GREETINGS COACH A question just to make sure. My new swing trigger and I think I have finally found the right on, is FROM A TO B. My question is ,going from a to b when the club is at the bottom and is transitioning from the down swing to the follow through mentally think about and feel my wrists snap from one side to the other.I don’t know if I made a clear picture but I feel the shift. I end up in the touch ears and knees position but I don’t want to be manipulating the snap but it feels right and the ball goes straight . This is probably a dumb question but …. THANkS COACH
I have plenty of people who feel the snap when they first do it. This is because they have had a lifetime of locked wrists. So looser wrists and releasing it totally different so it is easy to recognize. It will become natural after you do it a while. You saying this tells me this is a major breakthrough you are having. You need to keep doing/feeling it.
Paul ,Two comments on this excellent reminder video lesson :
-When you look at ancient photos or movies of the golfers of the 1920’s and 1940 ‘s,they were swinging very erect ,much more than the Pro’s of today (They had more vertical swings )
-the top golfers in the last USPGA at OAKMONT did swing around their body very much :the one who does this the best is DUSTIN JOHNSON :just look at him rehearsing his swing before each shot !
You are correct. The best players of all time were standing taller too. Nicklaus, Watson, Snead, Tiger to 2003, Couples etc. etc. Until one of those tilted swings can beat Tiger or Nicklaus I will continue to teach a taller setup. The taller setup allows you to coil and uncoil consistently and it never hurts your back.
Paul,
Tip is right on for me.
I’ve been hitting “miserable” irons and good to excellent woods. My bad short irons have been very low but straight toward target half the time, but also weak, soft, poor contact hits to the right with slices.
The day before this tip came out, I was trying to fix my short iron swing on the range using your swing theory and positions and the following seemed to fix it: loosening my grip pressure, swinging easier (70-80%) with weak arms, and standing more erect (felt like I was arching my back). I recently saw videos of my swing and noticed very terrible, bent over. non-athletic looking, posture, especially with the short irons. Still working on backward tilt at contact too. Helps a lot when I do it right, but struggling to get that consistent for all clubs. Any further thoughts on getting proper tilt at contact?
Can’t wait to get back to the range and course to apply this stuff. Shot a relatively low score (that hasn’t happened in years) the day after my work on the range and know this tip will work if I can keep it up.
Muchas gracias.
For right now, fix the grip and setup. Then get the coil and uncoil to my follow through positions. The backwards tilt should be a lot easier to get now that you are taller.
Biggest problem is keeping the head 3 to 5 inches behind the ball when trying to get to the left Side. In the beginning of the round of golf I have no problem making that transition and keeping the head behind the ball . But as the round continues my lower back seems to tighten up and I can no longer do this which results in a lot of pull hooks. I could sure use your help on this one do you have any thoughts
Sounds like you are getting tired later in the round so your legs stop working. It also sounds you are trying to force the head to stay behind the ball. Why not do this on the range and in practice swings. Then when you play do a couple of practice swings before every shot feeling this tilt then when you hit your shot feel what you just felt but make sure you are going through to the follow through position.
The tilt is important but it’s going to be tough to work it is when you’re playing. You should be doing this in practice and getting used to the feeling of the tilt. After you do it for a while it will be in your real swing.
Thanks Paul; I really needed this specific lesson. After watching it four times I took it to the range–AND THE CONCEPT (Look up, sit, bend), (and swing the short iron around the body) WORKED!
I’m back to hitting the irons with accuracy and power. (I had had the shanks for the last 4-5 weeks!!!)
My students never shank it. The taller setup is the key. Glad you found it. Now you have to make this a habit. Just don’t clearly see your toes at set up and don’t see your toes at all at the top of the backswing. If so, you will never shank it again.
This would be a better question for Jeremy as he is the flexibility expert. He has a tons of tips on legs and hips. Just go to the original site. Click on Flexibility . All of his tips will come up. Just start going through some of them. They’re pretty easy to find.
