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how wide should your insteps be on golf shot set with irons

by Burnice Zboncak Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

To get proper ball position on your irons, simply start with your feet together at address, ball right between your feet. Then, simply take your lead foot and move it towards the target, trail foot away from the target equal distance. Your feet should be about shoulder width apart, and the ball will be fairly centered in your stance.

Full Answer

How do you set up your stance for a short iron shot?

Stand with your feet together, the ball aligned with the space between your feet. Step your lead foot towards the target, but make that step slightly smaller than you would if you were setting up your stance for a short iron. Take a step away from the target with your trail foot.

How do you check your iron and stance setup when playing golf?

The best way to check your iron and stance setup when addressing the golf ball is to put together a simple routine to remind yourself of how you should be lining up. Just approaching the ball and unleashing a shot out of the blue won’t yield any type of consistency.

Where should the golf ball be positioned when hitting Irons?

As you learn how to hit irons, you want to always note where the golf ball is in relation to: And the correct position varies slightly depending on whether you’re using a long iron or a short iron. Let’s break this down. When using a short iron, make sure the ball is positioned in the center of your golf stance.

Is stance width important in golf shots?

Granted there are times and places for an extra-wide stance, like when you’re hitting off uneven surfaces or slopes or when you’re looking to really bust one off the tee. In these circumstances, stance width can be your friend, but for most golf shots it’s a killer.

How wide should stance be with irons?

For your starting position, your legs should be shoulder width apart. If you are using a middle iron, this is your stance. Widen your stance for longer clubs such as drivers or woods. For short irons or wedges, bring your stance in by an inch or two.

How far apart should your feet be on iron shots?

shoulder width apart1) Start from the feet up Perfect posture begins from the ground up. Your feet need to be shoulder width apart, with the weight on the balls of the feet. This will help provide good stability.

Is a wider stance better in golf?

A wide golf stance is typically categorized as a stance where your feet are wider than shoulder width apart. With feet this wide, you can get a lot more stability in your swing, which usually results in faster swing speeds.

How wide should your stance be when driving a golf ball?

With the driver, the longest club in the bag, you should aim for a stance width similar to the width of your shoulders. In general, the stronger you are, i.e. the wider your shoulders, the harder you will probably hit a golf ball.

How wide should my feet be golf?

Most golf instructors say the width of your stance will depend on the club you are hitting. For driver, your feet should be slightly wider than shoulder width. For irons and wedges, they should be shoulder width apart. For pitching and chipping, your stance should be slightly narrower than shoulder width.

What happens if your golf stance is too wide?

A stance too wide will restrict lower body motion and inhibit weight transfer. This can cause the upper body to become overly active resulting in a slice or pulled shots, like you can see in the image above. REVEALED: the correct BALL POSITION from Driver through to Putter!

Is it better to have a wide or narrow golf stance?

The widest stance should be taken with your driver, while the narrowest stance should be for putting and chipping. Because not all golfers look the same or have the same height and shoulder width, the stance may be different for each of us.

Where should an 8 iron be in your stance?

centerPlay your short irons (wedges, 9-iron, and 8-iron) in the center portion of your stance. These clubs have the most upright lie angles. They must be swung at the steepest angle, and you should take a divot in front of the ball.

What is the best golf swing for seniors?

2:157:08The Best Swing For Senior Golfers | Simple & Repeatable - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI want to feel like my right shoulder is under promoting more of a draw. And i'm going to feel likeMoreI want to feel like my right shoulder is under promoting more of a draw. And i'm going to feel like the palm of my right hand is more under the grip there too again getting under this club.

Where should I look when hitting irons?

0:347:15Where Should Your Eyes Focus In The Golf Swing? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWe have a couple quick glances up toward the green. We see the flag out in the distance. And we justMoreWe have a couple quick glances up toward the green. We see the flag out in the distance. And we just focus in on the flag. And we really don't think about much of anything else.

Where should the ball be in your stance when hitting irons?

