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Thread: long irons

  1. #1
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    long irons

    Hi all,

    What if anything do you change in your swing when you hit the 3, 4 iron? That is, is there any difference other than standing further from the ball at address when hitting these irons as opposed to hitting the 7, 8 and 9?

    I find that I'm not getting the distance I should from these clubs and could use some swing thoughts. Thanks.
    When teeing off, don't stand too close to the ball after you've hit it.

  2. #2
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    It depends on the school of golf. A majority of people will also say move the ball up further in their stance than your mid to short irons.

    I fixed this problem years ago by going to a 7wood, and now even have a Hybrid 9 for my 4i.

  3. #3
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    My guess is that you are not hitting down. Many people look at that flat face and try to help it up... this will never work.

    If you have the sweeping swing with long clubs then the fairway woods and hybrids may be your best answer as suggested above.
    Cheers,
    Jay

  4. #4
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    long irons contd.

    Thanks guys.

    I do hit down. I want to get good at long irons, so I don't plan to go with hybrids unless I really crash and burn.

    I figured out how to hit down this spring with the help of a friend. The difference is night and day! My problem is just contacting the long irons well.. I feel confident with a 5 iron. But as soon as I pick up the 4 I feel iffy. I tend to hit it a bit low trajectory wise, and send it a bit left. Same with the 3. I appreciate any tips.

    Montana
    When teeing off, don't stand too close to the ball after you've hit it.

  5. #5
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    U could try choaking down on ur 4 and pretending its a 5 that u hit well just to get the feel and then when confident that the club will do the job stop choaking down and then do the same with the 3 of course if that works u might be looking 4 a 2.LOL

    I play all irons toward the front of my stance and just move my back foot in to narrow it with the higher lofted irons. That way ur brain gets used to the same ball position every time.
    Every set should come with a 2 iron!
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  6. #6
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    I did try to reshaft 3 and 4 with rilfe airlite (higher trajectory than rifle flighted), cut them to the same length as 5 iron, can hit them alright now (3-4 out 5 compared 1/5 before). But not nearly as consistent and effortless as hitting my 22 and 26* hybrid. it's different sensation hitting these long ones, like I almost have to go all out: snap the left leg and smack down with slight sweeping, club is harder to be squared consistently under these all outs swings. I'd think taking a lesson on long iron only and hit 1000 balls might help me to get those shorts straighten out, yet to grasp the right mechanics. Does generate quite a bit speed at home when struck on, penetrating those flat cardboard boxes filling with cloth

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Montana
    Hi all,

    What if anything do you change in your swing when you hit the 3, 4 iron? That is, is there any difference other than standing further from the ball at address when hitting these irons as opposed to hitting the 7, 8 and 9?

    I find that I'm not getting the distance I should from these clubs and could use some swing thoughts. Thanks.
    I have the same problem, but I've demoed some hybrids and find I swing these much more consistently than 3i and 4i. As another poster has already mentioned I think it has to do with the fact I have a "sweeping" swing. In fact last night I used a GolfSmith coupon to get some Cobra Balffler hybrids to replace my 3i and 4i. I'm eager to try them out on the range this weekend.

  8. #8
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    You're supposed to hit the long irons with a longer swooping swing rather than the more downward swing of the short irons. You're also not really supposed to take much of a divot, but rather pick it a little clean. Not that I hit long irons well but that's the advice given by the pros.

  9. #9
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    At which iron are you suppose to start taking divots? My longest iron is a 5 and after that I have hybrids. With the 5 and 6 iron I pick the ball off the ground. 7 iron and up I start using a more downward swing. Never really knew...

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Montana
    Hi all,

    What if anything do you change in your swing when you hit the 3, 4 iron? That is, is there any difference other than standing further from the ball at address when hitting these irons as opposed to hitting the 7, 8 and 9?

