6iron and lower...

[Blue Jay Golfer]

A friend said that I should play using only my 6 iron and lower, as this will help my game out immensely. Will this work?

Thanks.

[Big Sheesh]

Re: 6iron and lower...

I think your friend wants you to practice your long irons. Most people have a lot of trouble with them and I don't understand why as I can hit short and long with no problems.

Notice how there are so many utility rescue woods out there to replace the longer irons. They're supposedly easier to hit. I'm just going to stick with my long irons. Why fix something that isn't broken right?

[Mizunoman]

Re: 6iron and lower...

Jay,

DO you actually need your longer Irons? If you play a shorter course and hit a reasonable ball with the driver you may find that you dont play 6 iron and lower all that much, if this is the case invest in a couple of the hybrid woods that Big Sheesh mentioned and get familiar with them as you will only need them on par 5's and longer par 4's.

Long irons are one of those things that a lot of people cant use. Personally I was quite lucky, as a junior I was never a strong driver of the ball, distance was just great but the direction was, to say the least, suspect. My dad got me an old Ping 1-iron and we spent a few hours getting me used to it off the tee. I used the 1-iron right up to the age of about 18 and still carry one from time to time now. Because of this I have good long irons, especially off the tee. This is an isolated case to be sure but it shows that unless you spend an amount of time learning to hit long irons then you will struggle with them.

Long irons are good for two things really, accuracy off the tee and distance off the fairway into the wind, apart from that, an average ball striker who has trouble getting height and spin is better off with fairway woods they are easier to hit give more height and are easier to stop on the green.

I am guessing since you took a break from the game for family reasons, that you dont have a huge amount of time to practice now either. Hybrid woods are pretty easy to hit and all you really need to do is get your rough distances with them. After that they are great additions to the bag. I started carrying a 7 wood myself this season after they began cutting in the fairways at my course, I have found it a handy tool when 200+ yards from the hole in the fluffy stuff and on long par 3's into the wind or where a high floating shot is best to attack the pin.

Get down to your local pro shop and see what they have, Taylor made rescue woods should be quite good value now since they have sold loads and they have been about for a couple of years now, should be plenty used ones in the stores.

Good Luck,

D.