Distance control with irons ???

[Scotland blue]

After a layoff of about 1 1/2 years due to a couple of surgeries I am back out on the courses banging away.  I used to be a single digit handy but now after the surgeries and the piling on of the years find that distance control with the irons is a wee bit of a struggle.  I'm back in the gym getting stronger and working on flexibility in the hips and shoulders with PT but have a real challenge pulling the correct iron.  The quality of contact is getting better, chipping is very solid and putting hasn't been better, but those irons???

If I have a 150 yard approach to the center of the green and the flag is in the center I have to reflect on the previous 2-3 approach shots to check on the quality of the shot.  If things are clicking along just right then it's a the same club selection as it was two years ago (same irons)  If things aren't being pure then I need to add the next longer irons.  Sure enough it seems like if I try to jump on a 8 iron it ends up short and if I smooth a 7 iron in there it's back back and over the green.  It's like a lottery on which club to pull..

I know that more practice is part of the answer but any suggestions or tips would be swell.

 

[Flip4000]

 I always expect a high quality of strike, I wouldn't think about my last couple strikes when thinking about my next shot as it would just get in my head.

On every shot I only try to anticipate the quality of strike if the lie is bad otherwise I take my club I would expect on a normal good strike.

Is there a chance returning with the MP68s may be causing some distance control confidence issue? If you dont hit them will there is a pretty decent drop off in distance correct?

[cnosil]

This is simply the challenge of the game. We don’t always hit clubs well and sometimes we hit them better than normal. It comes down to understanding your actual dispersion pattern with each club and selecting appropriately.

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 hour ago, cnosil said:

This is simply the challenge of the game. We don’t always hit clubs well and sometimes we hit them better than normal. It comes down to understanding your actual dispersion pattern with each club and selecting appropriately.

Exactly and then learning to hit different shot types with clubs makes the challenge even tougher but also fun. 

[Granata13]

Practice will definitely help, it sounds like you don't trust yourself to make a good swing at it.  I would hit the club you think will get there with a good swing, if that starts coming up short, with a good swing, then go longer.  Most of the time you are better missing short than long

[Scotland blue]

On 8/7/2020 at 8:48 AM, Flip4000 said:

 I always expect a high quality of strike, I wouldn't think about my last couple strikes when thinking about my next shot as it would just get in my head.

On every shot I only try to anticipate the quality of strike if the lie is bad otherwise I take my club I would expect on a normal good strike.

Is there a chance returning with the MP68s may be causing some distance control confidence issue? If you dont hit them will there is a pretty decent drop off in distance correct?

Your question about the MP68's is spot on and one that was tumbling around in my head but the thought of returning to prior form pushed it to the back.

I decided to buy a set of perimeter weighted player's irons and am awaiting their delivery today.  I've even thought about getting a new hybrid, M3, with a regular shaft to get the height that used to be with me.  The driver is working great and with a lot of confidence which leads to more and more great drives.  The only problem with the driver is when i feel like I bombed it i go find it usually on the fairway, but it is about 240-260 when it used to be 270-290, old age is the berries.

[Buffly]

On 8/5/2020 at 4:45 PM, Scotland blue said:

After a layoff of about 1 1/2 years due to a couple of surgeries I am back out on the courses banging away.  I used to be a single digit handy but now after the surgeries and the piling on of the years find that distance control with the irons is a wee bit of a struggle.  I'm back in the gym getting stronger and working on flexibility in the hips and shoulders with PT but have a real challenge pulling the correct iron.  The quality of contact is getting better, chipping is very solid and putting hasn't been better, but those irons???

If I have a 150 yard approach to the center of the green and the flag is in the center I have to reflect on the previous 2-3 approach shots to check on the quality of the shot.  If things are clicking along just right then it's a the same club selection as it was two years ago (same irons)  If things aren't being pure then I need to add the next longer irons.  Sure enough it seems like if I try to jump on a 8 iron it ends up short and if I smooth a 7 iron in there it's back back and over the green.  It's like a lottery on which club to pull..

I know that more practice is part of the answer but any suggestions or tips would be swell.

 

If I had to guess then it's possible you overswung on your 8i causing a miss of the sweet spot. At least this happens to me. 

My smooth, stock swing is really about a 3/4 swing that goes 95% of my all out swing. If I am hitting into a green then I try not to hit full swings because I am not as consistent on full swings. 

When I practice, I practice my approach swing and even push myself with full swings. During a round I rely on my stock 3/4 rotating swing to hit the greens.

Instead of trying to get more out of a club I would rather club up and just smooth it on the green. 

My guess is you could probably have put the 7i swing on the 8i and it would have been right on. 

[Flip4000]

On 8/22/2020 at 12:03 AM, Scotland blue said:

Your question about the MP68's is spot on and one that was tumbling around in my head but the thought of returning to prior form pushed it to the back.

I decided to buy a set of perimeter weighted player's irons and am awaiting their delivery today.  I've even thought about getting a new hybrid, M3, with a regular shaft to get the height that used to be with me.  The driver is working great and with a lot of confidence which leads to more and more great drives.  The only problem with the driver is when i feel like I bombed it i go find it usually on the fairway, but it is about 240-260 when it used to be 270-290, old age is the berries.

Yeah I currently am playing titleist AP2s but have a set of MP15s. I love the MP15s and I am looking at a new set of irons this year which leads me to likely go for the MMC. The issue is I am 29 with a long term girlfriend. I keep irons for about 5-8 years or so and looking 5-8 years into the future I wonder if I am going to be able to play as much golf as a do now and if my ball striking is going to stay good enough to play a mizuno MMC. 

 

[Buffly]

On 8/8/2020 at 5:55 AM, Granata13 said:

Practice will definitely help, it sounds like you don't trust yourself to make a good swing at it.  I would hit the club you think will get there with a good swing, if that starts coming up short, with a good swing, then go longer.  Most of the time you are better missing short than long

A friend of mine used to only ask for the back of the green number from the GPS. He would choose his club based off never going over the back. 

I would see him lay short, left, right, or on but, not off the back. Worked for him. 

My approach is more about where trouble lies. If there are front bunkers then I want my guaranteed cover number and play a shot that goes at least that far. I don't mind missing off the back to avoid bunkers. 

[Kanoito]

I always choose based on the optimal strike conditions. That's my way of getting feedback, seeing where the ball ends, was it too thin, too fat, etc..

You were once single hcp, so you probably know that swinging 110% and 90% probably (assuming struck perfectly) have a difference of 3-4 yards. I think Me and My Golf did a video of this and suggested to stay in the 80-90% range. More than that, you'll lose control and not gain much distance.

[TENBUCK]

Just take things as they come. If you were hitt a 7i at 150 and now you are coming up short...simple take a 6i and make a smooth swing. Don't over kill it, and pretty soon you'll be back to normal. You were out of golf for 1 1/2 years, it won't come back in a month or so and it's also less frustrating.