Virginia Golfer November / December 2014 | Page 39

Pure Your Irons
Every Time
Polish your iron play by focusing on tempo
and making solid contact

Hit your iron shots
crisply by allowing
your lead hand to lead
the handle through
impact.

by ANNE CAIN, LPGA, with LISA D. MICKEY

T

here’s a reason why short and
middle irons are sometimes
called “scoring clubs.” These
clubs are designed for accuracy,
control, and to help you make
birdies and lower your scores.
In order to optimize their effectiveness,
golfers must also be realistic about how far
they need a shot to fly in order to reach the
flagstick or their intended target. That said,
if you want to knock shots close to the hole, a
good rule of thumb is to favor the minimum
yardage you hit a particular club, not the
maximum yardage because you’ll have a
much easier time with your distance control.
Too many times I see golfers flailing away
and play to the ‘hero’ distance they hit a
7-iron, rather than swinging at a rate that’s
required to hit the club most accurately and
on an appropriate trajectory. Forget the
macho thing—it won’t allow you to shoot
better scores. If you’re facing a 150-yard shot

4 SCORE
LOGO LESSON
For mid-irons, play the
ball two inches forward of
center in your stance or directly
opposite the logo or outside
collar on your shirt. A ball played
too far back in your stance
often forces you to release the
clubhead early to avoid hitting
the ground behind the ball