Iron Help for Rookie Golfer

[clarkwhowrites]

Hello!

I only started playing Golf this year.  I'm having a great time and I think I improve everytime I hit the course.  I feel good about where I am at with driving (certainly needs improvement but I feel like I'm in a good place for a rookie) and putting (not spectacular but the strongest part of my game)  but I am really struggling with Iron shots.

I either plop them 15-20 feet in front of me or roll them along the ground.  It makes me feel like an idiot!   What can I do to get better loft, distance, and control with my irons?  Any thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks!

[Glen75]

I am no pro but it sounds like your lifting your head early which can lead to thin shots. Try focusing on a spot on the ball or piece of grass between the club and ball until you arms naturally bring head up.

[saevel25]

Know you have loft on the club and stop trying to help the ball in the air. Your never going to deloft the club to the point were the ball wont get into the air.

1) check your ball position, is it to far back. Because if its to far back you go to release the club early and maybe jump into the ball earlier, which can cause skulling, or you stay back to much and hit it fat. If you start to play the ball forward more you have to get your weight forward, and your more likely going to hit the ball first. There are many ways for ball position with irons, some keep the position teh same, but vary the width of the stance. Others move the ball from close to the middle of the stance to a few inches off the inside of the front foot, but keep the same width of the stance. But i would say, never play a full shot with the ball behind the middle of your stance, unless you are hitting a low punch shot or a chip shot.

2) If i top it, i really concentrate on hitting the ball low with my normal ball position. To do this i got to keep my hands low through impact and get them ahead of the clubhead. i like to feel like i am pushing the palm of my right hand towards the target. So what this does it makes me concentrate on my hands more, i can't swing fast on this shot, or get the hands stuck behind me. This motion really keeps me down on the ball through impact. Usually if i do that i can really get back to staying balanced.

3) SLOW DOWN YOUR TEMPO, keep everything in sync. my tops come from being to fast with the hips or the upper body. When i am swing in sync its tough to top or fat the ball.

[jlund]

I'll second tempo...  As a beginner, you have to get it through your head that a smooth, even tempo will lead to cleaner contact.

[davieboy1872]

Tempo is everything. Slow your swing down so that it feels overly exaggeratedly slow (are those real words? They are now:-D) Stay still on back swing (don't sway your hips) then on the down swing a little gentle lean left (for a righty) and a smooth down swing. Light grip pressure also.

[FuzzyB1]

As anti-ohio state I am , I have to agree with saevel25...you have to make sure you are striking the ball on your downswing and not "helping" to get it in the air by lifting it.  Also, make sure you ball position is consistent.

Sorry saevel25, but I bleed Maize & Blue!!

[Jarrod Putnam]

I was having the same issue. I could bomb my driver but my iron play was sickening to say the least...As Glen said, it sounds like you are lifting your head at the last second. What fixed my ball striking was just SLOW DOWN. Focus on keeping your eyes down at the ball. I know it gets old hearing that from people (my dad would say it to me all the time, thus starting an argument) but the simple things can cause the biggest problems.