For me, I would want you choosing a downswing trigger and doing these drills nightly:
Hey real quick, with short and medium pitch shots, is 6-7 inch distance from the ball still in play? Im pretty sure it is and that standing tall with short pitch shots is very key to hitting them solid. Just wanted to confirm that
I have the exact opposite problem. My irons are great but my drives at coming in at 4-7 degree angle per the tracman. Crating backspin on my driver. Have tried moving ball forward on driver but still hitting down. In spite of this, the ball goes straight, looks good and sounds ok but avg like 220 off tee
Your head is moving ahead of the ball in the downswing thus de-lofting your club.
You need to check your grip is neutral then work on keeping your head behind the ball as you hit it. This will add loft and get the ball up. Just fixed a student yesterday doing this exact same thing. Easy.
Paul, just finished a two man scramble and we came in the money. I have had a problem with spraying my short and mid irons mostly pulling and pushing. I have started using my lower body to initiate the down swing, turning the hips then shoulders to the target. My iron shots have become crisp and on line…one problem though, i am consistently 1 to 2 irons short. I hit a 7 iron usually 150 yds. Now it’s between 135 to 140 yds. Any advice on how to get more didtance. I must say, this new swing really feels great and I don’t want to go back to hitting with my arms and hands.
Thanks,
Paul,
I too am hitting the driver well but I am struggling with my irons. My bad iron shots are push slices and sometime a shank happens and I have lost distance with my irons. In my setup with the irons I am try to keep my body vertical but then I feel like I am reaching way to too much with my arms to get the club to the ground. It feels uncomfortable. Do I need to sit more with my knees to help keep my upper body vertical so I can coil around my body? Any other suggestions or tips?
Everyone here needs to know how to fix their own swing so as soon as you hit that first bad shot you are on it and fix it immediately instead of digging a deeper hole. All the fixes are on this site. Anytime you experience any of these shots you go to the red navigation bar. To the right there is a search box. Type in what you are looking for and all tips on this topic will come up. You can also hover over GOLF TIPS on the right and sub menu will drop down. The cures are listed there too.
So if you hit any ball right the face is open. If the face is open your wrists are too tight because a loose hinge would always come back to exactly where it started. Why would the hinge lock up? Typically, you would be hitting too hard or coming out of the shot. These 2 things will lock the wrists.
Loss of distance is you hitting hard with the arms. The harder you hit the more chicken wing you do which adds loft:
Do the setup then watch yourself in a mirror or window. You should be able to draw a line that goes from the middle of your shoulder, tip of the knees and front on laces. So setup with the a mirror or window at your side. Either eyeball it or have someone hang a club down so you can see it.
So start with the setup and see what happens. This alone can fix your swing. If not then do some roll overs so you stop locking the wrists. Hit a few hooks then add body too straighten it out.
I am a returning client and a senior. For the last two years, I have been playing with a slight physical handicap. Unfortunately, I have partially lost sight in my right eye. However, I have found that the impairment has not been a big deal and have played some decent rounds of golf. I am having problems with my set up with irons as it feels different with the impairment. Your tip on not hitting down has been very helpful. Just thought you may have some experience working with sight impaired golfers.
We have worked with some sight impaired golfers in the past, the best thing for you to start doing would be to make your golf swing more consistent. You can do this by working on the positions in your golf swing. Start here:
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26 Responses to “Good Woods Bad Irons”
June 21, 2016
ThomasCrankGreat explanation, your instructions are the best!
June 22, 2016
Paul WilsonThomas,
Thanks. Glad you liked it.
