Proper path for iron shots

[Big D McGee]

Inside out like driver and woods?

Forgive me, I know this is a very basic question. I've been playing and practicing this season more than ever, and I've dropped from about a 30 handicap to 15.8. I've only had one round in the 90's since breaking 90 ten or so rounds ago (97, today), and my personal best is an 82.

I've really started to understand the mechanics of a proper golf swing, and I must say my fundamentals are now rock-solid. Even my poor shots aren't so poor (most days..today was just BAD! )

About 3 weeks or so ago, I was at the range and the "inside-out" path finally just clicked in my head. I previously had a very upright, I guess you would call it steep swing. Basically, I think I was doing a version of the "Stack and Tilt" without realizing it.

Since I've been swinging my driver and woods on the inside out path from the tee, I've seen huge gains in my consistency and increased distance. The ball now goes super-straight, and farther than I've ever hit it.

However, my ballstriking with my irons (and, indeed, my hybrid and FW woods off the deck) hasn't been as crisp. I'm still using the same steep path, and I believe it's costing me in terms of trajectory, distance, and control. Even when I feel like I've hit a solid shot, the ball has a mid to low trajectory, and as a result I can't hold many of the firm, fast greens I play on. I also stand pretty close to the ball, so I don't hit a shank or "worm burner".

What is the "preferred" path for crisp ballstriking with your irons? Should I use an inside-out path similar to that I use with my driver off the tee?

Thanks for any insight you can give me, I really appreciate it!

[Big D McGee]

Anyone??

[leekgolf]

The preferred path for all normal shots is inside to square to inside, whether it's a wood or an iron. If you are really going inside out, then you have a very shallow approach and your woods will either push or hook OR you can flip and get push, hook, or reasonably straight, but each shot will be dependent on timing, which is hard to control.

 

Your irons will either be fat or thin.

 

The path is an arc.

[ezra76]

Same here. I actually say those words during my swing, gives me my tempo. "Inside, inside" with the comma being ever so slight pause at the top. Might sound stupid but I swear it works for me.

[Jim_0068]

inside/out is OK with irons or words, but only a few degrees. Anything more than that and you'll have problems getting the ball in the air or keep it from going left.

 

Also, maybe the poster is feeling the CORRECT inside/out feel because he's been so over plane for so long. Also it's very difficult to hit the ball pretty straight with a very inside/out path so if he is, then he'll be fine.

 

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So the original poster, the plane line doesn't change from club to club, however the plane ANGLE does. That's why shorter irons feel steeper and long clubs feel flatter. You're still swinging them on the same plane line but just a different angle.

 

As my instructor always says:

 

The plane line is like the gutter on a roof and the plane angle is the pitch of that roof. So keep your "gutter" the same, but allow the "pitch" to adjust to the club.

 

Hope that helps.