By JustSwingClub — Play Better Golf. No Coaches. Just Community.
Iron shots are all about consistency, solid contact, and distance control. Whether you're chunking the ball, thinning shots, or struggling to get the right trajectory, small adjustments can make a huge difference.
Here are 7 proven tips to strike your irons cleaner and hit more greens with confidence.
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1. Play the Ball in the Correct Position
Your ball position sets the foundation for clean, crisp contact.
General rule for irons:
- Short irons: center
- Mid irons: 1 ball forward
- Long irons: 1–2 balls forward
Too far forward = thin shots
Too far back = fat shots
Get the ball in the right spot and the swing becomes much easier.
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2. Lean the Shaft Slightly Forward at Setup
To compress the ball, you need forward shaft lean.
At address, make sure:
- Hands are slightly ahead of the ball
- Clubface is square
- Weight is slightly left (55–60%)
This encourages a downward strike — the key to pure iron shots.
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3. Hit *Down* to Hit It *Up*
Many amateurs try to “help the ball into the air.”
This causes:
- Scooping
- Thin shots
- Weak contact
Irons are designed to get the ball up naturally.
Your job is to strike down, hit ball first → turf second.
Think:
Ball → then divot.
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4. Maintain a Stable Lower Body
For consistent irons, your lower body must stay grounded and stable.
Common faults:
- Sliding hips
- Standing up
- Excess sway
Better feeling:
- Quiet lower body
- Rotate around a stable base
- Chest stays over the ball
This keeps your low point consistent.
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5. Keep Your Lead Arm Straight Through Impact
A bent lead arm shortens the swing arc → inconsistent contact.
Focus on:
- Extending the lead arm
- Keeping width through the ball
- Allowing the club to rotate naturally
You don’t need it locked—just extended enough to control the strike.
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6. Control Your Tempo (Don’t Rush!)
Fast backswings = rushed transitions = bad contact.
Try this rhythm:
“1… 2… hit.”
Smooth takeaway → controlled transition → accelerate through impact.
Good tempo helps:
- Balance
- Accuracy
- Distance control
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7. Hold a Balanced Finish
If you can’t hold your finish for 2–3 seconds, your swing wasn’t stable.
Check these at the finish:
- Chest faces the target
- Weight is fully on the lead foot
- Trail foot is up on the toe
- Club is around your back
A balanced finish means a repeatable swing.
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If you hit fat shots:
- Move ball slightly forward
- Keep chest over the ball
- Shift pressure to lead foot sooner
If you thin shots:
- Don’t lift your body
- Maintain spine angle
- Let the clubhead bottom out naturally
If shots go too high and short:
- Too much scooping
- Add more forward shaft lean
- Lean weight left at setup
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Play better golf. No coaches. Just community.
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- how to hit irons better
- improve iron consistency
- golf iron tips
- pure your irons
- fix fat shots
- fix thin shots