How to Hit Irons

Improving your irons in golf is a great way to start attacking the target and hit better shots. Learn more about swinging and hitting your irons in this golf video.

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Clip grass after ball
Solid contact
Play natural mistakes
Aim accordingly

About this Author

Jay Golden has been a PGA Member since 1982 and was selected for the PGA National Teaching Committee in 1988. He has taught golfers of all levels ranging from stark beginners to professionals on the PGA and LPGA Tours. He has written hundreds of instruction articles and a book with the all-time winningest golfer of official tour events, Kathy Whitworth, entitled "Kathy Whitworth's Little Book of Golf Wisdom." He has also made numerous appearances on TV, has lectured on the topic of "How To Teach Golf" to PGA Members, and is an accomplished golfer and long driver.

JAY GOLDEN: How to hit a middle iron. In general, a middle iron is a difficult club to hit because of the lack of loft on the club. You have to hit the ball quite squarely and today, with very tight lies, fairways today, the grass is so low that there's no opportunity to scoop the ball or make small mistakes. So you basically have 2 options when you're going to hit a middle iron. Number 1 is to try to hit the perfect shot. And basically, to hit a perfect shot with a middle iron, impact, which is the most important part, you want to clip the grass after hitting the ball. You want to clip the grass after hitting the ball, something like that. Clip that grass after hitting the ball. And that is going to help you get solid contact, it's going to give you a little more backspin, its going hit the ball straighter, and it is not easy to do, especially today on these very tight, low grass fairways. Your 6 iron, 5 iron, middle irons, to hit those solidly, you want to clip the grass right after hitting the ball. When you see the tour players, you don't see them taking a deep divot with a middle iron. You see them sweeping with a slight clipping of the grass. Probably, a more realistic way of hitting middle irons, however, is to play your natural mistake. In other words, if you normally slice the ball, aim left of the target and play your slice. Instead of aiming straight, aim left and you hit your big old slice, and hopefully it's going to be on the target. If you normally hit a big hook instead of trying to hit that perfect shot, aim to the right and play that big old hook that you know you can hit. Middle irons are not easy for any golfer of any level. If you want to work on your perfect swing, try to clip that grass after hitting the ball. But more realistically, when you're on the course, play your natural shot and you'll hit your best middle irons.

How to Hit Irons Video

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