Have you ever seen Ben Hogan Striping Iron after Iron with that perfectly controlled ball of the ball? Or do you see how many players unabated like Annika Sorenstam hit those 6-direct laser-and-incoming? Something something almost magical about the way these legends make the iron game look so simple.
Did what we have ever forgotten in our modern follow -up of distance and technology.
After three decades of teaching, I have deeply appreciated modern technology and use it in my training, from forgiveness of modern iron design to start monitoring data and the analysis of land force, which have significantly advanced our understanding. But here’s what I learned from the study of the greats and the teaching of thousands of lessons: sometimes progress is not found in more data or another shaky thought. Sometimes it is a simple feeling that Master teachers intuitively understood.
These are not revolutionary concepts. They are the same bases that built every big iron player, from Byron Nelson to Tiger Woods, from Mickey Wright to Jin Young KO. They often lose in the complexity of modern guidance-once what players really need is a clear thought that transforms their ball hit.
Hit down to make it grow up
This remains the most misunderstood concept we encounter. The attic of your iron gets the ball in the air – your job is to hit the ball with a descending blow. Thinking to drink the ball against the terrain, taking a divotine after the impact, not before.
Most amateurs try to help the ball up, creating thin and fat shots. Believe in the model of your club and struck for sure, like fresh and penetrating Scottie Scheffler strikes.
Top top, second ground
Excellent iron players understand the sequence of impact. The club strikes the ball first, then continues down to get a divot. This creates a fresh contact and the right trajectory.
Practice making contact with the ball in front of the ground. Your Divot should start where the ball was sitting, not after it.
Hands forward, shaft shaft
In influence, your hands should be slightly in front of the club, creating the league of the shaft forward. This Delofts of the club naturally and provides strong contact. Look at every tournament – from Rory Mcilroy to Lydia KO – and you will see this position every time.
Think about your hands that run the club’s head through influence, not catching it.
Shake
The old pro-school knew that the large iron game comes from the rotation of the body, not the manipulation of the hands. Your hands hold the club, your body shakes it. Modern players like Viktor Hovland demonstrate this beautifully – the whole body turn, minimal hand action.
Focus on turning your chest through impact while keeping your wrists strong. This eliminates the issues of the time that wound the volatile ball hit.
Select a place, not an area
Accurate iron game requires accurate objectives. Instead of aiming for “green”, choose a specific place – a spray head, fringe section or surface quadrant setting. Tournament players like Brooke Henderson approach every iron shock with this focus laser.
This gives subconscious something clear to work right and of course improves engagement.
Tempo never changes
Despite the hitting of a quiet 8-Herkuri or an aggressive 5-Herkuri, your tempo should remain constant. The distance comes from the club’s choice and the length of the swing, not at the speed. Excellent players from different era – the smart rhythm of Ernie Els or the metronomic consistency of the inbee park – all share this feature.
Find your tempo and stick with it.
These principles work because they address the essential elements of the durable iron game: the right strike, the predictable ball flight, the execution performed. They are not rapid adjustments – they are building blocks that every large iron player has supported, regardless of the era or equipment.
Great Iron Play is not about hitting any shot or working the ball as a pro. It is about solid contacts, predictable ball flight, and confidence that comes from knowing exactly what your ball will do when you swing.
office Ironing your game: Simple tips for better iron game first appeared in MygolfSSS.
