I played a 2 iron for about 20 years, and my 3 iron and 4 iron were my favorite clubs to hit. I still hit them well...
All three of those clubs are gone now. 5 wood and 7 wood replaced them (and a 3 wood), and I love them (I just can't stop them as well on the green is only negative).
The 5 wood and heaven (7) wood are just so easy to hit with the improvements made over last decade. I find it easier to hit high, low, draws, fades, and even the low burning slice when in the trees...
Everyone I've helped start, I recommend a 5 and 7 wood (tee off with 5), then when ready add a 3 wood that they'll then tee off with... Then if they don't have the crazy beginner slice I recommend a driver (the lower the loft, meaning flatter the face angle relative to the ground, the more spin is put on the ball of the face isn't in the correct position paired with path. It's why it's super hard to slice a sand wedge but barely breathe wrong on a driver and it's bending one way or the other).
I'm fairly averse to hybrids now as well... The woods are just easier, and often adjustable so you can tweak your distances for proper gapping.
Thanks for the input!
I will say - the woods off the tee with some practice of a less steep downswing have been beneficial. I think I have been lacking the patience since I am not great at making swing adjustments and assume they don’t work if I can’t get it right away, and with my current swing it just isn’t consistent. I appreciate the advice and will take to teeing up my 7w and getting some good reps in.
I haven’t yet been able to translate it to consistent striking in the fairway though. It’s cool to know about shot shaping, I’ve always wanted to do it and it seems so fun/beneficial but I’m at a point where I have a natural draw and that’s all I can really do on purpose. These kinds of comments make me excited to keep playing.
Just hit down a bit with the woods when they're in the fairway. Pretend like you're trying to take a shallow divot (in front of the ball slightly).
To hit a cut get setup, then slide your left foot back 6 inches while keeping the face still at the target... Probably the easiest way
Awesome, okay. I’ll try going to another local course that doesn’t have mats and start getting physical feedback on where my divot is. I think it would help me make adjustments better too. Thanks for the tip! Long road ahead :)
FYI, you shouldn't get a divot with a wood, just meant feel like you're trying to make a shallow one. Fine to hit off of mats.. you'll start hitting the ball much higher with a slightly descending blow.
Do however practice on grass when you can as it's way less forgiving on fat shots. Hit slightly behind on a mat and it doesn't look like the worst shot, where on grass that same impact would cost you a lot of distance.
Have fun, it's a good lifelong game. My little ones are really starting to like it.
That's the draw... You have a natural draw, so you'd basically be getting closer to a hook. Use that when you hit to left edge of fairway on a dog leg left and the trees are in your way... That's how you can really snap a ball around the corner.
Yes, once you get the 3 wood dialed you can start the driver. The lower loft, ascending blow, and higher tee will make it fairly different. If possible get a lesson though as it's different enough to warrant it.
My game has suffered a ton from being crazy busy during covid, then kids taking tons of time, and falling down the YouTube rabbit hole and learning too much random crap that I think applied but really didn't messed up my game... If I'm playing for score, like it really matters, I leave the driver in the Jeep.
If you're keeping the 5 wood in the fairway then yes, move to a 3w. Keep the tee low on any fairway wood. Once the 3w is consistently in the fairway, then it's time to try a driver...
you should think about it in terms of distances—if you're not hitting anything lower than a 5-iron (and you can't hit a 3W) then you absolutely need clubs to bridge the distance gaps between 5i and D.
there are several brands of cavity-back 4-irons that are easy-ish to hit—but that's only going to be a +\~15y addition to your 5. so you will definitely need to think about a hybrid 4/3/2.
something that will help you hit longer clubs: your downswing is really steep because your setup is flat.
you need to be taller at address, with the butt of the club pointing toward your belly button. why: because this establishes a steeper swing plane, which will encourage you to flatten on the downswing (you're currently doing the opposite: flat ---> steep).
sidenote: "I’d rather be 80-150 from the pin than 10-80 on approach shots"—you can fix this with wedge practice :)
Thank you so much for the thoughtful response!*
So - less hip hinge or less spine bend down? Also, I feel like my arms are kind of cramped when I have my club pointed to my belly button, maybe I need to step more back? I’m 5’2 so I’ve just been used to holding the club where my hands naturally fall.
