Long Irons (3,4,5)

[Cobra guy]

Hey shottalkians, sorry to keep bothering you. Im seeing my golf coach on tuesday, but i was just wondering why i can not get a long iron in the air. Do you have any tips on trying to pick my long irons off the ground, and not trying to take a thin divot. My swing has gotten alot better with the 6,7,8,9,wedges but i cant get the hang of the long irons. Also were should the ball be in my stance if i want to try to pick it off the ground?


Thanks,
Nick

[JEFF4i]

What are we looking at in distances?

I believe it was in the book "Search for the Perfect Club"(sorry for using quotes, and probably getting the title wrong, but you get the point) that many clubspeeds aren't capable of truly finding potential with long irons.

[mddubya]

As odd as it sounds, you don't want to pick the ball off the ground. Even with the long irons, you still have to hit down on the ball to make it go up. I play the ball just a tad forward of dead center in my stance with my 3 and 4 iron. Dead center for the 5 iron and it moves back incrementally the shorter the club.

[rubber314chicken]

I was told 1/2 roll of the ball forward of the middle of my stance for the longer clubs. Also, they have a lower, more penetrating flight. AKA, they will roll a lot, and not drop and stop like shorter clubs.

[Cobra guy]

What are we looking at in distances?

I believe it was in the book "Search for the Perfect Club"(sorry for using quotes, and probably getting the title wrong, but you get the point) that many clubspeeds aren't capable of truly finding potential with long irons.

6 Iron- 135
5 Iron- 145
4 Iron- 155-160

And i should play it just forward of dead center? It seems like i can never get good contact.

[rubber314chicken]

The only time I'm able to get good contact with a five or longer is off the tee. The only time I'm able to get good contact with my 6 is from the rough to the left of the fairway on the 9th on my local course after a wiked hook on the drive.

[MIKE1218]

I believe that tempo is one of the most important factors to consider when hitting a long iron. You have to be smooth. Don't think 'Uh-oh, a long iron, I'll probably duff this.' Pretend it's your 8 iron or 7 iron or whatever you hit the best and take a smooth tempo like you would for that club. Don't over swing. That's probably what a lot of poeple do when the get a long iron in their hands: they panic and overswing big time. And remember, you need to hit down and take a divot for the ball to go up, just like any club.

Some people just don't have the swing speed or consistency to play long irons and would be better suited to hybrids. I don't know if you have the SS for long irons or not, but if you think you do, keep practicing.

[rubber314chicken]

Some people just don't have the swing speed or consistency to play long irons and would be better suited to hybrids. I don't know if you have the SS for long irons or not, but if you think you do, keep practicing.

I think he would be a candidate. I'm sure I swing a lot fast than him (easy enough when you have over a foot and 60 pounds on someone) and I have a lot of trouble with the ball acting like it was hit thin even on good shots.

any clue what SS you would need for a set of true long irons to work well?

[finnk]

As odd as it sounds, you don't want to pick the ball off the ground. Even with the long irons, you still have to hit down on the ball to make it go up. I play the ball just a tad forward of dead center in my stance with my 3 and 4 iron. Dead center for the 5 iron and it moves back incrementally the shorter the club.

I totally agree with the hit down on the ball, but I find that I position the ball further forward in my stance. Middle with pitching wedge, and move it forward with each club, until driver is at the inside of my left heel (I am right handed). But what works for me does not necessarily work for everyone.

[Pa Jayhawk]

For me, it is all the length of the shaft and the design and the reason I would simply recommend for anyone that has problems with a 3,4 or 5 iron to take a look at either equal fairway woods or hybrids. For me I carry a 5i, but have always been on the fence. Many pro's no longer even carry a 3-4i

I see you already carry a 4i hybrid, how do you hit it? My last set did not include a 3i, my current set did not include a 4i.

[Cobra guy]

Hey guys! Went out and played toady. Shot 45 on the front going bogie, double, bogie, bogie, bogie, bogie, bogie, bogie, bogie from the BLUES. The long irons were going fine just with a lower ball flight.

[RoughedgesMR]

i play the long irons foward in my stance. i have no problems hitting long irons but have higher handicap friends that cant hit them at all. I hit my 3 anywhere from 230 through 240. i actually like the feel of my long irons more than hybrids.

[RoughedgesMR]

Hey guys! Went out and played toady. Shot 45 on the front going bogie, double, bogie, bogie, bogie, bogie, bogie, bogie, bogie. The long irons were going fine just with a lower ball flight.

are you playing your hands in front of the ball on the longer irons?

[Cobra guy]

Hey, i do keep my hands at LEAST parallel to the ball, but i usually put them ahead.

[Augster]

6 Iron- 135
5 Iron- 145
4 Iron- 155-160

And i should play it just forward of dead center? It seems like i can never get good contact.

As said above, you just don't have the clubhead speed yet to make the longer irons perform.

Replace them with hybrids or similiarly lofted fairway woods.