The ball should be in the middle of the tracks and you should be standing on the outside of them. The third alignment stick should be laid perpendicular to the other two and placed right around in the center pointing straight at the golf ball. This stick represents where the ball is placed in your stance.

Should I narrow my golf stance?

Narrowing your stance will allow for a better rotation in the back swing, which in turn will allow you to get your arms more around your body at the top, this will give you more chance of approaching the ball with a path to the right.

What is the proper way to aim irons?

1:255:34HOW TO AIM IRONS Correctly and Hit More Greens in Regulation! (GOLF ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFace right behind the ball. So it's nice and square. And then here's the second key watch us fromMoreFace right behind the ball. So it's nice and square. And then here's the second key watch us from down the line i'm going to take my head.

Where should I aim my golf ball above my feet?

2:386:09Golf Tip | How to Hit a Ball Above your Feet - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd then finally here I'm going to make sure because that ball is going to be moving kind of fromMoreAnd then finally here I'm going to make sure because that ball is going to be moving kind of from right to left I'm going to aim toward the right edge of the fairway.

What happens if ball is too far back in stance?

Ball too far back. With the ball too far back in your stance, your swing plane will be too steep as you approach impact with the driver. That means you will be prone to hitting the ball high on the face, and your ball flight will likely be too high as your backspin rate will be out of control.

How do I get more loft on my iron shots?

1:5810:49How To Hit Irons VERY HIGH and LONG - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThat's where the hips come in I want you to rotate those hips let them turn and that loosens up theMoreThat's where the hips come in I want you to rotate those hips let them turn and that loosens up the shoulders.

What angle should your toes be on a golf swing?

Your toes should be pointing out on a slight angle at address, perhaps around 70 degrees. This gives you a solid base to swing around and make a good turn in the golf swing. Feet pointed straight ahead makes it more difficult for your shoulders and hips to rotate during the backswing.

What is axis tilt in golf iron?

Axis tilt is the amount of sideways movement your body moves when you're in the set up position at address.

What is the right elbow pit?

In particular, the position of the right elbow pit ( right-hander) is crucial to getting a proper golf swing takeaway leading to a solid, consistent golf swing. Where most golfers go wrong is they have the right elbow pit facing towards the target at set up. This is incorrect.

How far apart should your feet be?

Your feet should be approximately shoulder-width apart at address and not too wide or too narrow which affects your balance. It's not a perfect distance, but enough to give you a great reference point of how far to move your feet.

Is it hard to learn golf irons?

If your golf iron set up is not right you are harming your chances of hitting great iron shots right from the start. The good news is getting the proper golf iron set up is not difficult. It's easy to learn and will take just seconds to implement. A great golf iron set up puts you in a fantastic position to make a solid impact with the golf ball.

1 – How Do You Hit Irons Correctly?

To hit your irons correctly, the most important skill to master is to hit down on the ball. This means your clubhead should be traveling at a downward angle toward the ball, which is to say the moment of impact should happen before the lowest point of your swing.

2 – How Can I Check My Iron and Stance Setup?

The best way to check your iron and stance setup when addressing the golf ball is to put together a simple routine to remind yourself of how you should be lining up. Just approaching the ball and unleashing a shot out of the blue won’t yield any type of consistency.

3 – Should the Hands Be in Front of the Ball with Irons?

Yes, when you’re setting up, your hands need to be in front of the ball when you’re striking your irons. A forward hand position is key to hitting down on your irons, which is much harder if your hands are too central in your stance.

4 – How Do You Hit Solid Irons in the Golf Downswing?

To hit solid iron shots on your downswing you must regulate your swing to be as consistent as possible. It’s vitally important that you hit down with irons, as this creates the required trajectory of the ball at the point of release.

5 – Does a Wider Stance Help in Hitting Iron Shots?

Generally, It’s better to have a stance that is too wide as opposed to too narrow. If you’re struggling with your irons, increasing your stance so it’s slightly wider than normal is likely to help for four main reasons.

