Serious Q on iron play.

[Marto65]

My iron play is appalling (like some of my spelling, but you get the drift).

I'm pretty much self taught ... so I have a question regarding iron play, because I've never discussed it with anyone at length.

So .. how do I put this ...

When you're say ... 150 metres out ... (about 6 iron) ... do you ..

A) Aim at the pin (or mid green) and try to push your swing to draw it back in ... or
B) Aim at the edge of the green, and either draw or fade your shot to the middle of the green or pin.

I hope I have explained that ok ... I currently hit between 4-6 greens a round ... but I'm hitting the driver pretty good and should be hitting 9ish ...

I realise it might be a bit different with a 4 iron ... and different again with a wedge/9iron ...

Let me know your thoughts ...

Marto.

[Daves]

For longer irons I usually aim for the spot with the greatest margin for error, usually the middle or middle left or right depending on where the short side is. For 7i in more likely to be dead aim. I really only look to seriously shape the shot if I have to i.e around an obstacle or to allow for the wind or to combat a difficult lie.

[Moe Norman]

Having played with you once, I agree that your iron play certainly doesn't match the rest if your game. Routinely missing greens from the centre of the fairway would piss me off no end, luckily I'm rarely in the centre of the fairway, so I don't have that issue.

In answer to your question, its a very individual thing imo.

One trap people can fall into is trying to shape shots when there is no need to do it. If the pin is in the middle and you have a clear line at it, why not just try to hit it straight? If you have a natural shape, allow for it (but plan for the possibility of it going straight).

If I'm 150m out and in the perfect spot on the fairway, it would depend on the green, but I would usually aim for the section of the green that would give me the easiest putt, where a slight miss won't give me a diabolical u&d. Sometimes if I'm hitting it well and the opportunity is there, I will just fire straight at it, unless it was in a really tough spot. For 150m, I can hit anything from 6 iron to 8 iron. If over the back is completely dead it would be a 7/8 iron, if short is dead it would be a 6/7 iron. If left is dead, I would use the 7/8 and hit it really hard, as I sometimes lose a short punch left and if I need to hit a high fade for some reason it would be a 6 iron, or possibly even a 5 in rare circumstances.

Iron play is the only thing I'm consistently reasonable at, every other part of my game is a lottery.

[peter_rs]

Marto do you have a natural shot shape?

For me at 140m+ I try and go with the shoot of the day if its a draw I aim right of the flag but make sure If I hit it straight I'm still on the green (if you cann't allow for the mis aim at the centre).

[razaar]

Reads to me that the ball may be the target when you have an iron in your hand. The trick is to look at the ball but focus on the target in your head. If you don't focus on the target then you aren't really aiming at anything and any feedback will be useless. We all have this problem at times - forgetting to keep our mind on the target. Another reason why you may be missing greens is because your swing is too long with the irons.

Pete's advice is correct if your shots have the same shape, but aim to hit the centre of each green. This way you will have a putt for a birdie.

[Ferrins]

Below the hole is my goal. A 25ft putt uphill putt is easier than any downhill putts over 5ft.

If I don't feel good about the approach then I choose the bail out area of the green and then chip it close.

[LarryLong]

I miss plenty of greens from the fairway too, and it kills my game. At the moment it's because I'm just too random with the irons, but when I'm hitting it OK here's what I try to do.

I try to get a feel for the likely distribution of my 'good' shots, which on a good day is a couple of metres left to about 5-10 metres right, then I aim at a point that will map that distribution to the green, or away from trouble. Sometimes that means aiming to the left hand edge of the green, and sometimes it means aiming for the middle of the green and accepting that I might miss to the right if there is trouble on the left hand side. I think the trick is to try to give your misses a chance of finishing in a playable spot.

[BrisVegas]

I don't think that much about it. I pretty much just aim at the flag and try to hit it straight.

[Pieface]

Aim for the middle of the green allowing for my shot shape of the day. I usually pay extra respect to greenside traps and allow an extra couple of metres error. I also try to pay attention to the area's around the green that are dead eg. If long is dead I'll err on the side of hitting it short.