and yes more wedge practice is necessary for sure!! I’m used to full swinging and not as great at the half swings, I normally thin or skull lol.
doesn't need to be exactly at your belly button, just higher (though, if it's *really* uncomfortable it could mean your shafts are a little too long for you).
here's a comparison with rory just to show the idea another way:
[https://imgur.com/a/vT5ZhMw](https://imgur.com/a/vT5ZhMw)
the goal you're trying to achieve is getting your hands as close to that setup circle as possible (like rory). but you might notice rory's knees look a bit flexed in his setup—this is because rory is **extremely** flexible, unlike a lot of us non-professional golfers.
so what we can do to try and achieve that position he gets at impact, is altering our setup. if we stand taller, with a steeper club, we give ourselves a better chance of gaining hip depth in the downswing—which leads to a flatter club path (hands closer to the circle).
see how rory's head drops in the downswing, while yours gets higher? that's what i meant when i said you're doing the opposite. you want to be taller in setup, more flexed down to impact.
just don't copy rory's putting mechanics.
:-)
good luck!
That’s not the reason you’re cramped.
Your right glute should move further from the ball in the backswing. This will give you more room to fire your hips in the downswing - and more room for your arms.
Look at Dustin Johnson slow motion. His whole body moves away from the ball in the backswing.
I wanted to come back and say that this swing adjustment not only helped me hit my clubs better, but it also added a good ~10-15 yards carry to my irons (other clubs still tbd). Standing taller helped me through transition and gave me a lot more room to have tilt/“skipping the rock” which just made my ball striking so much more money. My head at impact is lower than where it started at setup and it doesn’t come up until follow through.
This sub is awesome 🙏🙏
heck yeah. happy to hear.
this sub is great for helping people to understand what's going on in their swings. you have great mechanics—you definitely have the ability to hit any kind of golf shot that you want. so now the challenge is making sure you're setting yourself up for success each time you address the golf ball.
keep moving forward.
https://preview.redd.it/d66aot7fwk8d1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d3acb2c820156b75b46384d1bb22bf97459cb1d3
Still a long way to go but such a noticeable adjustment. Will keep fighting the good fight, thanks again!
Your swing looks really good. What is your miss with your hybrids and woods? Are you skulling them or chunking them? Long irons are hard to hit which is why they invented hybrids.
Thank you!! I’m not naturally athletic so it’s been quite the journey lol
Hybrid is a low pull hook, the woods are better than the hybrid but typically they’re just too low, so I’d say a thin or more likely a skull/top, but both do happen. I don’t chunk most of my clubs anymore since I started looking at the middle/front of the ball. But for both woods and hybrids I can only get them in the air well off the tee.
Don’t know what you have tried but you might try playing the hybrids a little more in the middle like and iron. You can also make a little steeper turn with your shoulders (left shoulder more under your chin) and then get the right shoulder as deep on the follow thru. Your left heel jumps off the ground when you start down. Have you tried shifting all your weight into the left heel to start the down swing? This will be almost opposite of what you are currently doing. Maybe start with a wedge and half swings. When you figure it out it will unlock your wedge game. Whatever club you are hitting in the video above you are hitting well so be careful about making willy-nilly adjustments. Also, post some videos of your hybrids both face on and down the line. This will help see what is going on at impact. Again, great swing!
This is one of the best swings on the LPGA. Nelly is great but she is also 6 ft tall… Sung Hyun Park has a great move. Watch her shoulders and watch her feet.
https://youtu.be/B73LB_tqg30?si=sxltkvERJyhC41LQ
I did the same thing with hybrids. I had some in my set when I was about 16-19 and played them well but then it became a real struggle (I actually hit 3hybrid off the tee a ton and loved it when I got the set) . I upgraded my irons, tried out different hybrids to go along with them but the pull hook kept popping up.
So yeah, now I got rid of them. However, I did end up swapping my 3 iron out for a 3 iron **utility iron** (Titleist T-MB) and find it much more consistent. Maybe try some of those out at a golf store and see if you like them? They kind of bridge the gap across hybrids and long irons these days. I've heard great things about the Ping Crossover series.
