5-4 Irons and Driver - I couldn't hit them to save my own life.

[Sandy Trap]

Please help me before I stick myself in the eye with a sharp stick.

When it comes to my Irons, 6-P, I hit them all great.  The ball is consistently straight and long.  For example, I am hitting my 7i consistently between 175-200 yards and dead straight at the range.  I'm not sure if all of you would consider 200 yds with a 7i to be long, but it feels good to me.

I am having trouble geting air under my 5-4 Irons, especially the 4.  It's terrible.  The ball doesn't get any height and goes probably 150 yards if i'm lucky.  It is consistently terrible; not sometimes; every time.

The same goes for my Driver.  I simply can't hit it.  I can never hit it straight or more than 100 yards.  I don't understand and it is frustrating.  It is honestly so bad that it makes me wonder if there is something physically wrong with the club; like a defect.  The club feels so much different in my hands that its awkward to swing.

I fell very confident with my 6-P irons because I know I hit them consistently well.  How are the other clubs so much different?

I plan on taking some lessons in the next few weeks but I was hoping to find some advice on here in the meantime.  I have been going to the range multiple times each week getting ready for the season.  How can I hit these lower clubs better?  ESPECIALLY my driver.  I don't want to break any world records... I just want to hit this thing straight and longer than my pitching wedge.

Here is some info about me if you think it will help:

Age: 23

Sex: Male

Height: 6'0"

Weight: 201 lbs

Clubs: Right

Club speed (7i): 88-90

Club speed (Driver): 100-105

The clubs in question: Cleveland CG16 Irons (Stiff) and a TM Burner 2.0 Driver (Stiff, 10.5)

My club speed numbers are from when I got fitted for my clubs this year, so I had not taken a swing in six months.  I'm sure it will continue to increase.

Any insight is greatly appreciated.  Thank you!

[applejr]

I'll let the vets way in, but it may hurt you that you have stiff shafts with that swing speed (if what you mentioned is accurate).

[Sandy Trap]

Originally Posted by applejr

I'll let the vets way in, but it may hurt you that you have stiff shafts with that swing speed (if what you mentioned is accurate).

I think I am right on the edge according to the chart they use at the store.  I went with stiff because when I was fitted, it was the first time I had touched a club in six months.  My swing speed is sure to increase by a lot.  I want to keep these clubs for a long time, so I was afraid I would outgrow reg shafts.

[Apotheosis]

My input , although its a guess so take it with a grain of salt, is that your ball position might be wrong. If your having trouble atleast with your long irons make sure the ball is more forward in your stance. I play my ball about a ball behind my armpit. My driver is about even with my armpit. A ball position to far back will cause very low flight and loss of distance. It will also cause your body to make more corrections in your swing then with shorter irons and correct ball position.

[Sandy Trap]

Originally Posted by Apotheosis

My input , although its a guess so take it with a grain of salt, is that your ball position might be wrong. If your having trouble atleast with your long irons make sure the ball is more forward in your stance. I play my ball about a ball behind my armpit. My driver is about even with my armpit.

A ball position to far back will cause very low flight and loss of distance. It will also cause your body to make more corrections in your swing then with shorter irons and correct ball position.

Thank you for the input.  I actually already do play my balls ahead in my stance... maybe even too far ahead sometimes.  I am going to take a couple privates because I need them badly!

[inthecup]

Sometimes people tend to get fast with the "long" clubs in their hands. It is actually better to swing slower and let the swing develop. Try hitting the 4 iron and driver at 50%. I'll bet you find they go a lot further then you might think. You could then slowly step it up to 80%. Swinging the long clubs at 120% is best left to the pros.

[Mr3Wiggle]

If you swing 105 with the driver, hit your 7 iron 200 yards, and can't get your lower lofted clubs off the ground, you may be hooding the face.  I'd see a golf professional to get this worked out.

[crawford1982]

i find 6i-sw a joy to hit and 5,4 very hard,3i i dont even try. its def worth sticking with it as this will increase your understanding of your own swing mechanics, i'd say there was a big difference in set up 5-3 compared to 6-sw. just what i've found, there are a load of guys on here who really know there stuff thatll probably help you a lot.