I don't hit that many greens in reg though so take that for what it's worth. I am all about trying to minimise the damage of my miss.

[Marto65]

My natural shot is a draw .. but i can play a fade too if I need it. In fact, I played my best golf when I was hitting it with a slight fade.

Trying to hit a straight shot has been much of the problem I think ..

I had a chat to the pro at my club who told me to try and aim and swing at the edge and naturally bring it around ... will try it on the weekend ... when I hit a fairway.

In a perfect world, hey ..... thanks guys.

Marto.

[mike]

My iron play is total shit. Some good advice here. Thanks.

[virge666]

B: All day long. I don't want to push or pull anything.

If I am drawing the ball - start it at the right edge and let nature take it's course.

[Jarro]

I've given up flag hunting and just started looking at the middle of the green.

Hopefully then the putter can do the business for a bogey ;)

[ddasey]

I've given up flag hunting and just started looking at the middle of the green.

;)

Agree with Jarro, and the scores have been improving as a result.

[Jarro]

Agree with Jarro, and the scores have been improving as a result.

Nice work Dave :smt023

[Marto65]

Will try it out ... thanks again.

Virge ... thats pretty much what the pro said.

Marto.

[Marto65]

Funny ... the book i read at the start of the year (Bob Rotella - Golf is not a game of perfect) said I should be trying to hole every shot inside 150 yards.

[Minor_Threat]

B: All day long. I don't want to push or pull anything.

If I am drawing the ball - start it at the right edge and let nature take it's course.Pretty much what Virge said, but it is my stock shot all day long unless I REALLY need to shape it the other way..

IMO you need to develop a stock shot (shape) that will work for you at any time!

[PeteyD]

Pretty sure it says a PRo should be. You need to find your hole out length. for me it is 4'.

[Toolish]

I play a draw. Middle of fairway, 150 out, if the pin is right I start it just off the right edge (unless right is dead!), it always goes left at least a bit. If the pin is centre start right edge, if pin is left start centre unless left is dead. From 150 I am looking at heading towards the pin, further than that I am looking mainly at the middle of the green but a left pin means I will end up alright if I hit a good shot. Inside about 120 I go pin hunting.

All very personal though

[BrisVegas]

IMO you need to develop a stock shot (shape) that will work for you at any time!

ahh, there's my problem. I go both ways.

[Tongueboy]

should be getting plenty

[markTHEblake]

When you're say ... 150 metres out ... (about 6 iron) ... do you ..
You would benefit greatly from reading a book "Golf My Way" Jack Nicklaus. One or Two pages dedicated to this subject alone. In fact this should be compulsory reading for every golfer, so that they learn the basics of this game :-)


A) Aim at the pin (or mid green)
never


B) Aim at the edge of the green, and either draw or fade your shot to the middle of the green or pin.Stock shot is i aim right of the pin and hit a draw. If i dont draw it I am still on the green, if I draw it too much than i am still on the green. If i hook the clappers out of it, well it didn't matter much where I aimed.

Of course the shot depends on a bunch of other factors but the only time i aim at the pin is probably when i am planning on missing it.

[Hux]

I don't think that much about it. I pretty much just aim at the flag and try to hit it straight.


+1....except you do it shit loads better than me :-)

[Marto65]

Yep .. none of that worked ... hit 5 greens today ... lucky I hit the Driver great and got up and down from everywhere ...

2 bad shots cost me a triple and a double in my 8 over round of 77. (Handicap 7).

[Ferrins]

Iron bunny.

[Marto65]

Just because I have a rabbit's name, doesn't mean I'm a bunny, or that I eat rabbit food.

Now, excuse me while I finish this carrot.

[Marto65]

May have found part of the key today ... not to hitting all of them ... just a few more.

[Peppas]

May have found part of the key today ... not to hitting all of them ... just a few more.

Can you share???? :)

[Marto65]

Just keeping level a bit more ... trying to keep the shoulders from dipping.... I hit it a lot straighter today with the irons. ..