Irons · Lesson
Get the Still Parts Right Before You Swing
Part of our irons programs. Build a program with it
A lot of good shots are made before the club moves. Your grip, face aim, body alignment and ball position all set up the result. Many high handicappers skip over these. Get them consistent and your swing has more room for error. Start with your grip. Your hands largely decide where the face points at impact. Then aim the face. Line your body up to it. Set your ball position. Check all four every time.
Step by step
- Check your grip.
- Aim the clubface.
- Line your body up to the face.
- Set your ball position.
- Repeat these checks every shot.
Why it works
The club face points mostly where your hands leave it at impact, so grip sets your start line and curve. If the face aim and body line are off, you have to make a swing compensation to fix it, and that is hard to repeat. A set ball position puts the low point of the swing in the same place each time, so contact stays consistent. When these four are the same every shot, your swing has fewer things to correct.
Common mistakes
- You aim your body at the target and set the face somewhere else.Pick the target line first, set the face to it, then build your feet, hips and shoulders parallel to that line.
- You change your grip a little each shot until the ball goes straight.Set the same hand positions every time and judge the result before you change anything.
- You place the ball in a different spot for each swing.Pick a spot for each iron, mark it against your stance with a club on the ground, and set it the same way every time.
How you'll know it's working
- Your divot starts at or just after the ball and points toward the target.
- The ball starts on your chosen line more often than not.
- Your setup feels the same on every shot, and you can repeat it without thinking much.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Practise on the range with a club laid on the ground along your target line and another along your feet, so you can see your alignment.
Harder: Do the four checks in the same order before every shot in a practice round, with no extra practice swings or restarts.
Common questions
Why does my aim feel right but the ball goes offline?
Your body may be lined up to a different spot than the clubface. Set the face to the target first, then line your feet, hips and shoulders parallel to that line.
Where should the ball be in my stance with an iron?
For short irons, place it near the middle of your stance. For longer irons, move it a little forward of the middle, and keep that spot the same each time.
