Need Help With My Irons

[KeilwerthSX90R]

hitting high weak hooks

I have encountered an annoying problem. I'm hitting my driver and 3-wood great. Long and straight. However, I'm very inconsistent with my irons. I'm even having some problems with full wedge shots. When I'm missing it it a high short shot that feels thin, usually a hook. On my wedges it's just a weak push.

My main point of focus right now is that I'm getting stuck behind the ball so that I'm catching everything on the upswing which is why my driver is going so nicely but my irons aren't. Does this make sense? The pro at my range has mentioned that one needs to get their head over the ball on iron shots and similarly I've read multiple articles in GD, etc. about have a stacked left side, shoulder, left arm and left leg aligned at impact.

What are some good drills or things to focus on to work on my iron contact? Obviously I know that a break down of the wrists can lead to this problem (and I know it's one of my issues) but I feel like a possible cause or at least concurrent problem is that my head to too far behind the ball. I don't want to consciously bump my hips because I've had a huge problem in the past swaying back and forward but how does one properly turn yet get the left shoulder, arm and leg lined up at impact?

Thanks,
Josh

[jportz]

In my (non-professional) opinion...you're not getting a good weight shift and like you said, probably hanging back a bit and catching your irons thin and on the upswing.

 

There's tons of drills but my favorite is this:

 

Set up to the ball with an 8 iron...take your normal stance. Then take your front foot and put it next to your back foot so your feet are together. Then when you get to the top of your swing you start your downswing by stepping that front foot back to it's original position....this will give you the feeling of a proper weight shift and you should find that you're hitting some solid iron shots this way.

 

You can also hit balls with a low or mid iron and start with most of your weight on your front foot...don't transfer your weight to the back, keep it on your front foot and concentrate on trapping the ball between the club and the turf. Hopefully this will help you shift your weight and hit your irons with a descending blow.

 

Good luck, I hope these help you out.

[KeilwerthSX90R]

Thanks for the advice. I'll try those drills.

 

I'm still trying to get my head around this a little bit though. Am I supposed to feel like I'm shifting my weight forward and then turning? How do I get a good shift foward without sliding and failing to turn?

 

When I've tried the step into the downswing drill before I have problems turning my swing into a very vertical mostly arms swing.

 

For my driver and 3 wood on the downswing I just feel like I'm firing my hips through and I hit nice shots. I this because on the woods you're supposed to stay behind the ball?

 

Should I feel like the first part of my turn through the ball with the irons is to shift my head and weight forward a little bit?

 

 

Thanks,

Josh