Iron shots same distance

[Rexmaster]

I'm practicing with 6 irons through PW and there is not much difference in terms of distance using 6 or 8 irons. Is this common issues for beginner like myselft? or What am I doing wrong?

[Zeph]

Yes, it is very common. The reason is and could be a whole lot of things. As a beginner, so much is probably wrong with the swing that it all-together can cause a variety of bad shots. It's like this for most people, so don't worry about it. When you get better, this problem will go away.

Ball striking is also a very important part of it. With bad ball striking, no club will perform like it can. A slow and smooth swing with good impact yield much better results than a hard swing with bad impact.

[Golf'nBiker]

Agreed w/Zeph. When things start working themselves out, you'll be shocked to see the distances you can reach w/a club!

[RIduffer]

Yes this is common. The less lofted club (i.e. 6-iron) is going to be harder to hit flush than your 8-iron, so you'll end up hitting the same distance.

One thing to consider too though, is that you may be swinging too hard with the longer irons. I heard Fred Couples on TV say that the 7 iron is his favorite club, so he tries to pretend he's hitting a 7 iron even if he's hitting, say, a 4 iron. That way he doesn't lose his smooth tempo.

[lumpuckeroo]

Don't know were I read it but, based on your swing you will have one "perfect" club. That club will fit your stance, swing, eye, everything and you will have confidence in hitting it. So your gap between it and say the next club may only be a couple of yards.

Speaking of Fred Couples, I have heard him say he can hit a 7 iron from 150 to 175, a 25 yard distance is quite large, even for the pros, but that is his "club".

[allin]

Quality of contact as other posters have indicated is part of it. New golfers tend to reach the bottom of the swing behind the ball. Try putting a ball marker in front of the ball and try to swing through that point. Lots of mumbo jumbo about releasing the hands to early, trying to help the ball up, weight not shifting etc are spouted, but they all boil down to not swinging through with the bottom of your swing coming after the ball.

[billm408]

Another common cause of this is that you're using your arms too much instead of hip/leg rotation to generate clubhead speed. If this is the case, you'll hit almost every club the same distance (give or take a few yards).

[sean_miller]

I'm practicing with 6 irons through PW and there is not much difference in terms of distance using 6 or 8 irons. Is this common issues for beginner like myselft? or What am I doing wrong?

What is this distance? Is this at the driving range or on the course?

You could try a lower compression ball.

[danieldrieberg]

Should be about 20 yards difference but as a rookie the real "tell" is the trajectory. The 8 iron should be significantly higher. Work on getting solid contact with a 3/4 swing for both and the trajectory and distance will sort itself out.

[Nickynoodles]

Scooping the ball will cause this to happen also. If your divot starts before the ball goes under the ball and through it will cause grass to get between the club face and the ball negating loft, spin and ball contact. Therefore you will be hitting your clubs around the same distance and losing alot of power and club head speed because of the contact with the ground first. Drop your ball where you normally put it. Take a broken tee and lay it flat down about 4-5 inches infront of your ball. Swing down at the ball and try to hit the tee off the ground to. Practice this and before you know it you will be hitting down on the ball, taking a divot after the ball and getting better ball striking, distance and you will be surprised when you see your ball hit the green and roll back towards you a couple feet. ( depending on grooves and the ball you use). Hope this helps your ball striking. Let me know how you make out after your next round or range session.

[Rexmaster]

It sounds like I need to work on making a solid contact. I'm also working on swing tempo as well.

Thank you for the advices!

[FHopper]

Wow, all great answers! I went through this last summer when I picked the game back up. I was delofting the clubs with my super strong grip and forward press; gravity is hell. One lesson fixed me.

[Greg]

It is generally easier to hit more lofted clubs so maybe thats why you might hit an 8 iron as far as a 6 iron. Its easier to make solid contact with an 8 iron. Once you are able to make solid contact with all your irons, you will notice you''ll hit the longer irons farther. Im not that experienced of a player myself, started last year but at this point i have a pretty good idea of how far i generally hit my irons, i just dont always hit them as well or accurately as i would like all the time but what a feeling when I hit a pure iron shot and stick it on the green. Also, a smooth swing will generate consistently better results than trying to kill the ball thinking you'll hit it farther, especially with the driver. When you overswing, you lose all control and the ball jumps all over the place.

[danieldrieberg]

It sounds like I need to work on making a solid contact. I'm also working on swing tempo as well.

Right on!!!!!! That's why I recommend working on solid contact with a 1/2 to 3/4 swing. Otherwise things happen too fast and too many variable interjected. I believe you will rapidly progress. Those AHA moments are great!!!!!

[Zeph]

I hit my wedges through 6 iron pretty accurately. 5 and 4 irons are a bit more flaky. One shot going 185, the next 175. It's all about learning the proper motion and repeating it time after time.

Scooping is a killer for distance, I have personal experience on the field. I still get these "aha" moments every now and then when I practice. Some things I forget to the next lessons, but some stick. Maybe I'll be a good player one day...maybe.

[Nickynoodles]

I hit my wedges through 6 iron pretty accurately. 5 and 4 irons are a bit more flaky. One shot going 185, the next 175. It's all about learning the proper motion and repeating it time after time.

Yea, scooping is a killer, when i first started playing i was hitting a 6 iron 155-160. Theres this little 9 hole course near where i live and 3 of the par 3's are in between 155-165 so i used my 6 iron on all thos holes. I would green them from the tee about 40% of the time. Mind you this is when i first started. I was a scooper then, with a divot 8 inches long starting 4 inches before the ball and 4 inches past. So i started tinkering with my swing at the range and started hitting some crisp shots. I was practicing alot on hitting down on the ball and getting a divot after. So the first time i went back to the 9 hole course im at the 5th Tee which is the first of the par 3's that were in my 6 iron distance. I step up and hit the ball. Same swing speed, same tempo everything was the same except for the ball contact i had been practicing. Ball goes dead straight but far. I could tell as soon as i hit it. I was yelling at the ball (like it could listen to me) get down!!! GET DOWN!!!! kurplunk in the creek 10 yards past the green. Hitting down on the ball and making good contact compared to scooping has added roughly 15 yards to all my irons except my L wedge and G wedge they went up around 10. Crazy how much a slight movement or change in golf can have a drastic impact. even in your score.