Sergio's low iron shots

[greencarlito]

Anyone know how?

Sergio hit a load of low penetrating irons at the Open this week, both off the tee and from the fairway. From the looks of it he just put the ball way back in his stance and crunched it - contrary to the usual 'take an extra club, swing easy' method. Does anyone know if there is anything else to this shot? Many people have commented on other threads about the lag he creates through weaker shafts, although he uses PX 7.0s so I don't think thats it. Any ideas?

[dlygrisse]

Hogan said in 5 Lessons that you should supinate, or arch your left wrist, and turn a 5 iron into a 6 iron. Sergio traps the ball and delofts the club face through impact by keeping his hands ahead of the clubface and arching his left wrist. I think it also heps when you are able to create lag because you can wait longer to "trap" the ball on the turf. He also had a 122 mph swing speed with his driver and that allows you to put a ton of spin on the shot.

[Nut_Case]

What does arching the left wrist mean? I've heard that a lot, but no clue as to what it means..

[Jim_0068]

I think the other poster meant turn a 5 iron into a 4 iron by delofting it.

 

To hit very low iron shots like Sergio was hitting (especially with his type of ball speeds) is actually quite difficult.

 

However for the average joe what you need to do is something similar to the "stack and tilt" idea but don't hit down on it too steeply or you'll create a lot of spin.

 

The idea is to keep your body from leaning to the right (on a normal shot) so that when you hit the ball you end up hitting it with less loft and hopefully a lower flight.

[SadTrombone]

Honestly, when I need to hit it low, I move it back and take an extra club if I can. I've gotten to the point where I can hit a driver about 20' off the deck now, which is kinda fun. Useless...but fun.

 

You've got to have decent forearm/wrist strength to pull it off because you need your left wrist bowed at impact delofting the club without letting it go open or closed.

 

It can be inconsistent, so I take an extra club and swing easy 99% of the time.

 

-mini

[InspiredGolf]

It helps to have a strong 2 iron in the bag as well as the 120 mph clubhead speed. As far as technique, Ball back of center in your stance and the hands need to stay ahead of the ball at impact. Thats what works for me....

[raidernut1234]

The fact that he's hitting a Muscle back blade with a higher center of gravity helps as well. you try that shot with a GI club or hybrid and it's a lot tougher to keep down.

Thats why I have one 18* hybrid with an XX shaft in it. With my driver SS at 105, all it does is go dead straight about 20' off the ground and RUN LIKE CRAZY!!! I only put it in when the wind is blowing 15mph +

Try and demo a hybrid with an extra stiff shaft to see what I am talking about.

[dlygrisse]

I think the other poster meant turn a 5 iron into a 4 iron by delofting it.

 

To hit very low iron shots like Sergio was hitting (especially with his type of ball speeds) is actually quite difficult.

 

However for the average joe what you need to do is something similar to the "stack and tilt" idea but don't hit down on it too steeply or you'll create a lot of spin.

 

The idea is to keep your body from leaning to the right (on a normal shot) so that when you hit the ball you end up hitting it with less loft and hopefully a lower flight.

 

If you get a copy of 5 Lessons Hogan does a great job of describing what I am trying to say....but imagine if you are wearing a wrist watch on your left hand and at impact it is closer to the target than the rest of your hand and wrist, at which point in time the grip end of the shaft will be leaning toward the target. Hope this clarifies it.

[Jim_0068]

I think the other poster meant turn a 5 iron into a 4 iron by delofting it.

 

To hit very low iron shots like Sergio was hitting (especially with his type of ball speeds) is actually quite difficult.

 

However for the average joe what you need to do is something similar to the "stack and tilt" idea but don't hit down on it too steeply or you'll create a lot of spin.

 

The idea is to keep your body from leaning to the right (on a normal shot) so that when you hit the ball you end up hitting it with less loft and hopefully a lower flight.

 

If you get a copy of 5 Lessons Hogan does a great job of describing what I am trying to say....but imagine if you are wearing a wrist watch on your left hand and at impact it is closer to the target than the rest of your hand and wrist, at which point in time the grip end of the shaft will be leaning toward the target. Hope this clarifies it.

 

I know what you meant, you just reversed the number of the iron in your first post about turning a 5 iron into a 6 iron.

[Big D McGee]

I can't shape shots to save my life, but I can pretty easily alter the trajectory of my shots. I simply put the ball way back in my stance and it comes out like a low line drive. I lose about 15 yards on the shot. Since I was always in the trees when I first started playing, this shot was essential for me, and it's something I've pretty well mastered.

[smatts]

I think the other poster meant turn a 5 iron into a 4 iron by delofting it.

 

To hit very low iron shots like Sergio was hitting (especially with his type of ball speeds) is actually quite difficult.

 

However for the average joe what you need to do is something similar to the "stack and tilt" idea but don't hit down on it too steeply or you'll create a lot of spin.

 

The idea is to keep your body from leaning to the right (on a normal shot) so that when you hit the ball you end up hitting it with less loft and hopefully a lower flight.

 

So zero to little axis tilt at impact?

[Swingtheclub]

All very good points.

 

The ball back , trapped bowed wrist.

 

The big thing is be very strong . I hit the ball high always have. I think my wrist bows the other way a bit or I cup it at impact.

 

To hit low shots I go to more club , move the ball back and actually shorten my swing some.

 

I just do not have the strength or hand control to pull the shot off hitting it hard.

 

The hardest thing in the world for me to do is keep a rescue club or fivewood down. I can hit a low long iron but not and carry it very far so its useless off of a tee.

 

For years I carried a one iron thru pw and sw. So when I wanted to hit a low long iron it was easy. Choke the one iron down back in my stance and let it rip. I could hit it low and about two hundred yds. Normally I hit it fairly high and about 235.

 

But I am old now (58) the longest iron in my bag is a four iron. When I really have to hit it low I am screwed.

 

 

Great question

[Big D McGee]

^^That's a good point, about being strong. I think it's essential to really go after the ball very aggressively when you want to hit a low stinger-type shot. On a shot from the fairway, I might hit 90%; from the rough or to get the ball lower I try to hit the ball as hard as I can. Since the ball is so far back in my stance, there's no chance of chunking it or hitting it fat.

[RacineBoxer]

A low hook is a shot that I taught myself several years ago. It started on the driving range trying to get rid of a slice. I figured I needed to learn to hook it if I was going to learn what caused the slice.

 

I put the ball back in my stance and use a really closed off stance (feet aligned wayyy to the right of where I'm trying to hit it). Then I just make a really inside-out swing and really turn the club over through impact. I actually use this shot maybe once per 18, when I've driven it into some trees and I need to keep it low, curve it and hopefully run it up the fairway towards the green. I would have no confidence that I could do anything productive with it off the tee however. I usually use a 5-7 iron and try to hit it anywhere from 120-160 yards.

[JustinFL83]

Sergio hits the ball on the lower end of PGA tour players to begin with because of his lag.

 

Just put the ball back and choke down a little bit, think of hitting the ball so low it never gets off the ground, and you can rip it full swing and still hit it low. That's basically how tiger hit his "stinger"

[Chairman7w]

Jim 0068 wrote: "... turn a 5 iron into a 4 iron by delofting it."

 

Why not just hit a 4-iron?

[DaveyH]

body weight infront of the ball ( for a right hander lean more to the left at adress)

back foot

hit down on the ball

half follow through.

[DaveyH]

body weight infront of the ball ( for a right hander lean more to the left at adress)

back foot

hit down on the ball

half follow through.

[Swingtheclub]

Lol

 

The half follow thru helps bow your wrist but you better be strong to do it with a long iron.