The million dollar question – how do you hit a pure iron shot, every time you swing? I wish I had the answer for you, because I would love to apply this myself to my own game. With that said, you can improve your contact with the irons, and become more consistent throughout. I know you are probably looking for that cure- all, but aren’t we all. I will be the first to admit that no such thing exists, but I can lead you in the right direction and have you hitting more consistently pure iron shots for a long time. Don’t believe every article and swing aid that is out there, the majority of them are “gimmicks” to sucker golfers in to purchasing whatever they want you to. In this section, I will cover some tips to help you improve on your iron game, and if you apply them and dedicate the appropriate amount of time to improving, then you will see success and you will see the quality shots you are looking for.

What causes you to hit that arrant iron shot that finds the bunker and lacks the distance you desire? Well, this can be caused by a number of things, with the biggest being tempo. When you swing the club off tempo, you can cause a world of issues with your swing speed, hands, and contact with the ball. To correct a faulty swing tempo, simply focus on either slowing your back swing down… or even speeding it up. To determine the correct “fix” for yourself, simply go to the range and hit a few balls. During this session, work on slowing the takeaway down first. The most common cause of an errant shot is a backswing that is too quick, which throws the rest of the swing off. During your swing, focus solely on slowing down the backswing and maintaining a more consistent tempo.

The next cause of the errant iron shot, is hand placement at set up. This one is something I have made a strong point of my practice for years now. I used to battle of that soft fade, or even the hard hook, but hand placement is key to eliminating this and improving your consistency in your irons. To correct an improper placement of your hands, simply set up for your normal shot. From here stand up and hold the club up and focus on your armpits. You more than likely have your arms extended too far away from your body, and need to bring them in closer. Pull your arms in until you feel relaxed, and put the club back down to the ball. You probably sat it down a few inches closer to you, and you are not reaching the ball. Step closer to the ball, and maintain the relaxation in your arms. From here take your swing and focus on keeping the armpits throughout the swing. You will want to work on this for a while, because it is a mental challenge to stand this close to the ball and feel comfortable with your swing. Don’t stray away too quickly, you will need to invest plenty of time and effort into this motion to perfect the new swing, and ultimately feel more comfortable in addressing the ball in this position.

The final thing you want to focus on is your follow through position. Ideally, you will follow through and be standing comfortable facing your target. If you catch yourself leaning or even beginning to fall over, then you need to pay close attention to your follow through. This is the same thinking as with the takeaway, you aren’t moving all over the place and falling over here are you? The answer should be no, you are maintaining balance throughout the swing allowing your body to work the way it should.

In all, there really is not a “cure-all” for hitting a pure iron shot, but if you can apply these simple tips then you will find more success throughout. As I have done with my other tips, I will leave you with a challenge: I challenge you to dedicating a full week to these drills. I hate to admit it, but you can’t fix your iron play in one day, it takes time as with anything in the game of golf. During the week, I want you to first focus on your tempo and accurately moving from the takeaway to the follow through. After you have perfected this, focus on your hand placement and follow through. Drop the hands lower and keep the arms relaxed at address. Once you have completed the week of practice, you can move to the course and relish in your hard work. During your first round back out, really pay attention to where your misses are, and the new accuracy you have throughout the bag.