
If you look at your golf irons, you’ll see when you sit them on the ground they slant backward. This means to make them work as efficiently as possible, they need to strike the golf ball on a slight descending path hitting the ball first and then the turf second.
Full Answer
When does an iron hit down on a golf ball?
The ball position for your irons should be middle. This can change for uphill or downhill lies, or whether you want to hit the ball high or low. If you’d like to hit the ball high you can move it slightly forwarding your stance. If you want to flight the ball down you can position it …
How to address the golf ball with your iron?
· How to rip your irons. Simple golf ball striking drill. In this video, Alex Fortey explains how to instantly rip your irons. Let's watch this video and learn...
Do golf irons get under the ball to lift it?
All these catchphrases relate to something about the design of golf irons and the proper way to use them to hit a golf ball: Irons are designed to contact the golf ball while still traveling down. Hit down on the ball means your iron should contact the ball before it hits the ground. 'Hit Down on the Ball' Seems Contrary to Our Instincts
How to hit a golf ball solidly?
· By leaning your weight more towards the target through the set up, back swing and impact you will help to counteract the Early Release and the Hanging Back swing faults. Now I know these moves may not be “text book” but they will improve your ball striking and always think, the ball doesn’t know where your weight is distributed! It only understands what hits the ball, …

How should a golf iron hit the ball?
How to Hit a Golf Ball With IronsHave a smooth takeaway. One of the most often-heard tips on the range or course might seem to suggest swinging slowly. ... Unwind from your feet. ... Anchor your head. ... Keep a straight front arm. ... Strike the ball first. ... Follow through along the target line.
What is the proper way to strike an iron?
The key to hitting good iron shots is to hit the ball at the bottom of the swing. When swinging with woods, golfers want to make more of a sweeping motion, but with irons, it's important to hit the ball at a steeper swing path. When working on the driving range, focus on hitting the ball first without taking a divot.
Where should an iron strike the ball?
You want the ball to be at about the middle of your chest, behind your left shoulder. When you swing, imagine that wagon wheel spinning into the ground and through to the other side. Hit the ball first and then the ground. An important thing any golfer should remember is to hit the ground.
What angle should an iron hit the ball?
Parente found that hitting down on the ball at 7 degrees, which is typical of a tour pro's attack angle, would give the average golfer 10 to 23 more carry yards with a 7-iron and 16 to 26 more total yards. The other two angles tested were -1 and +2, common amateur approaches into the golf ball with an iron.
Where is the sweet spot on an iron?
Hold your iron with the face open and drop a ball onto it, you will recognize the sweet spot when it springs off the face, this is the point where the metal is set to have its optimal flex and responsiveness. Usually, the sweet-spot is located in the center of the club sometimes slightly to the heel.
Why do I struggle with my irons?
These are the 3 areas where you are falling short with your iron play: Improper setup. Incorrect weight shift. Too much secondary axis tilt.
How do you strike the ball first with irons?
2:0815:50How to Hit the Ball Then the Turf with Your Irons - Amazing drill - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf you want to be powerful you need to be forward because you're putting pressure you want to put.MoreIf you want to be powerful you need to be forward because you're putting pressure you want to put. Pressure on the back of the golf ball that's where the power is going to come.
Should you always take a divot with irons?
In general, you should take a divot with practically every iron shot. This is because the ball is played from the ground. Taking a divot improves your margin for error, making a good strike much more likely.
How do I hit the center of my irons?
2:424:09How to STRIKE golf shots from the centre of the club face EVERY TIMEYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd on the heel as you come in and very simply all you want to do is take up your stance. And thenMoreAnd on the heel as you come in and very simply all you want to do is take up your stance. And then as you swing through and hit you want to make sure that you're not striking either of the poles.
What is the ideal launch angle for a 7 iron?
15.3° 19.0Averages:ClubPGA Tour Average AngleLPGA Tour Average Angle7 Iron15.3°19.0°8 Iron18.1°20.8°9 Iron20.4°23.9°PW24.2°25.7°10 more rows•Dec 3, 2020
Do you hit down on a 6 iron?
Descending Divot Yes, a divot is a good thing with a 6 iron gold club (just remember to replace the turf). Taking a divot on a 6 iron shot should generate the backspin. To divot correctly, you'll need a descending strike when you swing. To do this, your weight must move toward the target.
What is the angle of a 7 iron?
A typical loft angle for the 5-iron is 28 degrees, while the 6-iron is 31 degrees and the 7-iron weighs in at 34 degrees. These irons achieve distances of 160, 150 and 140 yards respectively for typical men, and 110, 100 and 90 yards for women, making them useful clubs on the fairway.
What is a good range for irons?
A good range is your shoulders width fitting between your feet for a slightly wider stance . Your shoulders width to the very outside of your feet for a slightly narrower stance, is also an option. Ball position for irons. The ball position for your irons should be middle.
What happens when the grip end of a golf club is lowered?
Then the paper should slide in just short of the middle of the clubhead. When the paper is slid under the toe of the club and it easily slides clearly through to the heel of the club, the golf club position is too flat.
Can you change the position of the golf club head on the ground?
You’ll have to make slight adjustments to fit where the handle of the golf club is, remember not to change the lie of the club head on the ground in the process. If you’re on the shorter side you’ll have very little knee bend, perhaps none at all, and only a slight tilt forward with your spine angle.
What happens if you can't get paper under the toe of the golf club?