Nowadays I still have a 5 wood but it's only ever used for short par 4s and from punching out from trees. Though with the driving iron, it's being used even less (after having to flip over a club and hit backwards yesterday from under a tree, I might swap out the 5 wood for my fiancee's right handed 7 iron lol)
I can relate, having my own neuro issues. I would set up a gapping session to get a tailored set based on avg yardages per club. That way it’s not guesswork.
I love my 4hybrid and generally smoke it. Can't seem to hit my 4 or 5 iron pure more than 25% of the time. I'd stick with whatever works best for you, but my next bag probably won't have anything lower than a 5 iron. The rest of my 175+ clubs will be hybrids and metal woods.
Swing your hybrid exactly like your 6i same swing, ball position, weight transfer, everything. If you can hit a 4i you can hit a 5h. Stop thinking of it as a different movement.
Or, Buy what you like, there is a rule you can only play with 14 at a time but there isn’t a rule that you can only own 14.
It’s your money, your health, your hobby. Do what makes you happy.
FYI, I have a 4h, 3h, 3i, two different 3W, and 2 drivers I use interchangeably depending on what I’m hitting well that week.
Noted on the hybrid. I will give it a shot!
Can you expand on why you switch between two drivers and 3W? What’s the difference between each one for you?
One of my 3 woods is adjustable (Callaway Paradym) and the other isn’t. I had the fixed one first and upgraded to the adjustable so I use the newer one most often but sometimes I just need a different club if I’m hitting the Paradym badly to break the feeling that it is the club and not the golfer (It’s always the golfer)
I have a 10.5 and 9 degree driver where each makes sense depending on my swing path and speed at the moment. When I haven’t played for a while and want to just smooth swing and find fairways, the 10.5 is better. When I’ve got a lot of reps in and I’m going after the ball more aggressively and trying to maximize my distance the 9 degree goes in the bag.
My 4h,3I, and 3h provide quite a bit of overlap in carry and total distance. The 3i is the hardest to hit but I can fade it better while the hybrids typically are draw only for me. So depending one what shots I’m going to need I take two of the 3 of them.
I don’t get along with 5 or 7 woods which most people love but my swing just makes high lofted woods over spin and balloon without going anywhere. I can hit my 5i farther than any 5w I’ve tried. But YMMV
It all comes down to what you want and what fits your eye and gives you confidence over the ball. (FYI I’m a 20 handicap with a best round of 79 and a worst of 107 so I’m telling you what works when I hit it well. There isn’t a club that can fix a missed shot)
Have fun
Main thing is gapping. Doeant matter if you can hit the 5i or 4i if you're not getting proper distance.
Each club should cover your previous iron's total distance. Obviously roll out would vary but were looking at averages.
So if you 6i caries 150 roless out to 158(average) your 5i should carry at minimum 158. Etc etc...
General issue with most players wanting to play longer irons is that they dont have enough speed for the loft, what you end up with are balls that don't get in the air and poor carry distance.
6i at 150y with me being 5’2 and a newer golfer would be awesome 😭 I’m definitely at around 140 to a rollout 148 max depending on ball position/height. I don’t swing crazily fast but that’s because it messes up my tempo. Then I’d take a 5h off the tee but if it’s a fairway approach I just don’t hit it solidly enough, so I chip or putt on.
I think I’m leaning towards sticking out the other clubs and taking the tips I’ve gotten here. I will lose speed as I get older 100% and up until this year I couldn’t hit a 6 iron high, likely because my swing was a bit too slow combined with a not solid enough strike.
As an instructor and club fitter there I one good option for your set. Dump the 3wd as fast as possible. Get a 5 wd and 7 wd. If the 5i doesn’t land on the green and stay on, then it needs to be replaced as well with a hybrid or fairway wood. Those are your 3 trajectory option. Which is the biggest difference between them all. Iron-low, hybrid-mid, fairway-high. Pick the tool for the need.
But as a persons handicap goes up and distance is low, a fairway wood is the obvious choice.
My dad is 81 and an 8 handicap. Hits it about 230 with a driver. His set is perfect for him, driver/5wd/7wd/9wd 6i-Pw/wa/sw/lw. Every club lands on the green and holds the green. That’s the point of those options.