June 22, 2016
johnhoyleGREETINGS COACH A question just to make sure. My new swing trigger and I think I have finally found the right on, is FROM A TO B. My question is ,going from a to b when the club is at the bottom and is transitioning from the down swing to the follow through mentally think about and feel my wrists snap from one side to the other.I don’t know if I made a clear picture but I feel the shift. I end up in the touch ears and knees position but I don’t want to be manipulating the snap but it feels right and the ball goes straight . This is probably a dumb question but …. THANkS COACH
June 22, 2016
Paul WilsonJohn,
I have plenty of people who feel the snap when they first do it. This is because they have had a lifetime of locked wrists. So looser wrists and releasing it totally different so it is easy to recognize. It will become natural after you do it a while. You saying this tells me this is a major breakthrough you are having. You need to keep doing/feeling it.
June 22, 2016
RaymondCHASTELPaul ,Two comments on this excellent reminder video lesson :
-When you look at ancient photos or movies of the golfers of the 1920’s and 1940 ‘s,they were swinging very erect ,much more than the Pro’s of today (They had more vertical swings )
-the top golfers in the last USPGA at OAKMONT did swing around their body very much :the one who does this the best is DUSTIN JOHNSON :just look at him rehearsing his swing before each shot !
June 22, 2016
Paul WilsonRaymond,
You are correct. The best players of all time were standing taller too. Nicklaus, Watson, Snead, Tiger to 2003, Couples etc. etc. Until one of those tilted swings can beat Tiger or Nicklaus I will continue to teach a taller setup. The taller setup allows you to coil and uncoil consistently and it never hurts your back.
June 22, 2016
CarlPetersonPaul,
Tip is right on for me.
I’ve been hitting “miserable” irons and good to excellent woods. My bad short irons have been very low but straight toward target half the time, but also weak, soft, poor contact hits to the right with slices.
The day before this tip came out, I was trying to fix my short iron swing on the range using your swing theory and positions and the following seemed to fix it: loosening my grip pressure, swinging easier (70-80%) with weak arms, and standing more erect (felt like I was arching my back). I recently saw videos of my swing and noticed very terrible, bent over. non-athletic looking, posture, especially with the short irons. Still working on backward tilt at contact too. Helps a lot when I do it right, but struggling to get that consistent for all clubs. Any further thoughts on getting proper tilt at contact?
Can’t wait to get back to the range and course to apply this stuff. Shot a relatively low score (that hasn’t happened in years) the day after my work on the range and know this tip will work if I can keep it up.
Muchas gracias.
June 22, 2016
Paul WilsonCarl,
No other comment on tilting away from the target. Make sure you have watched these tips:
Cures – Manually Tilt To Stop Pulling: https://ignitiongolf.com/manually-tilt-cure-pull/
Impact Tilt With Different Clubs: https://ignitiongolf.com/impact-tilt-different-clubs/
DRILL: How To Feel the Body Tilt at Impact: https://ignitiongolf.com/how-to-feel-tilt-at-impact/
How To Keep Head Behind Ball: https://ignitiongolf.com/head-behind-ball-2/
For right now, fix the grip and setup. Then get the coil and uncoil to my follow through positions. The backwards tilt should be a lot easier to get now that you are taller.
June 22, 2016
BruceJespersenBiggest problem is keeping the head 3 to 5 inches behind the ball when trying to get to the left Side. In the beginning of the round of golf I have no problem making that transition and keeping the head behind the ball . But as the round continues my lower back seems to tighten up and I can no longer do this which results in a lot of pull hooks. I could sure use your help on this one do you have any thoughts
June 22, 2016
Paul WilsonBruce,
Sounds like you are getting tired later in the round so your legs stop working. It also sounds you are trying to force the head to stay behind the ball. Why not do this on the range and in practice swings. Then when you play do a couple of practice swings before every shot feeling this tilt then when you hit your shot feel what you just felt but make sure you are going through to the follow through position.
The tilt is important but it’s going to be tough to work it is when you’re playing. You should be doing this in practice and getting used to the feeling of the tilt. After you do it for a while it will be in your real swing.