6 – Where Should a 7 Iron Be in Your Stance?

Your 7 iron should always be played from the center of your stance. It feels natural to address your irons from the front of your stance, but this will make it difficult to hit down on the ball on every shot.

7 – The Correct Stance for Irons Explained

We use irons all over the golf course, from the tee to the edge of the green, but so many of us struggle to hit them with any consistency.

What happens if your stance is too narrow?

Conversely, if your stance is too narrow, your lower body becomes way too active — good for the dance floor but not when you’re looking to catch shots solid on the course. An overactive lower body throws off your timing and balance.

What happens if you set up too wide?

Here’s what happens: If you set up too wide at address, you’re going to have a doozy of a time opening your hips through impact and transferring your weight to your lead side , especially if you’re not as flexible or athletic as you used to be.

Should you put your feet in the correct position before starting the club back?

It should never happen in the first place, because let’s be honest: Setting your feet in the correct position before you start the club back is probably the easiest thing you can do in this game. After 30 years of teaching, I’m still amazed how most recreational golfers choose to ignore fundamentals such as stance width.

Is it bad to take your ballstriking to new heights?

Another mistake you can easily avoid while taking your ballstriking to new heights is bad stance width. Keep reading to get it right. Making your stance too narrow or too wide at setup can force all sorts of difficult-to-time compensations later in your swing, some of which can become repetitive and take years to undo.

When hitting irons, should you brush the turf?

Remember, when you’re hitting your irons, you should brush the turf after the moment of impact. If you’re regularly making contact with the ground before you connect with the golf ball, you probably have the ball in the wrong spot.

How to position a golf ball in relation to your feet?

If you’re using a Rimer, finding the center is easy. Just position the slider in the center of the ruler. Then position your feet at either end of the Rimer and align the golf ball with the slider.

What does the ball position tell you about your golf posture?

Your ball position for irons tells you something about your golf posture for irons . . . and vice versa. Here’s what I mean by that. Just because your ball is in the center of your stance, that doesn’t mean it’s centered in your body. You might tilt your upper body toward the target, away from the target, or not at all.

How to hit down on the golf ball?

In order to hit down on the ball, you need the low point of your swing to happen after you make contact. To put it another way, the goal is to hit the ball before you hit the turf. And correct ball position is the simplest way to make sure the low point of your golf swing happens at the right time.

What does it mean when your golf ball is too far forward?

This is another indicator of incorrect golf ball position. The fix for this one is fairly easy. If you keep aiming too far left, or “open,” it means the ball is too far forward in your stance. (This assumes you’re right handed. If you’re a lefty, “open” means the ball aims too far to the right.

How to align a golf ball?

Align the golf ball with the space between your feet. Step your lead foot towards the target, but take a slightly smaller step than you would if you were centering the ball. Take a slightly larger step away from the target with your trail foot. The golf ball should be just barely forward of center.

Can you master accuracy with irons?

But learning the proper golf ball position for irons could literally transform your game. Besides, you can’t really master accuracy and increase distance until you have the ball in the right place.

How to play a middle iron?

For middle irons, play the ball just forward of center in your stance (slight ly back of that for short irons; slightly forward for long ones). Set your weight 50-50 , and push your hands a touch toward the target. That setup promotes the ideal amount of down at impact. Now for the swing.

Why is swinging wide important?

Swinging wide also increases speed, which is the key producer of backspin. How? A wide swing going back promotes an inside path down to the ball, and swinging from the inside typically means more speed. OK, enough geometry —let’s get a club in your hands.

What does "down means up" mean in golf?

August 28, 2019. The old swing tip, “down means up,” suggests that you should try to hit down on the ball for more height. That might work if you have speed, but for most golfers, down means down. In other words, line drives that don’t hold the green. To boost trajectory, you need a higher launch and more backspin.

How to make a wide arc?

