Confused about irons and general distance on all clubs

[mrserv0n18]

My irons play about a club mostly 2 clubs behind the avg golfer. I hit a 6 iron 150yard at best. 9 iron about 110.
Drive about 220, Hybird 19 degree at 170-175

I play my game and other than chipping which destroys my score every round by over 8 strokes, My short distances do not effect my game really but it is annoying. I know I scoop the ball and dont hit down on it, Ive practiced and still do 3-4 times a week, I watch every video, read books, Try to hit down on the equator of the ball etc but in the end I go back to my method cause I hit so clean and they drop like stones from the sky which is usually beneficial.

So 2 things.

What can I do to work on hitting down on the ball? Im 5'10 170lb But Im pretty weak muscle wise. I can barely bench 130lb 5 times at the gym.

So do you think my weak upper body strength has to do with my distances, or do you think its my technique. I drive with everything I got and have a nice driver and I cannot get more than 220 carry average and they are dead straight to very slight draw.


Other thing is, I practice chipping I can do it in my back yard, everytime I go out and I golf twice a week I CANNOT chip, 1 out of 3 times maybe it plops on the green 10 feet away and I have to save it with my putting skills. I have been using irons 8,7,6 to chip cause I fear my 56 so much. What can I DO!

[RC]

Best chipping tip I've ever gotten was to let the hands and arms be soft, keep the hands ahead of the shaft, use a short backswing, and just turn your body, letting the body open up as the club falls back into the ball rather than trying to be stiff like a putt. This is for more lofty clubs, such as when chipping with a sand wedge. You keep your body turning so you don't "stub" it. By using more body and a shorter back swing, you keep the club going and slightly heavy impacts don't flub nearly as badly. Your body will learn how to guage the distance if you keep your arms and hands more passive, letting the club fall down on the shot. This will really make the sole of the club work well.

If you insist on a more rigid body and more arms and hands type chip, then use less lofted clubs, try your putting grip, and get the club shaft upright so the toe is on the ground behind the ball -- then use a putting stroke so the heel and full sole of the club never hits the grass, only the toe. You can chip off a sidewalk using this technique.

The best chipper I've ever known was very wristy and used amazing touch, but he still opened up his body through the shot to keep the club going. Wristy chips are just too hard for me... I try to use only a very slight wrist cock and more body. Others will say just the opposite -- just like there are many ways to putt, there are many ways to chip. But all the good ones have weight left, and hands ahead of the ball through impact, and they keep the club going sort of low after impact.

[inthecup]

It sounds like you are de lofting the clubs. Where do you put a 9 iron in your stance? Try putting it at your zipper with square feet then turn your front foot by pivoting the heal to the target by 20 degrees. Pivoting the foot will bring the bottom of your swing plane slightly forward. Then do not try and hit a descending blow just hit the ball and the club will be descending in your swing arch when it hits the ball and start a divot in front of the ball. Good luck

[mrserv0n18]

I like your advice for pivoting the foot the put my swing path more forward. I am going to try it out today, I usually have a pretty centered ball position for all irons but I can only divot currently if I press 80% weight on front foot and this causes an akward feeling swing and improper balance. I will let you know how it works out.

[senorchipotle]

My irons play about a club mostly 2 clubs behind the avg golfer. I hit a 6 iron 150yard at best. 9 iron about 110.

last week i played with a guy who was about 5'9'' 180, he beat me in flip flops and out drove me half the time, and i'm 6'5'' 220, and hit my driver about 300. so no, size doesn't really matter, it's all about control and speed. take a look at freddie couples, the guy's 49 years old and is jacking the ball 300-315 with a controlled swing. btw, the guy who beat me in flip flops played D-1 college golf, so i didn't feel so bad about it.

[Herms]

About the comment about not being strong enough... it's more your swing than your strength. I see young kids at our local course out drive me all day long... I'm 5'9" 187 lbs and go to the gym 4-5 times a week. I'm way stronger than them but they have way better form/technique that me. Strength will help but until your swing is better you'll just be wasting the strength.

Plesae don't take this the wrong way... I'm in the exact same situation as you. Lessons and proper practice will help.

[CG031]

It has to be your technique. I'm 5'7" 145 lbs and I hit the ball further than you.

[Knockglock]

My irons play about a club mostly 2 clubs behind the avg golfer. I hit a 6 iron 150yard at best. 9 iron about 110.

Power isn't about strength, it's about speed.

Speed = Power. Try and make a nice easy controlled swing, maybe 80% of how hard you can, and make good contact. (maybe when your learning/practicing, even less). That is what i'm focusing on at the moment. Edit: also, maybe try simply moving the ball a wee bit back in your stance

[deronsizemore]

My irons play about a club mostly 2 clubs behind the avg golfer. I hit a 6 iron 150yard at best. 9 iron about 110.

No, you don't have to be physically strong to swing a golf club fast. With the correct technique, your distance should come, but some people are just gifted more than others in that they can swing the club a lot faster under control which generates more distance. I swing the club pretty fast but I promise, no matter how hard I practice and work at it, I'll never be able to generate the clubhead speed that someone like Bubba Watson does.

Played in a tournament this weekend where a 16 year old kid won. He must have been 5'6'' and 130 lbs but he could still hit it.