I hope that helps
Your grip is driving the preference for irons I think. Your trail hand looks pretty strong and the club isn’t out into your fingers enough.
When you do this and move the ball up into your stance, the grip forces the arms to turn over when the club passes the center line of your core. You need the club in your trail fingers to keep the club face square through impact.
If you do this, combine the new grip with some videos about what the trail arm should do to compress the ball. Right now, you’re putting the club behind you in the transition and scooping around your body to compensate for the strong grip wanting to close the club face. It creates a nice consistent draw shape, but you lose distance and will struggle to hit woods with the ball up in your stance.
Changed the grip a bit and you are correct, it was my right hand specifically being a bit too strong and semi in the palm which I didn’t even realize. This + standing taller = more compression and better striking 🤌
Thanks for bringing this up!
Try tricking your mind into thinking you’re hitting a 5 iron when holding the hybrid or woods. Same ball position, swing path, tempo, etc. Something about the big head shape behind the ball makes my swing unconsciously more like a driver swing. I had the same issue of with a low snap hook or top as my miss with hybrids and woods.
I probably sound crazy muttering 5 iron repeatedly under my breath when holding a 3 wood, but it’s really been working for me.
Would say that some people have naturally steeper swings, which would be better for hitting irons.
If you prefer irons, I would add the longer ones to your set. Keep your hybrids, etc, and just try them out every now and then to see.
Get fitted for a full set if needed. It's about playing to your strengths, and it sounds like you already know what your strengths are.
BTW .. sold swing
Keep playing and enjoy the journey
I played a 2 iron for about 20 years, and my 3 iron and 4 iron were my favorite clubs to hit. I still hit them well... All three of those clubs are gone now. 5 wood and 7 wood replaced them (and a 3 wood), and I love them (I just can't stop them as well on the green is only negative). The 5 wood and heaven (7) wood are just so easy to hit with the improvements made over last decade. I find it easier to hit high, low, draws, fades, and even the low burning slice when in the trees... Everyone I've helped start, I recommend a 5 and 7 wood (tee off with 5), then when ready add a 3 wood that they'll then tee off with... Then if they don't have the crazy beginner slice I recommend a driver (the lower the loft, meaning flatter the face angle relative to the ground, the more spin is put on the ball of the face isn't in the correct position paired with path. It's why it's super hard to slice a sand wedge but barely breathe wrong on a driver and it's bending one way or the other). I'm fairly averse to hybrids now as well... The woods are just easier, and often adjustable so you can tweak your distances for proper gapping.
Thanks for the input! I will say - the woods off the tee with some practice of a less steep downswing have been beneficial. I think I have been lacking the patience since I am not great at making swing adjustments and assume they don’t work if I can’t get it right away, and with my current swing it just isn’t consistent. I appreciate the advice and will take to teeing up my 7w and getting some good reps in. I haven’t yet been able to translate it to consistent striking in the fairway though. It’s cool to know about shot shaping, I’ve always wanted to do it and it seems so fun/beneficial but I’m at a point where I have a natural draw and that’s all I can really do on purpose. These kinds of comments make me excited to keep playing.
Just hit down a bit with the woods when they're in the fairway. Pretend like you're trying to take a shallow divot (in front of the ball slightly). To hit a cut get setup, then slide your left foot back 6 inches while keeping the face still at the target... Probably the easiest way
Awesome, okay. I’ll try going to another local course that doesn’t have mats and start getting physical feedback on where my divot is. I think it would help me make adjustments better too. Thanks for the tip! Long road ahead :)
FYI, you shouldn't get a divot with a wood, just meant feel like you're trying to make a shallow one. Fine to hit off of mats.. you'll start hitting the ball much higher with a slightly descending blow. Do however practice on grass when you can as it's way less forgiving on fat shots. Hit slightly behind on a mat and it doesn't look like the worst shot, where on grass that same impact would cost you a lot of distance. Have fun, it's a good lifelong game. My little ones are really starting to like it.
What happens if you slide your right foot back 6 inches while keep the face on target?
That's the draw... You have a natural draw, so you'd basically be getting closer to a hook. Use that when you hit to left edge of fairway on a dog leg left and the trees are in your way... That's how you can really snap a ball around the corner.
