty severely. Almost like a short chip shot of sorts.

I really wish I had a way to video my swing, gonna have to work on that and see what you folks see.

[GaijinGolfer]

The solution. I moved the ball forward from the center line of my stance, but only about a two ball widths forward.

Thats what I do. I basically hit my mid irons like they are long irons. I know that some people say you should still hit down on the ball even with the medium irons, but Ive had much more success with puting the ball a little foreward in my stance and sweeping it off the ground, basically like I am hitting a fairway metal.