Differences Between Driver Swing and Iron Swing (Driver Swing vs. Iron Swing Master Thread)

[onephenom]

I've been spending a ton of time working on my irons, and hitting down on the ball this season.  I'm getting much more consistent iron shots, but my driver started fading.  I am not a big hitter, but I usually put it right down the middle of the fairway with my driver.  Yesterday I was out golfing, and on the last hole, after hitting another fade from the tee box, I decided to use my old swing (before I started hitting down) and it went perfectly straight, and about 30 yards longer than I'd been hitting all day. I'm not sure if you're supposed to use different swings, but I know that it made a huge difference for me.  I went and hit a bucket of balls after my round to see if I could do it again, and I was able to consistently hit my driver straight.  For me, I bring my driver around on a flatter plane and it works.  With my irons, I have to bring it back pretty steep in order to hit down on the ball. I'd love to hear some feedback from others to see if there's any science behind this, or if I'm just crazy.

You're not crazy, if it hit the ball further :) Most likely it's setup related, I would think, or not actually making the same swing as the irons. A lot of people tee up too far forward in the stance

[PirateJim]

I don't think you need a whole "different swing" for the driver, but from what I have been learning and experiencing there are 'differences' between a driver swing and a seven iron.  The iron, being shorter, is going to have a 'shorter' and steeper swing, and I find it seems best to get my wrists cocked sooner than I sense doing with the driver.  As said, the driver is more a sweeping shot just because of the differences in shaft length.  You can't really hit the two clubs the same, even if you wanted to, so you need to embrace the difference.

Edit: Steeper  may not be the best word for the iron swing since that may imply different things to different folks, but I'm not sure what the best word would be.

[onephenom]

Originally Posted by PirateJim

I don't think you need a whole "different swing" for the driver, but from what I have been learning and experiencing there are 'differences' between a driver swing and a seven iron.  The iron, being shorter, is going to have a 'shorter' and steeper swing, and I find it seems best to get my wrists cocked sooner than I sense doing with the driver.  As said, the driver is more a sweeping shot just because of the differences in shaft length.  You can't really hit the two clubs the same, even if you wanted to, so you need to embrace the difference.

Edit: Steeper  may not be the best word for the iron swing since that may imply different things to different folks, but I'm not sure what the best word would be.

Higher angle of attack would be a good term.

[cutshot878]

My backswing "feel" is the same for irons and woods. But I have two different downswing "feels."  With the driver and 3 wood  I "feel" like I just initiate the downswing with the lower body (mostly a big left hip clearing move) and the arms and hands "feel"  completely "passive" and the club head just freewheels toward the ball.

With the irons, It is the opposite: I "feel" like I'm keeping my hips static (not allowing them to move) and I'm using my arms and hands to make a slightly over the top move to initiate the downswing. This allows me to be "on plane" with the irons. If I "feel" like I'm keeping the arms and hands passive (on the downswing) and I'm clearing my left hip I hit the ball on the heel or the hosel with the irons---I come into impact under the plane.  So this kind of "over the top" feel with the irons lets me hit the ball in the center of the clubface. The same kind of move with the Driver and 3 wood would be too steep and I would sky and pop up my drives. The club is too long and I don't have the strength to "feel like" I'm just using my arms and hands. I "feel" like I need my lower body to power the swing. Keeping the arms and hands "passive" and focusing more on the lower body "feels" like it  allows the clubhead to approach the ball on a more shallow arc. Or more on plane.   I'm sure that on video both swings look identical. But with very different "feels."   That mysterious 6 inches between the ears in which the game is played. I have a stocky build so perhaps the conventional swing "feels" and using the same swing to hit all clubs doesn't work for me. I recently watched a young guy (25) hit a 300 yard (carry) drive. He then proceeded to swing his sand wedge (from 100 yards) with the same hard swing that he used with the driver. He had no control. A 3/4 pitching wedge or 1/2 Nine iron would have made him look like a skilled golfer.   He had the power but lacked the finesse and "feel" of someone who had been playing the game for many years.

[boil3rmak3r]

I am not saying this as a recommendation to others, but I do have 1 swing thought/feel for my driver compared to my irons. With my normal "flat" swing, I can get too much draw/hook on my tee balls. It's nearly impossible for me to fade. I don't have this problem with my irons. After a lot of trial and error, I now try to get my arm plane a little higher on the backswing with my driver (I don't think about the downswing). With this thought, I can still hit a draw. Not only that, but putting the ball a little more forward in my stance than normal actually allows me to hit a somewhat consistent fade when I have to. Again, I wish I didn't have to think differently with my driver, but it's the only thing that works for me.

[chdduncan]

Swinging with a driver is an upward impact and an iron is a downward impact.

[zappa417]

Besides the obvious differences in ball position and slightly more upper body tilt with the driver, I feel that the difference is primarily the quantity of left forearm rotation (for righty) because of the difference in length and therefore a flatter swing plane for the driver.  The flatter swing plane takes a little more work to get the butt of the club pointing to the target line (behind the ball).  It has taken me quite some time and suffering to understand this and put it to work on the course.  My irons were always better until I got a couple of driving lessons - then my irons suffered a bit.

I then came to this conclusion and put it to work successfully:  besides the obvious setup differences, the driver simply requires more forearm rotation and slightly more shoulder turn.

[dchoye]

I think that there is signifigant differences in the wood vs iron swing.

Set up and visualization difference too.

I tend to hit a controlled hook with my driver. I take the right side of the fairway out of play.

With the irons I like the high fade, I aim for the fairway or the green, whereas the driver/3w/5w I like to play the ball away from the OB or the edge of the fairway rather than aiming to a certain spot of the fairway or green.

I cut my handicap to 10 by doing this.

[Strandly]

Are you supposed to hinge your wrists on a driver swing like with an iron?

[mvmac]

Are you supposed to hinge your wrists on a driver swing like with an iron?

Yes it's the same swing with some set-up adjustments.

[Mr Smell Good]

My iron and driver swings are actually a lot different. With my driver I focus on taking the club back low and extending as much as possible and therefore my arc is a lot bigger than with my irons.

This pretty much describes mine as well.