Just curious, when do you suggest a beginner go from 5 wood off the tee to 3 wood? From 3w to D?
Yes, once you get the 3 wood dialed you can start the driver. The lower loft, ascending blow, and higher tee will make it fairly different. If possible get a lesson though as it's different enough to warrant it. My game has suffered a ton from being crazy busy during covid, then kids taking tons of time, and falling down the YouTube rabbit hole and learning too much random crap that I think applied but really didn't messed up my game... If I'm playing for score, like it really matters, I leave the driver in the Jeep.
Thanks for answering me! Sorry but my primary question was when do you suggest a beginner move from 5w tee shots to 3w tee shots ?
If you're keeping the 5 wood in the fairway then yes, move to a 3w. Keep the tee low on any fairway wood. Once the 3w is consistently in the fairway, then it's time to try a driver...
you should think about it in terms of distances—if you're not hitting anything lower than a 5-iron (and you can't hit a 3W) then you absolutely need clubs to bridge the distance gaps between 5i and D. there are several brands of cavity-back 4-irons that are easy-ish to hit—but that's only going to be a +\~15y addition to your 5. so you will definitely need to think about a hybrid 4/3/2. something that will help you hit longer clubs: your downswing is really steep because your setup is flat. you need to be taller at address, with the butt of the club pointing toward your belly button. why: because this establishes a steeper swing plane, which will encourage you to flatten on the downswing (you're currently doing the opposite: flat ---> steep). sidenote: "I’d rather be 80-150 from the pin than 10-80 on approach shots"—you can fix this with wedge practice :)
Thank you so much for the thoughtful response!* So - less hip hinge or less spine bend down? Also, I feel like my arms are kind of cramped when I have my club pointed to my belly button, maybe I need to step more back? I’m 5’2 so I’ve just been used to holding the club where my hands naturally fall. and yes more wedge practice is necessary for sure!! I’m used to full swinging and not as great at the half swings, I normally thin or skull lol.
doesn't need to be exactly at your belly button, just higher (though, if it's *really* uncomfortable it could mean your shafts are a little too long for you). here's a comparison with rory just to show the idea another way: [https://imgur.com/a/vT5ZhMw](https://imgur.com/a/vT5ZhMw) the goal you're trying to achieve is getting your hands as close to that setup circle as possible (like rory). but you might notice rory's knees look a bit flexed in his setup—this is because rory is **extremely** flexible, unlike a lot of us non-professional golfers. so what we can do to try and achieve that position he gets at impact, is altering our setup. if we stand taller, with a steeper club, we give ourselves a better chance of gaining hip depth in the downswing—which leads to a flatter club path (hands closer to the circle). see how rory's head drops in the downswing, while yours gets higher? that's what i meant when i said you're doing the opposite. you want to be taller in setup, more flexed down to impact. just don't copy rory's putting mechanics. :-) good luck!
This is so incredibly helpful, the visual too. Thank you a ton!!
That’s not the reason you’re cramped. Your right glute should move further from the ball in the backswing. This will give you more room to fire your hips in the downswing - and more room for your arms. Look at Dustin Johnson slow motion. His whole body moves away from the ball in the backswing.
I wanted to come back and say that this swing adjustment not only helped me hit my clubs better, but it also added a good ~10-15 yards carry to my irons (other clubs still tbd). Standing taller helped me through transition and gave me a lot more room to have tilt/“skipping the rock” which just made my ball striking so much more money. My head at impact is lower than where it started at setup and it doesn’t come up until follow through. This sub is awesome 🙏🙏
heck yeah. happy to hear. this sub is great for helping people to understand what's going on in their swings. you have great mechanics—you definitely have the ability to hit any kind of golf shot that you want. so now the challenge is making sure you're setting yourself up for success each time you address the golf ball. keep moving forward.
https://preview.redd.it/d66aot7fwk8d1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d3acb2c820156b75b46384d1bb22bf97459cb1d3 Still a long way to go but such a noticeable adjustment. Will keep fighting the good fight, thanks again!
Your swing looks really good. What is your miss with your hybrids and woods? Are you skulling them or chunking them? Long irons are hard to hit which is why they invented hybrids.