If your friend is unable to get the paper under the toe of the club at all, the club is too upright. The grip end should be lowered slightly which will result in a more toe up club head position. Then the paper should slide in just short of the middle of the clubhead.
Can a golf iron get under the ball?
However, it is critical to note that the golf iron has not been designed to get under the ball to lift it. It has been designed to strike the ball as the clubhead is descending - on the downswing. "The face of the iron will then contact the surface of the golf ball just prior to reaching the bottom of the swing arc.
What is an iron in golf?
Irons are designed to contact the ball while descending. Brent Kelley is an award-winning sports journalist and golf expert with over 30 years in print and online journalism. If you've ever read or watched golf instruction - or, likely, simply listened to "amateur instructors" on the driving range or golf course - you've probably heard ...
What does "let the iron do the work for you" mean?
or "let the iron do the work for you.". All these catchphrases relate to something about the design of golf irons and the proper way to use them to hit a golf ball: Irons are designed to contact the golf ball while still traveling down. Hit down on the ball means your iron should contact the ball before it hits the ground.
What does "hit down on the ball" mean?
Hit down on the ball means your iron should contact the ball before it hits the ground.
Why does the ball compress?
The ball compresses. Because the face of the clubhead is lofted, the ball - rather than be driven into the ground as a downward hit might imply - will spin backwards up the iron face, decompress (adding energy to its escape) and climb into the air.".
Why does a golf ball spin backwards?
Because the face of the clubhead is lofted, the ball - rather than be driven into the ground as a downward hit might imply - will spin backwards up the iron face, decompress ( adding energy to its escape) and climb into the air.".
Why is it important to have good muscle memory in golf?
And good muscle memory in golf is essential, so you can stop worrying about your swing, and concentrate on the game itself. ".
Can you strike the ball with irons?
Believe it or not, the equipment that you use can have a major impact on your ability to strike the ball cleanly with your irons. If you are using irons which are ill-fitted to your swing, it will be difficult – or even impossible – to achieve a high standard of performance with your ball striking.
Can you strike the ball beautifully on an iron shot?
For instance, you could strike the ball beautifully on an iron shot and still miss the target badly for any number of reasons.
Why is it important to strike your irons?
It will create more consistency, better judgement of distance control, height control and much better accuracy when hitting into greens. Striking your irons well is also important so that you have the confidence to hit out of different lie conditions and play in different weather conditions.
What does it mean to strike a ball?
To most golfers, ball striking refers to the quality of impact achieved on an iron shot. While ball striking can technically extend to all clubs other than the putter, most golfers will talk about it in the context of the irons.
When you strike a ball near the target, should you place it?
As long as you are doing a reasonably good job with things like judging the wind and picking your clubs, you should be placing the ball near to the target when your ball striking is on point. On the other hand, when you are struggling with ball striking, this game becomes almost impossible to play.
Do all irons have a lie angle?
All iron sets come with a predetermined lie angle for each iron, but those lie angles can be changed to suit the needs of the specific player. While the following is not always the case, it is common that shorter players will need flatter lie angles while taller players will need their irons bent slightly more upright.
What happens if you lose balance in golf?
If a golfer loses balance during the golf swing, many possible outcomes can occur. Heel shots, toe shot, topped shots, bottomed shots, fat shots, thin shots and even shanked shots. If the body is moving irregularly during the swing, and therefore losing balance, this can cause all the problem shots mentioned above.
How does accuracy improve in golf?
Accuracy improves, you’ll start to hit more fairways, keep it in the short grass – stay out of trouble – yeah, lower scores immediately – your distance will increase – hit longer shots with every club-in-the-bag…consistent, repeatable shots….fun golf!
When hitting a golf club, should the club face be open?
The reason: when your club face comes into the ball at impact it should be slightly open, yes open – when the ball is hit it stays on the club face for approximately ¾ of an inch – the club face goes to square then closes as the ball has left the club…so that is why you want to hit that other spot – not the back of the ball.
How does the club head move when swinging an iron?
As you swing the iron toward the low point on your forward stroke, the clubhead moves in a descending motion. Once the clubhead passes through the low point, it arcs upward again. Pretty simple, right? Before the low point, your clubhead is descending. After the low point, your clubhead is ascending.
How to get better iron shots?
Hitting down on the ball is the key to better iron shots. Essentially, you want to make impact just before hitting the low point of your swing. This is achievable for even the most casual golfers if you make small adjustments to move the low point of your swing forward. Positioning the ball in the center of your stance.
Can amateur golfers hit down on the ball?
It’s common advice. But knowing what you should do it and knowing how to do it are two entirely different things. In fact, many golfers would tell you there’s a reason that the pros can hit down on the ball consistently while many amateur players cannot.
How does the low point of an iron work?
If you position the handle slightly in front of the clubhead—more towards the target—the low point moves forward.
When the handle of your iron is behind the clubhead, what is the low point?
When the handle of your iron is behind the clubhead—meaning the shaft leans slightly away from the target—the low point also moves backwards. If you position the handle slightly in front of the clubhead—more towards the target—the low point moves forward.
What happens if you move the handle in front of the clubhead?
If you position the handle slightly in front of the clubhead—more towards the target—the low point moves forward. As a result, you have a decent chance at getting a good iron shot if you move the handle just a little bit in front of the golf ball.
Does the handle position affect the low point?
Handle Position. Believe it or not, handle position has an effect on low point. When the handle of your iron is behind the clubhead—meaning the shaft leans slightly away from the target—the low point also moves backwards.
