Golf Tips on Iron Play

Notice that the iron is almost always shorter and lighter than the wood. This is to give the golfer greater accuracy for all shots. A ball hit with an iron will generally fly higher and straighter than one hit with a wood. Use a 5-iron when in the fairway and you are about 150 yards away from the green. Use a full swing, but don't overswing. Let the club do the work by sending it high in the air and letting it come down softly.

Use your 7-iron and play a low bump-and-run shot if you are playing on a hard and dry course with few hazards. This shot will allow you to run your shot up to the green and to the hole. Play the ball back in your stance (toward your back foot), take a short backswing and a mid-length follow-through to have it roll toward the green.

Use your pitching wedge when you are less than 70 yards away from the green. Shorten up your grip and take a three-quarter backswing and follow-through. The goal of the shot is to have it fly high so it can come down softly without much roll when it lands. A well-struck wedge should end up less than 15 feet from the hole.

Use your 3-iron when you are 190 to 200 yards from the green. It is an especially useful club when you are off the fairway and in the rough. The important thing is to take a strong swing without trying to kill the ball. If you are in the rough and have a decent lie, this shot is quite makeable. Overswinging because of the distance will only get you in further trouble.

Punch the ball out of deep rough with your 9-iron. The punch shot is required when your ball is buried in heavy grass or vegetation and can not be extricated with a normal shot. Since the grass is quite high, you have to come down very hard on the ball to make sure the high grass does not hold up your club. This shot should get your ball out of the rough and onto the fairway so a strong recovery shot can be played with your next swing. Keep your eye on the ball and follow through.