Remember, width in the backswing sets up the inside path for a slightly downward strike and a high launch. Add the speed you can get by swinging from the inside, and you’re increasing backspin, too. It’s high launch, high spin—and towering iron shots.

How does a wider stance affect your swing?

Adopting a wider stance lowers your center of gravity slightly, allowing you to become more stable on your feet as you address the club on the ground and as you execute your swing.

How to assume a wider stance?

Wide Stance. In order to assume a wider stance you will need to position your feet further away from each other that you normally would. Specifically, a good wide stance sees the outside of your shoulders line up with the inside of your feet.

What is a very narrow stance?

Very Narrow Stance. Certain types of shots require a narrower stance still. In order to adopt a very narrow stance you will need to position your feet so that the width of your shoulder dwarfs the distance between them.

What does narrowing your stance do?

Narrowing your stance will lead to a higher center of gravity, at least compared to a normal and wide stance. This adjustment will lead you to feel less stable on your feet than you would otherwise. As such, it is best reserved for smaller clubs or for smaller swings and is best avoided for long clubs and wide swings.

How to adopt a narrow stance?

Narrow Stance. In order to adopt a narrow stance you will need to position yourself so that width of your shoulders matches that of your feet. Specifically , you will want to see the outside of your shoulders line up with the outside of your feet.

Does a wide stance affect hip rotation?

Finally, a wide stance can also inhibit hip and shoulder rotation or at least it can make those movements slightly uncomfortable. Because of this you should be careful that swaying is not allowed to creep into your golf swing, a golf swing error that replaces hip rotation with unwanted consequences.

Can you use short irons on grass?

As a result it is generally best to avoid using a wider stance for delicate shots using short irons and wedges on grass. However, a swing arc that favours hitting it fat is exactly what is sought for greenside bunker shots, where the club is meant to travel below the ball and push the sand up.

How to avoid steepness when swinging a long iron?

However, you don’t want your angle of attack to be as steep as it is when you’re hitting a short iron. In order to avoid that steepness, position the ball just slightly forward of center.

What is the goal of an iron shot?

For an iron shot, however, the goal is to hit down on the golf ball. Another way to say this is that your moment of impact should occur before the low point of your golf swing. It’s important to make this distinction when discussing how to hit irons because this whole down/up thing trips up a lot of golfers.

How does the club head change direction?

Think of the shape your club head makes as you swing through the golf ball. As you move through the transition at the top of your swing , towards the ball , the club head is traveling at a downward angle. At some point (more specifically, at the low point), your club head changes direction.

What irons are considered long irons?

First, make sure you know which irons are considered “long” and which are “short.”. Your long irons (2, 3 and 4) have a lower loft and are designed for more distance. (1 irons if you have them) Short irons (8, 9 and pitching wedge) have a higher loft and help you pop the ball up in the air as you get closer to the green.

How to hit down on a golf ball?

To Hit Down on the Golf Ball: At setup, position the ball in the center of your stance. Shift your hands toward the target just slightly so the club is in front of the club head. In the transition, think about pulling on the club with your lead hand instead of throwing the club out and down with the trail hand.

How to get a feel for swinging irons?

Take your iron setup without the golf ball. As you swing the club back, step the trail foot back and behind your body so it’s perpendicular to your lead foot. Then step the trail foot back into place as you swing through. This drill helps you get a feel for strong rotation and natural movement in the body.

How to get better at golf?

As you take your golf setup, allow your head to float up a bit instead of tucking your chin close to your chest. Stay relaxed in the neck and shoulders. As you swing away from the ball, allow your head to slide away from the target. This accommodates for better rotation, better speed, and a better shot.

How to grip a golf club?

How to Grip the Club during your Setup. Type: For most golfers, the club will be held by hands that are positioned in an overlap grip. That means that the small finger from the right hand will be placed on top of the left hand, in between the knuckle of the index and middle fingers. Strength: The strength of the grip will tend to be one ...

When positioning the ball on a tee, should the ball be held?