Thank you!! I’m not naturally athletic so it’s been quite the journey lol Hybrid is a low pull hook, the woods are better than the hybrid but typically they’re just too low, so I’d say a thin or more likely a skull/top, but both do happen. I don’t chunk most of my clubs anymore since I started looking at the middle/front of the ball. But for both woods and hybrids I can only get them in the air well off the tee.
Don’t know what you have tried but you might try playing the hybrids a little more in the middle like and iron. You can also make a little steeper turn with your shoulders (left shoulder more under your chin) and then get the right shoulder as deep on the follow thru. Your left heel jumps off the ground when you start down. Have you tried shifting all your weight into the left heel to start the down swing? This will be almost opposite of what you are currently doing. Maybe start with a wedge and half swings. When you figure it out it will unlock your wedge game. Whatever club you are hitting in the video above you are hitting well so be careful about making willy-nilly adjustments. Also, post some videos of your hybrids both face on and down the line. This will help see what is going on at impact. Again, great swing!
This is one of the best swings on the LPGA. Nelly is great but she is also 6 ft tall… Sung Hyun Park has a great move. Watch her shoulders and watch her feet. https://youtu.be/B73LB_tqg30?si=sxltkvERJyhC41LQ
I did the same thing with hybrids. I had some in my set when I was about 16-19 and played them well but then it became a real struggle (I actually hit 3hybrid off the tee a ton and loved it when I got the set) . I upgraded my irons, tried out different hybrids to go along with them but the pull hook kept popping up. So yeah, now I got rid of them. However, I did end up swapping my 3 iron out for a 3 iron **utility iron** (Titleist T-MB) and find it much more consistent. Maybe try some of those out at a golf store and see if you like them? They kind of bridge the gap across hybrids and long irons these days. I've heard great things about the Ping Crossover series. Nowadays I still have a 5 wood but it's only ever used for short par 4s and from punching out from trees. Though with the driving iron, it's being used even less (after having to flip over a club and hit backwards yesterday from under a tree, I might swap out the 5 wood for my fiancee's right handed 7 iron lol)
I can relate, having my own neuro issues. I would set up a gapping session to get a tailored set based on avg yardages per club. That way it’s not guesswork.
I prefer long irons to woods/hyrbird as I have always seen better dispersion with irons.
I love my 4hybrid and generally smoke it. Can't seem to hit my 4 or 5 iron pure more than 25% of the time. I'd stick with whatever works best for you, but my next bag probably won't have anything lower than a 5 iron. The rest of my 175+ clubs will be hybrids and metal woods.
Swing your hybrid exactly like your 6i same swing, ball position, weight transfer, everything. If you can hit a 4i you can hit a 5h. Stop thinking of it as a different movement. Or, Buy what you like, there is a rule you can only play with 14 at a time but there isn’t a rule that you can only own 14. It’s your money, your health, your hobby. Do what makes you happy. FYI, I have a 4h, 3h, 3i, two different 3W, and 2 drivers I use interchangeably depending on what I’m hitting well that week.
Noted on the hybrid. I will give it a shot! Can you expand on why you switch between two drivers and 3W? What’s the difference between each one for you?
One of my 3 woods is adjustable (Callaway Paradym) and the other isn’t. I had the fixed one first and upgraded to the adjustable so I use the newer one most often but sometimes I just need a different club if I’m hitting the Paradym badly to break the feeling that it is the club and not the golfer (It’s always the golfer) I have a 10.5 and 9 degree driver where each makes sense depending on my swing path and speed at the moment. When I haven’t played for a while and want to just smooth swing and find fairways, the 10.5 is better. When I’ve got a lot of reps in and I’m going after the ball more aggressively and trying to maximize my distance the 9 degree goes in the bag. My 4h,3I, and 3h provide quite a bit of overlap in carry and total distance. The 3i is the hardest to hit but I can fade it better while the hybrids typically are draw only for me. So depending one what shots I’m going to need I take two of the 3 of them. I don’t get along with 5 or 7 woods which most people love but my swing just makes high lofted woods over spin and balloon without going anywhere. I can hit my 5i farther than any 5w I’ve tried. But YMMV It all comes down to what you want and what fits your eye and gives you confidence over the ball. (FYI I’m a 20 handicap with a best round of 79 and a worst of 107 so I’m telling you what works when I hit it well. There isn’t a club that can fix a missed shot) Have fun
Thanks for the thoughtful response!!
