Long Irong Swing Thoughts

[double_j]

I'm a decent enough ball striker with good driver distance off the tee (good drives are 250 or longer) and average iron length (5 iron about 175). Consistency is generally good - my usual mishits are relatively minor in the grand scheme of things and I make solid contact the majority of the time.

That said, I seem to have a mental block when it comes to hitting a 3 iron (mishits are ugly chunks or shorty push slices). I can usually get around the issue by scaling a 19% hybrid to the required distance or coming out of my shoes with a 4 iron but I'd really love to be able to hit my 3 iron consistently.

What are your swing thoughts for the long irons? Do you consider them differently than the rest of your irons or do you find that one iron swing fits all? For example, I find that I can use the same set of mechanics for any club between SW and 4 iron but the 3 iron just doesn't seem to work.

Any thoughts?

[alisdair]

In direct answer to your question: my current swing thought for all clubs (except putter) is "shallow". I feel like I hit my 3 iron with the same swing as my 9 iron.

There are lots of things that could cause the problem you describe. Video of your swing would help, as always.

Chunk and slice implies a steep, out-to-in swing. This will hurt you more the longer and less lofted the club.

Ball position is also a possibility. You shouldn't have ball as far forward for a 3 iron as you do for driver. The further forward it goes, the later in your swing arc, and the more likely you are to bottom out before the ball (chunk) or catch it on the straight-to-in transition (slice).

I'd suggest taking your 7 iron swing, and changing three things:

1) Move the ball an inch or two towards your front foot.
2) Put a little bit more weight on your left side at address.
3) Focus on a shallow downswing, from the inside.

[kilbyman]

I think this, "SLOW DOWN STUPID." Give yourself enough time to stay on plane.

[CoolBreeze20]

Two things which were mentioned by the above posters....I put more weight on my left side at address, and really concentrate on temp and still hitting DOWN on the ball with long irons. A lot of players hit long irons thin cause they instinctively feel the need to "help" the ball in the air by losing their lag and flipping their wrist. Let the club's loft do all the work just like you do on a PW.

[Teklabz]

Good comments all, I found them quite helpful. Hopefully the OP does as well!

[sean_miller]

I'm a decent enough ball striker . . . I can use the same set of mechanics for any club between SW and 4 iron but the 3 iron just doesn't seem to work.

Get your 3-iron checked out. If you can comfortably hit a 4, a 3 should be fine. What irons are you hitting - maybe your 3 is like and older 2? Work it out or get an h.

[saevel25]

Long iron, same as all other irons. But what i heard from a Pro is that people want to help up a long iron, they don't think the loft can get the ball in the air. It can. My advice, take a divot.

[double_j]

Get your 3-iron checked out. If you can comfortably hit a 4, a 3 should be fine. What irons are you hitting - maybe your 3 is like and older 2? Work it out or get an h.

This could be a possibility but I doubt it's the clubs. I'm still playing 2005 (or 2006?) Taylormade TP RACs (forged cavity backs). I love the feel so much that I'm having a hard time letting them go.

The funny thing is that my iron game is generally one of my strengths and I have no problems with any other club. It's just that three iron that does something to my head and makes my swing mechanics go totally out the window!

[Rexx]

Replace with a 4h? Since hybrids tend to go further for most than the corresponding iron, this might work for you. I actually have a gap now between my 5h and 6i (175-185 yards), but make due by choking down on the 5h.

[Ben]

What are your swing thoughts for the long irons? Do you consider them differently than the rest of your irons or do you find that one iron swing fits all? For example, I find that I can use the same set of mechanics for any club between SW and 4 iron but the 3 iron just doesn't seem to work.

As mentioned by a few others. I like to think my swing for all clubs are the same. But obviously people have more chances to hit short to mid irons during a round and when its time to pull a long iron we tend to physc ourselves out. I'll always hit long a long iron when warming up. I heard that Jim Furyk will take 70% swings on the range with his long irons just to get a nice feel with them. Not looking for distance, but rather build confidence in contact. That's helped me.

Personally, when I'm practicing my long irons I like to focus on keep on plane, mainly by having the sensation of my right elbow being close to my torso. And as always, having a nice, smooth rhythm to my swing. I am absolutely in love with my long irons right now. Doesn't seem as though I'll lose this confidence either.

[jamo]

As mentioned by a few others. I like to think my swing for all clubs are the same. But obviously people have more chances to hit short to mid irons during a round and when its time to pull a long iron we tend to physc ourselves out. I'll always hit long a long iron when warming up. I heard that Jim Furyk will take 70% swings on the range with his long irons just to get a nice feel with them. Not looking for distance, but rather build confidence in contact. That's helped me.

I think in the most recent Golf Digest Tom Watson said that he used to (still does?) warm up with his 3 iron because if he was hitting it well he had a ton of confidence because it is a tough club to hit, and if he was doing sort of poorly he could just tell himself that it is a hard club to hit, so he wouldn't get discouraged. It seems logical to me.

My long game thoughts are just to swing down on the ball, nothing really different from the other clubs.

[bruce]

I hit it with the same tempo as an 8 iron or sand wedge

[tterrag]

I feel like I have a bit of a flatter swing because its a longer club, but I still take a divot. I think Tiger is the best at long irons, so check out a vid of him on youtube.
Hope this helps,
Garrett

[The Recreational Golfer]

I used to have this one swing thought when I was hitting my long irons, and this one alone -- "I should be hitting a hybrid."

[double_j]

I used to have this one swing thought when I was hitting my long irons, and this one alone -- "I should be hitting a hybrid."

LOL - that's great.

FWIW - this board's advice worked well. My new 3 iron swing thought is "it's just like any other club" and it seemed to work really well. I played a longer course last weekend and was very consistent with my 3 iron contact.