hitting low irons - any tips?

[itsamomentintime]

I was hoping for a few tips on hitting low irons, a part of my game that really gets me down. Any advice on ball and hand positions would be great.

It seems that as soon as I pull out anything lower that a 6, all my swing thoughts and routines go out of the window and its back to Hacker McShanky.

Would getting a fairway 3 wood be an alternative?

 

[Capella]

Have you tried hybrids? They work well for me instead of longer irons. The advantage they have over a wood is that they are a bit more versatile (I find it really hard to hit a 3- or 5-wood from anywhere but a flat fairway lie, while I can hit my 3 hybrid from light rough or even fairway bunkers). The downside is that the ballflight is a bit higher than with a long iron, so if you play in heavy winds, they are harder to control.

 

[itsamomentintime]

Have you tried hybrids? They work well for me instead of longer irons. The advantage they have over a wood is that they are a bit more versatile (I find it really hard to hit a 3- or 5-wood from anywhere but a flat fairway lie, while I can hit my 3 hybrid from light rough or even fairway bunkers). The downside is that the ballflight is a bit higher than with a long iron, so if you play in heavy winds, they are harder to control.

do you use your hybrid as a 3/4/5 iron replacement?

 

[User62651]

Techniques-
Correct ball position which encourages good ball striking i.e hands are a little ahead of the ball at impact and club plane is still on the downward path at strike from a nice wide arc.
Knock down shots are shorter easier swings with a longer iron and ball back position to keep it spinning less when trying to play under the wind, common on seaside courses.

Gear-
A players iron has a higher centre of gravity than a game improvers iron so will help hit the ball a little lower and a more penetrating flight (only if you can middle it though).
A stiffer flex shaft will also help keep it lower.

 

[BubbaP]

OP, you may wish to clarify if this is about hitting irons on a lower trajectory, or hitting the longer and lower numbered irons.

It typically becomes harder to strike the ball well the longer the shaft, what do you have that is lower than a 6-iron (including non-irons), and how do you hit them?

 

[bobmac]

I would guess the OP has problems hitting his low/long irons, not hitting his irons low

 

[Lump]

A hybrid will never replace a long iron for versatility. Hybrids are very one dimensional through design.

My tip for long irons, try and hit them out the toe. Its tends to give me a slightly flatter entry into the ball. Which is what is needed for longer irons.

 

[Face breaker]

I was hoping for a few tips on hitting low irons, a part of my game that really gets me down. Any advice on ball and hand positions would be great.

It seems that as soon as I pull out anything lower that a 6, all my swing thoughts and routines go out of the window and its back to Hacker McShanky.

Would getting a fairway 3 wood be an alternative?

Ah yes, good ole '6 iron syndrome' where everything from a 6i up is superb but put a 5i in yer hands and it all goes knockers up, really don't know why I bother carrying a 5i in my bag, just takes up room that another fairway hybrid could occupy...

The fact that I don't even use it is the stupid bit about it...

 

[Capella]

do you use your hybrid as a 3/4/5 iron replacement?

I do have a 5 iron and use that whenever I need to keep the ball low (either because there are branches in the way or because I want to keep it under the wind), but I am more confident with my 25° hybrid (which goes about the same distance, but with a higher ballflight and therefore a bit more carry and a bit less roll). I do play long bump and run shots with the 5 iron, which is something I don't feel I can do with the hybrid. I also play a 3 hybrid (22°) which goes further. That one I can keep relatively low. When I hit it off the tee I can influence the height of the ballflight through the tee height relatively well, so hit a high shot which stops quickly on the green of a par 3 or hit a lower shot which will run out on the fairway. I also feel that I can shape it into a draw or hit a straight shot. I can't fade it, but I can't fade my irons either, so I would not class the hybrid as less versatile because of that I know some people even use a hybrid to putt off the fringe, to make the ball hop over the first bit of uneven ground, but I find that very awkward. It is just too long and the lie angle is completely different from my putter. It just does not feel like I have any control over it when I do that.

 

[brendy]

I found with long irons it's about speed through the ball not hitting at the ball. I carry a 1i now that I commit beyond the ball, the rest kind of looks after itself.

 

[patricks148]

i would practice more with long irons or have a lesson to show you how to hit them if its that much of an issue.

 

[the_coach]

OP do you know what your clubhead speed is with a 5i/6i ?

 

[ScienceBoy]

My pro had me hitting with the ball in line with my lead foot.

Really helped, yet to take it to the course though.

 

[SocketRocket]

A hybrid will never replace a long iron for versatility. Hybrids are very one dimensional through design.

My tip for long irons, try and hit them out the toe. Its tends to give me a slightly flatter entry into the ball. Which is what is needed for longer irons.

With respect a hybrid can replace a long iron, they can be hit high or low with the correct technique.

 

[Lump]

With respect a hybrid can replace a long iron, they can be hit high or low with the correct technique.

They can be hit lower. But no where near as low as the same lofted iron.

 

[itsamomentintime]

OP, you may wish to clarify if this is about hitting irons on a lower trajectory, or hitting the longer and lower numbered irons.

It typically becomes harder to strike the ball well the longer the shaft, what do you have that is lower than a 6-iron (including non-irons), and how do you hit them?

yes its hitting low irons - i have 4/5 below 6

 

[itsamomentintime]

OP do you know what your clubhead speed is with a 5i/6i ?

no but i will find out next lesson

 

[Hosel Fade]

I was hoping for a few tips on hitting low irons, a part of my game that really gets me down. Any advice on ball and hand positions would be great.

It seems that as soon as I pull out anything lower that a 6, all my swing thoughts and routines go out of the window and its back to Hacker McShanky.

Would getting a fairway 3 wood be an alternative?

Any idea how much speed you are generating? Without a certain degree of speed a lot of irons below a certain loft will end up going very similar distances. Still important to remember to still strike downwards and not try helping it in the air.

 

[YamiKuriboh]

A mental tip that has helped me is to aim for a distance closer in to where you actually want the ball to go - so if the green is 150 yards+ I would think about a point around 100 yards away.

This has really helped me with my long irons. I found that I was anxious about needing so much distance and would try and hit the ball really hard and hit a fast swing. The inevitable duff/topped shot would happen. By thinking about hitting it shorter it has really helped my swing tempo.