Watch this tip:
Coming Down The Stretch: https://ignitiongolf.com/how-to-finish/
June 22, 2016
ERICTRUBACSThanks Paul; I really needed this specific lesson. After watching it four times I took it to the range–AND THE CONCEPT (Look up, sit, bend), (and swing the short iron around the body) WORKED!
I’m back to hitting the irons with accuracy and power. (I had had the shanks for the last 4-5 weeks!!!)
June 22, 2016
Paul WilsonEric,
My students never shank it. The taller setup is the key. Glad you found it. Now you have to make this a habit. Just don’t clearly see your toes at set up and don’t see your toes at all at the top of the backswing. If so, you will never shank it again.
June 23, 2016
BobMcCreeryPaul,
With the lower body powering the swing, are there some good exercises for the legs and hips to strengthen them to help the swing?
Bob
June 23, 2016
Paul WilsonBob,
This would be a better question for Jeremy as he is the flexibility expert. He has a tons of tips on legs and hips. Just go to the original site. Click on Flexibility . All of his tips will come up. Just start going through some of them. They’re pretty easy to find.
For me, I would want you choosing a downswing trigger and doing these drills nightly:
DRILL: My Favorite Drill – Variation 2: https://ignitiongolf.com/favorite-drill-variation-2/
DRILL: Swing Off Ground Variation: https://ignitiongolf.com/drill-variation-favorite-drill/
DRILL: Listen to Club Swinging: https://ignitiongolf.com/drill-listen-to-club/
DRILL: How To Really Increase Power: https://ignitiongolf.com/how-to-really-increase-power/
DRILL: Driving Hips Harder But Hook It First: https://ignitiongolf.com/driving-hips-hook-first/
March 11, 2017
JasonBostHey real quick, with short and medium pitch shots, is 6-7 inch distance from the ball still in play? Im pretty sure it is and that standing tall with short pitch shots is very key to hitting them solid. Just wanted to confirm that
March 12, 2017
Paul WilsonJason,
It might be a little less because gripping down would put you closer to the ball. Just don’t be jammed in and you will be fine.
April 23, 2017
edwardkellyI have the exact opposite problem. My irons are great but my drives at coming in at 4-7 degree angle per the tracman. Crating backspin on my driver. Have tried moving ball forward on driver but still hitting down. In spite of this, the ball goes straight, looks good and sounds ok but avg like 220 off tee
April 23, 2017
Paul WilsonEd,
Your head is moving ahead of the ball in the downswing thus de-lofting your club.
You need to check your grip is neutral then work on keeping your head behind the ball as you hit it. This will add loft and get the ball up. Just fixed a student yesterday doing this exact same thing. Easy.
I gave you these drills the other day:
Watch Back of The Golf Ball: https://ignitiongolf.com/watch-backside-golf-ball/
Impact Head Behind Ball: https://ignitiongolf.com/impact-head/
Body Tilt: https://ignitiongolf.com/impact-body-tilt/
2 Things Flatten the Plane: https://ignitiongolf.com/2-things-flatten-plane/
DRILL: How To Feel the Body Tilt at Impact: https://ignitiongolf.com/how-to-feel-tilt-at-impact/
Also,
Hit Ball Higher: https://ignitiongolf.com/shot-hit-higher/
April 9, 2018
StephenClutterPaul, just finished a two man scramble and we came in the money. I have had a problem with spraying my short and mid irons mostly pulling and pushing. I have started using my lower body to initiate the down swing, turning the hips then shoulders to the target. My iron shots have become crisp and on line…one problem though, i am consistently 1 to 2 irons short. I hit a 7 iron usually 150 yds. Now it’s between 135 to 140 yds. Any advice on how to get more didtance. I must say, this new swing really feels great and I don’t want to go back to hitting with my arms and hands.
Thanks,
Steve
April 13, 2018
StephenClutterPaul, you have already answered this in another video. Please disregard.
June 15, 2018
MarkHelmanPaul,
I actually have the reverse issue from this video, that is, good irons bad woods (maybe hitting down too much with the woods)?
