2 keys to hit your best iron shots ever

If you were to poll 100 middle-to-high handicappers and ask them what their favorite iron is, I'm betting at least 80 of them would say their 7-iron or 8-iron. Why? These clubs have ample loft so they are easy to get up in the air. Plus, they are short enough to make consistently good contact and long enough to hit the ball a decent distance. How many would say a 4-iron or 5-iron? Crickets. Longer irons tend to make amateurs do funny things with their swings in hopes of just hitting the ball solidly and getting some air time. I get it. The margin of error with these clubs is much smaller than that of a short iron, so confidence might be low when setting up over the ball with a middle or long iron. Let's see if we can do something about that. Actually, I have two things to focus on in your backswing that will help you flush these clubs. The first is to get your lead side (left side for righties) more involved in the takeaway. Focus on making a turn with your lead shoulder moving away from the target and down toward the ball. Now, the second part is to keep moving your upper body until your back is facing the target. You might think it's facing the target when you get about halfway back (below, left), but I bet you've got more turn in you, so keep going (below, right). You'll find that the subconscious fear of not getting back to the ball makes you stop turning short of your capabilities.

JAMES FARRELL

JAMES FARRELL

When you keep rotating your upper body until your back is facing the target, you're adding necessary length and coil to your iron swing. It will help you create speed coming down and a better delivery position into impact for solid contact and trajectory on the shot. The backswing won't look and feel short and restricted (below, left). It will look and feel wider and longer (below, right). You'll be in a great spot to swing down knowing you've put yourself in position for success without having to manipulate the club through impact.

JAMES FARRELL

JAMES FARRELL

From this fully coiled backswing, you're pre-set to swing down and through on a wider arc, and that promotes the right impact conditions for these longer irons. You'll know you're making a better swing when you start hitting your 5-iron at roughly the same height as your 8-iron—without trying to help it up! When you watch the pros swing, note how high they hit the ball with these clubs. There's nothing restricted about their swings, that's for sure.

Jason Birnbaum, one of Golf Digest's Best Teachers in New York, is director of instruction at Manhattan Woods Golf Club in West Nyack.