Losing distance with my irons...

[onthehunt526]

Recently I've been playing quite a bit.... and I've been noticing that I've been losing a lot of distance in my irons... (well like a club and in some cases a club and a half)... I'm 6'6" and 25 years old... I hit the ball relatively high... I like that because it stops dead on greens that run away... but I was getting more distance even earlier in the season...

Would widening my stance help?

[WUTiger]

Originally Posted by onthehunt526

Recently I've been playing quite a bit....

Any chance you're overswinging on the backswing? In past seasons when I could play a lot, I sometimes would get pumped up and start getting high, weak shots.

A quick check by the local pro usually revealed overswinging, resulting in loss of balance and fewer solid hits on follow-through.

This year I'm doing other things wrong, but that was the problem circa 2009.

[Blacksheep]

I think maybe WUTiger nailed it. A weak shot tends to be a timing issue. Maybe over swing and using upper body to pull the club square because of a longer back swing. Just try taking half swings at the range and i think you will find everything coming thru the ball instead of just upper body. Hope that makes sense to you.

[Derek Ong]

I had that issue not too long ago. I know i can hit it much further but at that time, i was really struggling and lost a lot of my "natural" distance.

The solution for me: I was putting too much weight towards the heel and arch of my feet. Once i realized that, moving my weight back to the balls of my feet instantly fixed it, permanently now.

I know some people have different weight distribution preferences (some advocate balanced between balls of feet and hell, some say more heel, some say "suction cup" to the ground, etc) but the more i see the pros, where they setup the club below (towards body) the ball, and then move their body forward (towards ball) and place the club square to the ball - the more i think they have more weight on the balls of their feet and really not much on their heels.

I know it worked wonders for me.

[showtime583]

I had the same issue last season.....figured out I was "sweeping" the ball with my irons too much and wasn't compressing the ball properly. The shots I was hitting didn't feel "flush", but still flew straight and high.

Is this the same feeling you're getting?

I remedied the this by going to the range a few times and taking half/three-quarter swings and really focusing on compressing the ball and hitting down-and-through more as opposed to "sweeping". Hope this is useful.....

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by showtime583

I had the same issue last season.....figured out I was "sweeping" the ball with my irons too much and wasn't compressing the ball properly. The shots I was hitting didn't feel "flush", but still flew straight and high.

Is this the same feeling you're getting?

I remedied the this by going to the range a few times and taking half/three-quarter swings and really focusing on compressing the ball and hitting down-and-through more as opposed to "sweeping". Hope this is useful.....

Bingo!

[Mitcheman21]

You may be coming over the top? When I lose distance with my irons, which costs me loads of shot and the respect of my playing partners by dumping it in the front bunker after claiming I really could get my 7 back there. I am usually coming ott

[mnshooter]

Originally Posted by showtime583

I had the same issue last season.....figured out I was "sweeping" the ball with my irons too much and wasn't compressing the ball properly. The shots I was hitting didn't feel "flush", but still flew straight and high.

Is this the same feeling you're getting?

I remedied the this by going to the range a few times and taking half/three-quarter swings and really focusing on compressing the ball and hitting down-and-through more as opposed to "sweeping". Hope this is useful.....

I'm having the same issue.

Can you explain more about how you are compressing the ball and hitting down?  Are you literally trying to hit the ball into the ground?  Or do you just have a forward leaning shaft and the angle of attack is just slightly downward?  I've been trying to hit down but it seems the more my hands are in front of the ball the more the face is open and I can't really integrate it into my full swing.  When I try this though I can hit half swings nearly as far as a full swing.

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by mnshooter

I'm having the same issue.

Can you explain more about how you are compressing the ball and hitting down?  Are you literally trying to hit the ball into the ground?  Or do you just have a forward leaning shaft and the angle of attack is just slightly downward?  I've been trying to hit down but it seems the more my hands are in front of the ball the more the face is open and I can't really integrate it into my full swing.  When I try this though I can hit half swings nearly as far as a full swing.

http://thesandtrap.com/t/38588/flipping-at-impact-master-thread

Check this out.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by showtime583

I had the same issue last season.....figured out I was "sweeping" the ball with my irons too much and wasn't compressing the ball properly. The shots I was hitting didn't feel "flush", but still flew straight and high.

Is this the same feeling you're getting?

I remedied the this by going to the range a few times and taking half/three-quarter swings and really focusing on compressing the ball and hitting down-and-through more as opposed to "sweeping". Hope this is useful.....

I used to do this up until a couple seasons ago. I tried to be a picker but I'm no Tom Watson. I'll never turn the sod like Hal Sutton or Mark McCumber or Bubba, but sometimes a healthy divot is required.

[showtime583]

Originally Posted by mnshooter

I'm having the same issue.

Can you explain more about how you are compressing the ball and hitting down?  Are you literally trying to hit the ball into the ground?  Or do you just have a forward leaning shaft and the angle of attack is just slightly downward?  I've been trying to hit down but it seems the more my hands are in front of the ball the more the face is open and I can't really integrate it into my full swing.  When I try this though I can hit half swings nearly as far as a full swing.

Hmmm....well I'm not an instructor, nor am I qualified to give advice, but here goes nothing....I'm not trying to hit the ball into the ground, but am trying to get more of a "pinch" feeling as opposed to a "sweep".....One of my favorite swing thoughts (as a righty) is to feel like i'm "bitch-slapping" the back of the ball with the back of my left hand at impact. This helps me accentuate the hitting "down and through" feeling.

[DocParty]

I can say that hitting down on the ball and then through it is all that is required.

Way too many golfers use a much too far back swing. If you take a half to three/quarter back swing and actually hit down on the ball and follow through, you'll be amazed.

If you can't follow through, you are hitting down too much; if you never feel the resistance at the moment of impact or compressing the ball, you're not hitting down into it enough.

When you can hit down and through the ball and take that 'as seen on TV' divot the pros take and 'never even feel it', then you'll have the best of both worlds.

Doc

[phillyk]

Originally Posted by DocParty

I can say that hitting down on the ball and then through it is all that is required.

Way too many golfers use a much too far back swing. If you take a half to three/quarter back swing and actually hit down on the ball and follow through, you'll be amazed.

If you can't follow through, you are hitting down too much; if you never feel the resistance at the moment of impact or compressing the ball, you're not hitting down into it enough.

When you can hit down and through the ball and take that 'as seen on TV' divot the pros take and 'never even feel it', then you'll have the best of both worlds.

Doc

I think that not only knowing the difference between the 2 swings, but being able to swing both when you want to is important.  Around 70-90 yards, depending on how wet/dry or just how the ball is laying, I'll intentionally play a more sweeping wedge knowing that it'll take yards off, because it feels like I'll get better contact and not take as big a divot.  I've gotten to the point with that in mind, I can put the ball just as close if not closer than I would with a "steeper" or more compressed swing.  For me, within 130yds, it's all about feel and what I think will put the ball close to the pin. I'll do shots that most people think incorrect, but if I KNOW i can make it work, I'll do it.