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Improving Iron Angle of Attack

Tenputt

Tenputt

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Albatross 2024 Club
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Utah
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GHIN 6.4
Does anybody have some good tips for improving the angle of attack with irons? I have a positive angle of attack with driver (around 5) that really lets me get everything out of my swing. However, I also am struggling with a positive angle of attack with my irons. This, of course, leads to inconsistent ball striking, both fat and thin. It does not allow me to compress the ball as I would like.

Help me fix it.
 
Ugh. As a sweeper, I’m am following intently.
 
Hitsnmisses said:
I will ride in your ride in your slipstream … lam a sweeper too lol
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I’ve been getting a little better, but would definitely like to improve my ball compression.
 
YukonLiving said:
I’ve been getting a little better, but would definitely like to improve my ball compression.
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Wait …… the ball compresses ? What sorcery and witchcraft is this ?
 
YukonLiving said:
I mean, that’s what I’ve read anyway!
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Yes 😂me too reckon, someone has made this stuff up , so the unbelievers like us , can ponder the mystical ways of the adept and skilled … only compression l know is compressed air , and tyres
oh and the compression l feel when l played badly oooh wait that’s depression lol hahaha also happens when ball is still in same place on completion of a shot 😳⛳️
 
(y)(y)
 
Yep, the most consistent thing my instructor has been saying is "Hit down on the ball". It's actually counter intuitive and tricky to do but I'm getting there. It's all about shifting the weight, keep the eyes on the ball and hitting down.
 
A drill I saw is to place a coin a few inches behind the ball (clubhead length) and practice hitting the ball without touching the coin. Gradually move it closer and closer as you improve.
 
Tenputt said:
Does anybody have some good tips for improving the angle of attack with irons? I have a positive angle of attack with driver (around 5) that really lets me get everything out of my swing. However, I also am struggling with a positive angle of attack with my irons. This, of course, leads to inconsistent ball striking, both fat and thin. It does not allow me to compress the ball as I would like.

Help me fix it.
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Your hands are near the middle of your stance when the clubhead strikes the ball. To hit down on the ball with an iron club the hands need to be over the left foot at impact. This means the right elbow has to be well inside the right hip and lead the hands into last parallel (shaft). The shoulders resist the downswing during the transition with the right elbow staying ahead of the hands for most of the downswing. Most handicap golfers struggle with this because their golf swing lacks the proper rotational elements.
 
For me it is about getting my left shoulder down and lead arm straighter with my left shoulder. When I don't do that, my angle of attack, arc, and alignment suffers. If anything I might chunk/duff a bit more, but it is so much better than the topping I used to do. I would often top about three balls in a row, whereas now I might only chunk one shot. I can quickly correct a duff, but the topping thing is harder for me.

What I did to get out of this was to put a piece of blue tape down on my practice mat and swing over and over and over keeping my left shoulder down more and my lead arm straighter with my left shoulder until I was constant on the other side of the tape. This made night and day difference for me in my swing and helped me on all my clubs except the driver. With the driver I don't get the height I used to, so I have to watch what I am doing with that.
 
i'd say it mostly comes down to sequencing. the last lesson i had we worked on sequencing, where i would feel like my downswing started before i was finishing my turn in the backswing. we did pretty small swings with this, but the speed increase was insane. and the attack was consistently 5-7* down with a 7i, despite a pretty short swing. so if the sequencing is correct, and the swing is led by the lower body with the arms trailing and club lagging, i think attack will take care of itself.
 
Luchnia said:
For me it is about getting my left shoulder down and lead arm straighter with my left shoulder. When I don't do that, my angle of attack, arc, and alignment suffers. If anything I might chunk/duff a bit more, but it is so much better than the topping I used to do. I would often top about three balls in a row, whereas now I might only chunk one shot. I can quickly correct a duff, but the topping thing is harder for me.