When positioning the ball on a tee, the ball should be held so that the middle of the ball – or its equator – is as high as the crown of the driver. When using an iron with a ball on a tee, the ball should be held just off the ground to ensure a perfect lie. More on: Where to Position the Ball at Address.

How should your feet be spaced out?

Your feet should be positioned apart from each other in a way that is coherent with the shot at hand. Indeed, for shots using a longer club such as a driver, your feet will be spaced out further than they will when hitting a shot using a shorter club, such as a wedge or a short iron.

What is the line formed by the clubface?

The line formed by the clubface should be perpendicular to the target line for normal, straight shots. That means that your clubface should point straight forward in what is referred to as a being square to the target.

What should your stance line be?

For straight shots, your stance line should be parallel to the target line. For a precise target located very far into the distance your feet can appear to be aligned towards the target but ideally they will point slightly to the left of the target, by an amount equal to the distance from your feet to the ball.

Where to place the ball at address?

Where (How) to Position the Ball at Address. At address, the ball will be located in front of you, somewhere in between your two feet. It will normally be located in the middle when using a short iron and progressively towards the front foot as the length of the club increases.

Is the spine straight?

The spine itself should be pretty much in a straight line. While a certain level of variation is permissible at the top, near the shoulders, it should not follow other troublesome patterns.

1 – How Do You Hit Irons correctly?

  • To hit your irons correctly, the most important skill to master is to hit down on the ball. This means your clubhead should be traveling at a downward angle toward the ball, which is to say the moment of impact should happen before the lowest point of your swing. The ball should be in the center of your stance, and your hands should be slightly in front of the ball. Succinctly, this is th…
See more on windtreegolf.com

2 – How Can I Check My Iron and Stance setup?

  • The best way to check your iron and stance setup when addressing the golf ball is to put together a simple routine to remind yourself of how you should be lining up. Just approaching the ball and unleashing a shot out of the blue won’t yield any type of consistency. When you’re about to address the ball, consider these top tips to check if your stance is conducive to an accurate shot…
See more on windtreegolf.com

3 – Should The Hands Be in Front of The Ball with Irons?

  • Yes, when you’re setting up, your hands need to be in front of the ball when you’re striking your irons. A forward hand position is key to hitting down on your irons, which is much harder if your hands are too central in your stance. However, you shouldn’t hold your hands too far out in front, either. As a general rule, your hands should be in line...
See more on windtreegolf.com

4 – How Do You Hit Solid Irons in The Golf Downswing?

  • To hit solid iron shots on your downswing you must regulate your swing to be as consistent as possible. It’s vitally important that you hit down with irons, as this creates the required trajectory of the ball at the point of release. This is sometimes difficult for recreational players to get their heads around, as you would automatically assume that you should hit up on the ball if you want i…
See more on windtreegolf.com

5 – Does A Wider Stance Help in Hitting Iron Shots?

  • Generally, It’s better to have a stance that is too wide as opposed to too narrow. If you’re struggling with your irons, increasing your stance so it’s slightly wider than normal is likely to help for four main reasons. 1. You will have a stable platform that enables you to turn your upper body correctly and play through the shot. 2. It prevents you from dropping your hips when swinging do…
See more on windtreegolf.com

6 – Where Should A 7 Iron Be in Your Stance?

  • Your 7 iron should always be played from the center of your stance. It feels natural to address your irons from the front of your stance, but this will make it difficult to hit down on the ball on every shot. When you’re just starting out, it’s handy to address all of your irons from the center of your stance until you improve your confidence in hitting consistently good shots. As you see imp…
See more on windtreegolf.com

7 – The Correct Stance For Irons Explained

  • We use irons all over the golf course, from the tee to the edge of the green, but so many of us struggle to hit them with any consistency. This is certainly nothing to be ashamed of, but you can nearly always rectify your iron play by addressing and improving your setup. If you take anything away from this article, remember that you must always hit down on your irons. While this might …
See more on windtreegolf.com

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