Do you have any suggested videos or approaches which could help?
Many thanks,
Mark
June 17, 2018
Paul WilsonMark,
Then you need this tip:
Irons Good Driver Bad: https://ignitiongolf.com/irons-good-driver-bad/
September 27, 2019
TerryRinkolPaul,
I too am hitting the driver well but I am struggling with my irons. My bad iron shots are push slices and sometime a shank happens and I have lost distance with my irons. In my setup with the irons I am try to keep my body vertical but then I feel like I am reaching way to too much with my arms to get the club to the ground. It feels uncomfortable. Do I need to sit more with my knees to help keep my upper body vertical so I can coil around my body? Any other suggestions or tips?
September 29, 2019
Paul WilsonTerry,
Everyone here needs to know how to fix their own swing so as soon as you hit that first bad shot you are on it and fix it immediately instead of digging a deeper hole. All the fixes are on this site. Anytime you experience any of these shots you go to the red navigation bar. To the right there is a search box. Type in what you are looking for and all tips on this topic will come up. You can also hover over GOLF TIPS on the right and sub menu will drop down. The cures are listed there too.
So if you hit any ball right the face is open. If the face is open your wrists are too tight because a loose hinge would always come back to exactly where it started. Why would the hinge lock up? Typically, you would be hitting too hard or coming out of the shot. These 2 things will lock the wrists.
Loss of distance is you hitting hard with the arms. The harder you hit the more chicken wing you do which adds loft:
You Are Hitting A 9 Iron: https://ignitiongolf.com/adding-loft-clubs/
Sounds like you are also too tall. A taller setup does not mean too tall. It means not bent over too much:
A New Way To Get The Taller Setup: https://ignitiongolf.com/new-way-taller-setup/
Stand Tall with Short Clubs: https://ignitiongolf.com/stand-tall-short-clubs/
Do the setup then watch yourself in a mirror or window. You should be able to draw a line that goes from the middle of your shoulder, tip of the knees and front on laces. So setup with the a mirror or window at your side. Either eyeball it or have someone hang a club down so you can see it.
Shank
Why You Shank It: https://ignitiongolf.com/why-you-shank-it/
How To Cure the Shanks: https://ignitiongolf.com/cure-shanks/
So start with the setup and see what happens. This alone can fix your swing. If not then do some roll overs so you stop locking the wrists. Hit a few hooks then add body too straighten it out.
Step 1:
DRILL: 3 Ways To Roll It Over: https://ignitiongolf.com/3-ways-to-roll/
Roll Around The Stick: https://ignitiongolf.com/roll-around-stick/
Clarifying the Roll Over Drill: https://ignitiongolf.com/clarifying-roll-drill
Modified Roll Over Drill: https://ignitiongolf.com/modified-roll-over-drill/
Step 2:
After The Roll Over Drill: https://ignitiongolf.com/after-the-roll-over/
2 Things Flatten the Plane: https://ignitiongolf.com/2-things-flatten-plane/
See The Plane Flatten: https://ignitiongolf.com/see-the-plane-flatten/
June 5, 2021
GeorgeCaffertyHi Paul,
I am a returning client and a senior. For the last two years, I have been playing with a slight physical handicap. Unfortunately, I have partially lost sight in my right eye. However, I have found that the impairment has not been a big deal and have played some decent rounds of golf. I am having problems with my set up with irons as it feels different with the impairment. Your tip on not hitting down has been very helpful. Just thought you may have some experience working with sight impaired golfers.
June 17, 2021
Paul WilsonWe have worked with some sight impaired golfers in the past, the best thing for you to start doing would be to make your golf swing more consistent. You can do this by working on the positions in your golf swing. Start here:
Legs Touching: https://ignitiongolf.com/touch-knees/
One Of The Secrets To The Golf Swing: https://ignitiongolf.com/secrets-to-golf-swing/