[carpediem4300]

im loving hitting my 3/4/5 irons off the deck at the minute,...possibly my most consistant clubs!!!

once you get over the fact that the loft albeit low doesnt require you to hit up on the ball,....and you start hitting down on the ball,....the trajectory and distance will vastly improve

[FutureTourPro]

Might Want to Shorten your swing with those clubs.. Which I am guessing you are getting to long with them. So try hitting the ball with your version of the 3/4 swing and it should put you back on track.. Also might be getting to quick with the back swing. Try pausing for 1 second at the top of your swing. Hope that helps haha that's what I do when I am hitting my long irons and driver poorly.

[MarkY]

Originally Posted by Sandy Trap

For example, I am hitting my 7i consistently between 175-200 yards and dead straight at the range.

I'm having a hard time understanding why you think you hit your 7 iron "consistently" when you have a 25 yard disparity. If you have that much of a distance difference, you are NOT hitting it consistently. Doesn't matter if it's 200 yards.

As for your longer irons..... hybrids are your friend.

[Sandy Trap]

Originally Posted by MarkY

I'm having a hard time understanding why you think you hit your 7 iron "consistently" when you have a 25 yard disparity. If you have that much of a distance difference, you are NOT hitting it consistently. Doesn't matter if it's 200 yards.

As for your longer irons..... hybrids are your friend.

The 25 yard disparity is due to me not knowing the exact distance; not that the distance is constantly different.  I don't go out on the range with a measuring tape, and the yardage signs are located at significant gaps from each other.  I believe you made an error in how you interpreted my post.

Thank you for all of the great advice, everyone.  I have been trying to swing faster with my lower irons, and from what I gather this is wrong.  My thought was that less loft means I need to swing faster to get the ball up.  It does feel rather strange to hit down on the ball with the low irons.

Mr3Wiggle: What do you mean by "hooding" the ball?  I feel like with my ball so far ahead in my stance, it would be hard for me to do this.  Maybe we are thinking about two different things.

Thanks again for all the help.

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by Sandy Trap

The 25 yard disparity is due to me not knowing the exact distance; not that the distance is constantly different.  I don't go out on the range with a measuring tape, and the yardage signs are located at significant gaps from each other.  I believe you made an error in how you interpreted my post.

Thank you for all of the great advice, everyone.  I have been trying to swing faster with my lower irons, and from what I gather this is wrong.  My thought was that less loft means I need to swing faster to get the ball up.  It does feel rather strange to hit down on the ball with the low irons.

Mr3Wiggle:  What do you mean by "hooding" the ball?  I feel like with my ball so far ahead in my stance, it would be hard for me to do this.  Maybe we are thinking about two different things.

Thanks again for all the help.

http://golf.about.com/od/golfterms/g/bldef_hooding.htm

[Taco]

I would have to agree with some of the other posters...

Sounds like you might be hooding or skulling the shorter irons, this would cause the ball to go pretty far but its uncontrolled.

I'm not an expert but around 200 yards with a 7i is a very long distance, I have some pretty good distance and my 7i goes about 150 when I hit it well...I think I read that Tiger Woods hits 7-irons about 175 on average.

A trip to see the pro should help...

[rustyredcab]

If you hit a "dead straight" 200 yard 7-iron, you do not need to ever hit a 5-4 iron. You can play good golf without them. Tee off with your 6-iron and be happy. When you break 90, figure out how to hit clubs even longer than your dead straight 6-iron.

However, the 200 yard 7-iron may not be real. I'm guessing more likely than a hooded club, is a range that is lying about yardages. Used to be a great marketing trick because guys felt better when they hit those signs with 250 or 300 on them even when they were nowhere near that far away.

Originally Posted by Sandy Trap

... For example, I am hitting my 7i consistently between 175-200 yards and dead straight at the range.  ...

[Phil McGleno]

No you're not. [quote name="Sandy Trap" url="/t/57046/5-4-irons-and-driver-i-couldnt-hit-them-to-save-my-own-life#post_699063"]For example, I am hitting my 7i consistently between 175-200 yards and dead straight at the range.[/quote]

[Sandy Trap]

Maybe you are right about the yardage being off.  My 58 degree wedge goes like 95 yds.  Does that seem outrageous too?

[Sandy Trap]

The yardage really had nothing to do with this thread anyway, so those of you with the negative responses are just being a-holes for the sake of being an a-hole.  I can say I hit my 7 iron dead straight 110 yards and it won't change this thread.