| Good golf iron play is determined largely by knowing | | | | many times. There have been countless hours of |
| where to place the ball , both in relation to the width of | | | | practice behind each seemingly effortless setup. |
| your stance as well as the distance from your body. | | | | If you learn to establish your"bottom of the swing" spot |
| Your irons cannot do the precision work they are | | | | by taking several practice swings and noting the point |
| designed for, unless they contact the ball properly. | | | | of ground contact, you can then place yourself in a |
| There are "Rules of thumb" that are used frequently to | | | | similar position in relation to the ball and be more likely |
| determine correct ball positioning, such as "middle of | | | | to make proper contact. If however, you use a "rule of |
| the stance" for short irons and "closer to inside heel of | | | | thumb" ball position and it is not in proper relation to the |
| leading foot" for long irons. | | | | bottom of your swing, you will have to make |
| I have found that this becomes confusing to so many | | | | compensations by reaching for the ball to avoid thin |
| students. The reason for this is that physique and | | | | shots or pulling back with your body to prevent fat |
| flexibility determine how a person swings. and it is | | | | shots. |
| certainly different from one person to the next. | | | | I teach these swing thoughts: |
| It seems simpler to establish the bottom of the swing | | | | 1. Long irons are usually played with more of a |
| arc and then place the ball so that it is contacted just | | | | sweeping swing similar to the driver. Contact will |
| prior to the bottom of the arc on short irons, and at the | | | | generally be made at the bottom, or just past the |
| bottom of the arc on long irons. This necessarily | | | | bottom of the swing. |
| requires a practice swing or two prior to taking a shot, | | | | 2. Short irons are played with more of a descending |
| and while there is no substitute for practice when it | | | | contact, trapping the ball somewhat against the turf.. |
| comes to learning correct ball position, learning to | | | | Contact with the ball will generally be made just prior to |
| establish the bottom of the swing arc with practice | | | | contact with the turf. |
| swings will shorten the learning time. | | | | 3. Establish your "bottom of the swing arc" spot by |
| Establishing the bottom of the arc, or (the point of | | | | taking one or two practice swings. Note your body |
| ground contact) will help establish both your correct | | | | position in relation to the divots. Then set yourself in a |
| distance from the ball as well as the position of the ball | | | | similar position to the ball for either long iron contact or |
| left or right in relation to your feet. | | | | short iron contact as noted above. |
| Veteran golfers can position themselves in relation to | | | | As you continue to do this, the correct positions will |
| the ball more easily because they have done so many, | | | | begin to become ingrained. |