Hitting The Perfect Iron Shot

 

There are plenty of instructional videos out there that break down the basic moves for hitting the perfect iron shot every single time. Of course, the key is practice, but figuring out what exactly to practice has been a topic of debate for years. So, I stumbled upon this video by Rick Shiels from 2018 where he lays out four key elements that every golfer should know to nail that ideal iron shot. Let's dive in.

Before we dig into it, I want to make it clear that Shiels' tips aren't exclusive to each other. To hit the perfect iron shot, all golfers need to incorporate them to some extent.

My biggest challenge when it comes to hitting irons is my tendency to push the ball forward with my short iron. This mistake results in shots ending up to the left of where I'm aiming and creating a deeper divot than I anticipate (kind of hitting them too fat). I recognize this as a swing flaw and during my early range sessions, I focus on ensuring that my ball position matches the iron I'm using. It's an easy fix if I pay attention. Lastly, getting the perfect wedge shot is a game-changer for scoring low. Billy Horschel's lob wedge drill is fantastic, and it's something I've used before. His ability to consistently gauge the distance with a specific swing technique is impressive. In fact, I know the distances for all four of my wedges. With my new irons, both Shiels' and Horschel's drills are going to help out me enhance my ball striking so that I can consistently hit that ideal iron shot. I get that it'll require quite a bit of practice (actually, a whole lot of practice), but the time spent on preparation will definitely pay off.