12/06/2016

Iron Shots: 5 Practical Tips

If you like playing golf, it is only natural that you want to improve your performance in every possible category. However, merely watching some of the professionals hitting the perfect iron shot at a tournament may not suffice.

Here at USGolfTV, we like providing hints to the golf enthusiasts on how to find the right sources of information across the internet. Over time, we have learned that some of the most efficient tricks to improve your swing or body position are the simplest ones.  Now, that does not necessarily mean they are tips for golf beginners.  Rather, they are easy to implement regardless of skill level.  And we are happy that many professionals are not shy to share them with us via their websites, on YouTube or on Twitter and Facebook.

Today, we would like to focus on nailing that perfect iron shot, no matter what. Recently, we have come across some very useful videos and articles by prominent golf instructors and professional players, who have revealed their tricks for hitting pure, solid and generally better iron shots.

Find below our selection of the 5 most useful articles and videos that will give you ideas and show you practical drills that will help you add quality to your iron shots.

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1. Sergio Garcia’s secrets for hitting pure iron shots

Sergio Garcia (read more about him on his website) is a Spanish professional golfer, playing on both The PGA Tour and the European Tour. Garcia also has 1000 weeks in the Official World Golf Ranking. In the article below he shares his six swing keys for successfully hitting iron shots accompanied with photos and a bonus 3-D look at his swing.

Read Sergio’s Secrets on Golf.com

Now watch Sergio hit an iron shot…

2. Controlling Low Point for Irons

In this video, Todd Kolb reveals the basics for hitting quality iron shots. The secret? How to control the low point.  These are tips for golf beginners and avid golfers alike.  Moreover, they might help you understand what might be going on in your swing. This can help create consistent shots and solid contact.  To take it one step further, you can also review your setup here.

The object he uses to show how to control your swing might come as a bit of a surprise. It’s a hula-hoop. However, since practically every golf swing is a circle, even though a different one for every person, the hula-hoop helps you visually identify where your low point is.

The golf instructor—PGA Teaching Professional Todd Kolb—shows us an excellent and easy drill that can help the golfer become a great iron player by identifying the low point or angle of attack (AOA in professional jargon) and applying the right one, which is between 2 and 4-5 degrees, when hitting the ball with the iron.

Todd Kolb was selected at the Minnesota PGA Teacher of the Year in 2008 and Dakota Chapter Teacher of the Year in 2010 and 2015. He regularly shares valuable golf tips on Twitter.  We recommend you follow his account at @toddkolbgolf or visit his website www.toddkolbgolf.com.

Watch this simple presentation here.

3. Solid Iron Shots

Sean Casey, who was named “Teacher of the Year” in 2009 by the PGA of Ontario and Canada and was chosen as one of the four prominent teachers in Canada for 2011 by Golf Digest, gives tips on various aspects of golf and you can find his educational and practical videos both on his website and in YouTube. You can also follow him on Twitter under @seancaseygolf.

In this useful video, he shares his secret on hitting solid iron shots.  He demonstrates what is the right position and how to shift your weight. Then he discusses the optimum lower body and head movements.  Last but not least, he shows how to finish the shot.

Watch the video below and you will also find an excellent drill for shifting your weight. It might help you hit a solid iron shot every time.

4. How to Hit Down for Better Iron Shots

Skip Guss is a PGA professional who was named New England PGA Teacher of the Year in 2014. He also ranks as the 5th Best New England PGA Teacher, all according to Golf Digest. He has provided more than 32,000 golf lessons in his golf academy – GolfRite (find more on their website). Guys also works well both with beginners and with established golfers from the professional and amateur tournaments.

Skip Guss can teach practical tricks at any time as in the video below. In it, he takes advantage of the bad weather and the postponed first round of US Open.  Here he shows us an easy drill on how to hit better iron shots by hitting down on the golf ball to avoid lifting it up. Guss puts a tee in front of the golf ball at about 6 inches. Then he strikes it in such a way that it removes the tee.

His lesson is indoors but can be practiced on the field as well. Watch this short but extremely useful lesson if you want to hit better iron shots.

5. Three Keys to Hitting your 9-iron

Most of the tips give us general advice on how to hit quality iron shots. Paul Myers gets into further details with a specific iron – number nine. In three simple tips, he explains the keys to perfect your nine iron shot:

• Key #1 – Head over the Ball
• Key #2 – Hands Ahead at Impact
• Key #3 – Never Hit It Flat-Out

Read the details at: http://www.swingmangolf.com/three-keys-hitting-nine-iron/

The writer also provides tips on using the other irons – number six or eight, for example, that you can find on the same website.

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We hope that you enjoyed reading and watching.  We strongly recommend you to go out at the golf field and try to practice these easy tricks yourself.  Now, golf tips for beginners and experienced players alike tend to be the most beneficial.  Then surprise your playmates with your improved quality iron shots next time you play!