One of the keys to hitting your irons a long way is compression. If you aren’t sure what compression is, think about those videos they show on TV during the PGA Tour tournaments… you know, those super slow-motion shots of impact where the ball looks like a pancake.
This compression causes the ball to spring off the club face like a trampoline, giving you huge distance.
Now, one of the more common mistakes I see in amateur golfers – especially higher handicappers – is the classic “scooping” action. In an effort to help the ball up into the air they fall away from the target and hit up into the ball.
And while this might get your ball up in the air, it’s going to ruin your compression and cost you a whole lot of distance.
Well-struck irons are hit with a descending blow. The ball is trapped against the turf, and it’s the loft of the club that gets the ball in the air… not an upward swing.
If you’re looking for more distance with your irons, today’s lesson is a drill that’s really going to help.
This drill has 2 major benefits:
- It’s going to help you get more compression (and distance) with your irons
- It’s going to give you more shoulder lag (and distance)
What is Shoulder Lag?
I mentioned above that this drill has a 2nd benefit – giving your more shoulder lag. Now normally when you hear about lag in the golf swing, people are talking about the hinge in the wrist…
But lag really just means “follows.” Shoulder lag means the rotation of your shoulders is lagging behind the rotation of your lower body, which is exactly how you generate serious power.
So as you practice today’s drill, be conscious of your shoulder rotation. You want to feel like they are staying closed to the target just a bit longer in transition. Focus on making that good lower body movement towards the target, and using your momentum and energy to pull the shoulders through.
OK, so that’s it for today’s lesson… hope you enjoyed it. Give the counterfall drill a try the next time you’re out on the range and see if you can’t pick up some distance with your irons.
Still looking for more great tips to improve your swing? Take a look at what’s inside my Ballstriking Blueprint training program!