    I find that I'm not getting the distance I should from these clubs and could use some swing thoughts. Thanks.
    I had the same problem until recently. To start with, I never really need my long irons because I'm pretty long off the tee and usually only use them for long par 3's. Anyway, I couldn't ever hit them consistantly so I decided to solve the problem once and for all. First, don't play the ball any more forward in your stance than your 5-8 iron. If you do you'll either slide forward to make contact and slice, stay put and pull the shot or either top it or chunk it. All of these problems are caused by improper ball position. Set the ball no more than maybe an inch or two forward of center. Set up to the ball normally and then tilt your shoulders slightly backwards as if you're going to hit a tee shot using driver. Don't over do it, shoulders 1-2" towards the back foot is fine. Make a normal swing and you should see the difference. You should be making more solid contact allowing effortless distance. Now just experiment with ball position and grip to adjust your ball flight. Please respond and let me know how it goes!

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by SDB1
    I had the same problem until recently. To start with, I never really need my long irons because I'm pretty long off the tee and usually only use them for long par 3's. Anyway, I couldn't ever hit them consistantly so I decided to solve the problem once and for all. First, don't play the ball any more forward in your stance than your 5-8 iron. If you do you'll either slide forward to make contact and slice, stay put and pull the shot or either top it or chunk it. All of these problems are caused by improper ball position. Set the ball no more than maybe an inch or two forward of center. Set up to the ball normally and then tilt your shoulders slightly backwards as if you're going to hit a tee shot using driver. Don't over do it, shoulders 1-2" towards the back foot is fine. Make a normal swing and you should see the difference. You should be making more solid contact allowing effortless distance. Now just experiment with ball position and grip to adjust your ball flight. Please respond and let me know how it goes!
    Thanks, all of you, for some good thoughts. SDBI, thanks for the good details. BTW, SDBI, do you hit down on these long irons the same way you do on the others? If not, with which irons do you begin to 'pick it clean'?

    As someone mentioned, these irons are important for long par 3s and that is the primary reason I need to work on them. The other top reason is that I simply need consistency of yardage (distance) and aim from 170-220 yards off the fairway to reach the next level of playing skill.
    When teeing off, don't stand too close to the ball after you've hit it.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by pcdo
    You're supposed to hit the long irons with a longer swooping swing rather than the more downward swing of the short irons. You're also not really supposed to take much of a divot, but rather pick it a little clean. Not that I hit long irons well but that's the advice given by the pros.
    Bingo!!
    Hit them with a sweeping motion, much like you would a fairway wood.
    However, don't be discouraged if you simply can't get the distance increments you need out of the longer irons from the fairway. Neither can most people. For some people, it is an egotistical badge of honor to "play long irons". I play with lots of people, both in a regular group as well as a lot of pickup games at local courses. It is an unusual person (usually a single digit index player) who can play a 3 iron well. Hybrids are just so much easier to hit than long irons. LOTS of players on the PGA, Champions, and LPGA tours (who are infinitely better players than I am) play hybrids. Why? Because they score better using them. I find that I can maintain my distance spacings far easier using hybrids vs. long irons. Once I get to the 3 and 4 irons, the distances start to bunch up and I lose the yardage coverage I get. I use 3 and 4 hybrids, then pick up the regular irons at 5. Everybody is different.
    I do find it mildly amusing when I read comments that indicate that the use of hybrids rather than long irons would somehow be a stain on someone's badge of manly honor. That's a pretty poor reason for choosing one option over another, IMHO. If someone has tried them and prefers their long irons, or lofted metalwoods instead, more power to them. Whatever works for you, do it. But to make a choice based on what someone else might think strikes me as rather insecure about one's masculinity. Just my 2 cents worth........
    Seldom right, never in doubt......

  13. #13
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    How do I hit a 1-iron?

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by bethpage caddy
    How do I hit a 1-iron?
    I'll answer that for myself. How do I hit a 1 iron? "Very poorly"
    Seldom right, never in doubt......

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