How to hit irons that start low and take off like a damn rocket

[SoundandFury]

Played a round with buddy yesterday who's pro.  Besides insane consistency, one thing I noticed he could do is hit this iron shot that had an extremely penetrating flight:  it would take off low but then it would seemingly rise and gain altitude; besides being super cool to look at, it served him well on several shot where he wanted to work the ball to a back left/right pin but was initially blocked out on either side (whereas I had to play a much larger draw or fade to work around the obstruction).

Anyone have any idea how this is done?  I can play low shots at will, but they don't look anything like this.  Is this a knockdown or stinger, or whatever it's being called now?

[Shorty]

It is called being an extremely strong player.

The answer to your question is in the same area that you'll find out how to hit a 4 iron from 220 metres from a sandy lie sand over a greenside bunker.

Or how to hit 300 metre drives over dog legs and lakes.

Or how to shoot 3 point baskets consistently from 15 yards out. :-)

[SoundandFury]

It is called being an extremely strong player.

The answer to your question is in the same area that you'll find out how to hit a 4 iron from 220 metres from a sandy lie sand over a greenside bunker.

Or how to hit 300 metre drives over dog legs and lakes.

Or how to shoot 3 point baskets consistently from 15 yards out. :-)

Interesting.  I'm not a short hitter (150 yd 9 iron, 280ish off the tee), and I hit pretty crisp irons, but for the life of me I couldn't figure out how to do this.  I will say though that at impact when he hit these shots it sounded pretty damn solid, and he is significantly longer than me.

So what you're saying is swing harder...

[Mr. Desmond]

Try turning down your lead wrist at impact - delofting, and then allow spin to let the ball rise

At the least, have a flat left wrist at impact - and that typically means have a lot of weight forward.

[mvmac]

So what you're saying is swing harder...

No I don't think Shorty was saying that at all.  He's saying you can't necessarily learn how to hit a shot like that, why he provided the examples he did.  It's not like "how do I hit a draw?".  It's a combination of speed, good impact alignments and talent.

Most pros hit their long irons high (higher than you might expect) and their short irons lower.  How do they do this?  The ball is played farther back, about middle of the stance, and they make more of a shoulder height to shoulder height swing.  Yes there are time where they try to launch the short irons but most of the time they "flight" the shorter clubs.

Here's Hunter Mahan, 7 iron compared to wedge.

Charles Howell, 5 iron and 9 iron

[Golfingdad]

Or how to shoot 3 point baskets consistently from 15 yards out. :-)

Whoa! I want to meet this guy! ;)

[flopster]

Look how straight Mahan's arms are he's just sending that club low into the ball to get the type of strike the OP is talking about and probably a very square face that will give the ball lift.

[Golfingdad]

The type of clubs pros tend to use (irons NOT designed to help you get the ball airborne) probably plays a role as well.

[mvmac]

Most pros hit their long irons high (higher than you might expect) and their short irons lower.  How do they do this?  The ball is played farther back, about middle of the stance, and they make more of a shoulder height to shoulder height swing.  Yes there are time where they try to launch the short irons but most of the time they "flight" the shorter clubs.

lol just saw this

[Pretzel]

I can't exactly hit the shot that you're describing, when I try it doesn't rise as dramatically as I always visualize it doing, but the basic idea of it is trying to hit a low shot with a lot of spin.

One drill I find fun that helps with trajectory control is as follows:

1) Learn how to estimate heights (I was terrible at this at first)

2) Using a 7-iron, try to first hit a shot 10 yards above the ground. You're likely going to have to move it back, swing more with the arms etc. to flight it down

3) Hit a second shot, but this time try to hit it 40 feet above the ground.

4) Continue the process, hitting a ball 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and even 60 yards in the air with your 7-iron. Work your way up and down, or jump around randomly if you like. Just remember to name your target height before you hit the shot.

Doing this has not only helped me with my trajectory control, but it also was extremely beneficial to my ballstriking as well. Instead of just trying to hit "a good shot" I had a specific goal in mind which ended up distracting me from worrying so much about contact on the face. It also helps that I had to make good contact if I ever wanted to get a 7-iron up 50 yards in the air.

[SoundandFury]

The type of clubs pros tend to use (irons NOT designed to help you get the ball airborne) probably plays a role as well.

I was wondering if this might be part of it.  I play cavity backs, and my buddy was playing nike blades.

[GreenIn2]

Played a round with buddy yesterday who's pro.  Besides insane consistency, one thing I noticed he could do is hit this iron shot that had an extremely penetrating flight:  it would take off low but then it would seemingly rise and gain altitude; besides being super cool to look at, it served him well on several shot where he wanted to work the ball to a back left/right pin but was initially blocked out on either side (whereas I had to play a much larger draw or fade to work around the obstruction). Anyone have any idea how this is done?  I can play low shots at will, but they don't look anything like this.  Is this a knockdown or stinger, or whatever it's being called now?

Well, I'd say your best bet in figuring this out is just ask your friend how it works seeing that the chances of a pro player answering this question for you on here is slim to none. and if your looking to surprise him I'd try YouTube, you get explanations and a video from a very experienced player/tutor. I'd just ask, then drop some balls and give it a shot.