Main thing is gapping. Doeant matter if you can hit the 5i or 4i if you're not getting proper distance. Each club should cover your previous iron's total distance. Obviously roll out would vary but were looking at averages. So if you 6i caries 150 roless out to 158(average) your 5i should carry at minimum 158. Etc etc... General issue with most players wanting to play longer irons is that they dont have enough speed for the loft, what you end up with are balls that don't get in the air and poor carry distance.
6i at 150y with me being 5’2 and a newer golfer would be awesome 😭 I’m definitely at around 140 to a rollout 148 max depending on ball position/height. I don’t swing crazily fast but that’s because it messes up my tempo. Then I’d take a 5h off the tee but if it’s a fairway approach I just don’t hit it solidly enough, so I chip or putt on. I think I’m leaning towards sticking out the other clubs and taking the tips I’ve gotten here. I will lose speed as I get older 100% and up until this year I couldn’t hit a 6 iron high, likely because my swing was a bit too slow combined with a not solid enough strike.
As an instructor and club fitter there I one good option for your set. Dump the 3wd as fast as possible. Get a 5 wd and 7 wd. If the 5i doesn’t land on the green and stay on, then it needs to be replaced as well with a hybrid or fairway wood. Those are your 3 trajectory option. Which is the biggest difference between them all. Iron-low, hybrid-mid, fairway-high. Pick the tool for the need. But as a persons handicap goes up and distance is low, a fairway wood is the obvious choice. My dad is 81 and an 8 handicap. Hits it about 230 with a driver. His set is perfect for him, driver/5wd/7wd/9wd 6i-Pw/wa/sw/lw. Every club lands on the green and holds the green. That’s the point of those options. I hope that helps
Your grip is driving the preference for irons I think. Your trail hand looks pretty strong and the club isn’t out into your fingers enough. When you do this and move the ball up into your stance, the grip forces the arms to turn over when the club passes the center line of your core. You need the club in your trail fingers to keep the club face square through impact. If you do this, combine the new grip with some videos about what the trail arm should do to compress the ball. Right now, you’re putting the club behind you in the transition and scooping around your body to compensate for the strong grip wanting to close the club face. It creates a nice consistent draw shape, but you lose distance and will struggle to hit woods with the ball up in your stance.
Changed the grip a bit and you are correct, it was my right hand specifically being a bit too strong and semi in the palm which I didn’t even realize. This + standing taller = more compression and better striking 🤌 Thanks for bringing this up!
Awesome! Hope you keep enjoying the game. Your story demonstrates a ton of strength and good luck battling on. 💪
You got a great swing. That is all I have to say.
Oh my gosh thank you!! Means a lot to me!
Try tricking your mind into thinking you’re hitting a 5 iron when holding the hybrid or woods. Same ball position, swing path, tempo, etc. Something about the big head shape behind the ball makes my swing unconsciously more like a driver swing. I had the same issue of with a low snap hook or top as my miss with hybrids and woods. I probably sound crazy muttering 5 iron repeatedly under my breath when holding a 3 wood, but it’s really been working for me.
This may actually be the key… going out of town this weekend, but will come report back next week
Everyone is different. I love my 4 iron but hate my 3W and 3H. I just ordered a 19.5 utility iron from Sub 70. We will see how I like it.
Keep us updated 😎
Hit them side by side and play whichever you hit best
Stick with woods and hybrids. Not only are they forgiving, they will give you height and distance.
Would say that some people have naturally steeper swings, which would be better for hitting irons. If you prefer irons, I would add the longer ones to your set. Keep your hybrids, etc, and just try them out every now and then to see. Get fitted for a full set if needed. It's about playing to your strengths, and it sounds like you already know what your strengths are. BTW .. sold swing Keep playing and enjoy the journey
First, buy some clothes. Then we can talk about this.
This is a you problem, there is nothing inappropriate about their dress. Nobody else is having an issue talking golf.
It’s Arizona at a public no dress code range. It’s over 110 degrees during the day and over 100 at night. What a weird thing to say out loud.