[SoundandFury]

Well, I'd say your best bet in figuring this out is just ask your friend how it works seeing that the chances of a pro player answering this question for you on here is slim to none. and if your looking to surprise him I'd try YouTube, you get explanations and a video from a very experienced player/tutor. I'd just ask, then drop some balls and give it a shot.

Fair enough.  He's out of town for a couple weeks, and I'm a ridiculously curious golf nerd.

[GreenIn2]

Fair enough.  He's out of town for a couple weeks, and I'm a ridiculously curious golf nerd.

now that's funny, I would give some advice but mine has always just came to me after a lot of practice... I mean A LOT of it. 60+ holes every weekend. So for me to think that someone can just turn a club head and it will go farther is to me, not real. It's how you stand, hold the club, place your ball, shuffle your weight, up swing, weight again, shoulders, down swing, weight, hands, hips, arms, head. toooo many things. seeing as how you mentioned your already good. it's probably something stupid that only seeing your swing in person will allow for a positive piece of advice be made. . that's just me. even with that being said I still search tips for a buddy of mine who is just beginning. 300+ drive on a good hole but can never let it go when he has s bad hole so his game is bouncing around. then I tell him what I read and he's better again. . that's weird you want lower balls, I had to work my @$$ off to get lift on my clubs now it's too much. some more then others.. still improving so that's good. geez this golf has over run my life I just can't stop.

[SoundandFury]

now that's funny, I would give some advice but mine has always just came to me after a lot of practice... I mean A LOT of it. 60+ holes every weekend. So for me to think that someone can just turn a club head and it will go farther is to me, not real. It's how you stand, hold the club, place your ball, shuffle your weight, up swing, weight again, shoulders, down swing, weight, hands, hips, arms, head. toooo many things. seeing as how you mentioned your already good. it's probably something stupid that only seeing your swing in person will allow for a positive piece of advice be made. . that's just me. even with that being said I still search tips for a buddy of mine who is just beginning. 300+ drive on a good hole but can never let it go when he has s bad hole so his game is bouncing around. then I tell him what I read and he's better again. . that's weird you want lower balls, I had to work my @$$ off to get lift on my clubs now it's too much. some more then others.. still improving so that's good. geez this golf has over run my life I just can't stop.

Tell me about it.

I'm similar to your buddy.  Started off today with 4 straight pars, was chipping from just off on a looooooooong par 4, ended up 3 putting for double and it was off to the f***ing races.  Struggled the rest of the day.

I don't want lower iron flight on all my shots, in fact I love that being able to hit a high 4 or 5, and a sky high 8 or 9 that lands soft.  But for those few time where I want to go under something, I'd like to be able to hit it low AND almost as far without have to club up 2-3 clubs and run it all the way up.  I generally use my 4i for these shots and it's a complete dice roll whether it stops 5 yards short, pin high, or rolls through the green.  Hence why I want a shot that starts low and then gains some height for a softer landing.

[GreenIn2]

Tell me about it.   I'm similar to your buddy.  Started off today with 4 straight pars, was chipping from just off on a looooooooong par 4, ended up 3 putting for double and it was off to the f***ing races.  Struggled the rest of the day.   I don't want lower iron flight on all my shots, in fact I love that being able to hit a high 4 or 5, and a sky high 8 or 9 that lands soft.  But for those few time where I want to go under something, I'd like to be able to hit it low AND almost as far without have to club up 2-3 clubs and run it all the way up.  I generally use my 4i for these shots and it's a complete dice roll whether it stops 5 yards short, pin high, or rolls through the green.  Hence why I want a shot that starts low and then gains some height for a softer landing.

I like sky high, it makes me happy. I hear you bud.. lady bud.. I've only needed that on wedge with an awfull lye. I make it happen by just slightly (ever so slightly) shifting the ball toward my back foot and adding my shoulders into the mix. The wedge is my most strongest and most favorable club fyi... anyways, yeah I rotate my shoulders which I usually won't do then I power house it. it feels awful but itt goes flat and has the spin to stop it on the green. the long irons are similar (supposedly). Ball closer to your back foot so contact is at the very lowest of your down swing arc, just before it flattens or hits the ground. It sounds hard to do, so I figured it will come with experience. I have horrible accuracy with my long irons and that would mean more aiming troubles. Rock on with 4 pars back to back, mine were spread out

[Pretzel]

I love that being able to hit a high 4 or 5, and a sky high 8 or 9 that lands soft.

I remember someone in a tournament once telling me he loved how hitting shots high in the air meant they landed soft and stopped nearby. I didn't argue with him at all on the point, but he had an 8-iron approach that same hole that hit a really weird spot on the green and bounced so high we thought it had landed on the cartpath beyond the green. After finding his ball just behind the green in the rough we all gave him a hard time about how his ball really "landed softly and stopped" on that approach shot.

[GreenIn2]

I remember someone in a tournament once telling me he loved how hitting shots high in the air meant they landed soft and stopped nearby. I didn't argue with him at all on the point, but he had an 8-iron approach that same hole that hit a really weird spot on the green and bounced so high we thought it had landed on the cartpath beyond the green. After finding his ball just behind the green in the rough we all gave him a hard time about how his ball really "landed softly and stopped" on that approach shot.

that can be an issue to, go so high that it sinks 100% into the ground. I'm not even sure what kind of rules are made on a situation like that. anyone know, cause I play with friends so I've always just pulled it out. what's the legal approach to take