What I did to get out of this was to put a piece of blue tape down on my practice mat and swing over and over and over keeping my left shoulder down more and my lead arm straighter with my left shoulder until I was constant on the other side of the tape. This made night and day difference for me in my swing and helped me on all my clubs except the driver. With the driver I don't get the height I used to, so I have to watch what I am doing with that.
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This is what I fear. Driver is usually one of the strengths of my game, but I have a 5 degree positive AoA with driver. I need to be able to fix the iron swing without messing up my driver swing.
 
Tenputt said:
This is what I fear. Driver is usually one of the strengths of my game, but I have a 5 degree positive AoA with driver. I need to be able to fix the iron swing without messing up my driver swing.
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Setup will dictate a lot of that +AOA with the driver though surely, with ball position more forwards and shoulders tilted back.

Working on an intention to hit down on the ball with an iron, using something that will condition the brain into doing it (like the coin drill I mentioned) will surely get better results than trying to remember various positions and thoughts during the fraction of a second that the DS happens.
 
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Tenputt said:
This is what I fear. Driver is usually one of the strengths of my game, but I have a 5 degree positive AoA with driver. I need to be able to fix the iron swing without messing up my driver swing.
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I have definitely noticed the difference in my driver swing once I got my irons solid. I may be wrong, but I think one of the culprits of when you hit a good drive, then for some crazy reason you top the next shot, comes from not being able to get the proper downward angle on the iron (keeping the left shoulder down or club angle into the ball). At least for me it does.

It is kind of like you can't get your body back to the iron swing and want to use the driver AoA again with the iron since you hit such a nice drive. Since I have gotten down on my irons good it is rare that I top a golf ball these days. Before I might top 3 times in a row. Now, if I top it is usually my woods off the tee box because I want to pull up on the ball.
 
Nick20UK said:
Setup will dictate a lot of that +AOA with the driver though surely, with ball position more forwards and shoulders tilted back.

Working on an intention to hit down on the ball with an iron, using something that will condition the brain into doing it (like the coin drill I mentioned) will surely get better results than trying to remember various positions and thoughts during the fraction of a second that the DS happens.
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When Lee Comeaux was asked what he thought about when he shot 62, he said before every full iron shot, he saw the divot (shape and size of divot in the ground dependent upon the shot shape required)
This is ball compression.

 
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Something perhaps worth trying to see what it does for you....

Try simply hitting a low, fade.
 
DNice26 said:
Something perhaps worth trying to see what it does for you....

Try simply hitting a low, fade.
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If you can post a pic, of the divot, that would be educational.
 
I was a sweeper of the ball which really hurt my iron play. I focused on going a little steeper with my swing and it helped tremendously. It did mess with my drives but I get a consistent miss and I’d much rather have to work on my driver than my irons
 
I too have a fairly shallow attack, and struggle with strike consistency at times. Especially with wedges. For me, part of it is not letting my ball position get too far forward. Its easy for me to get pretty sweepy with short irons, and bring the back even just an inch or two helps. The other part is simply being more conscious of hitting down and through the ball. Bring the ball back in your stance, it is easy to try to "Scoop" more to over compensate. This results in disaster. Instead, with the ball back that inch, drive that ball into the ground. Impossible to scoop that way. Its the same swing as my positive AoA driver swing, but small setup changes to ball position and my shoulder/spine tilt angle is enough to start hitting down.
 
I don’t know if it is an option, but my instructor has me hitting balls out of a bunker. Draw a line and put the balls on target side of the line. Just grooving in that swing where you hit ball and you get immediate feedback. My key is getting the sequencing correct and weight shifting forward before downswing. It is a constant battle for me as a habitual sweeper. My driver has been bad since improving my iron strikes 😕
 
I actually had my first golf lesson 2 weeks ago and have now had 3 total. I too am around +4 - +5 with driver, but my irons are usually +AoA

In 3 lessons I'm now around -1 on average and at times down to -4.

What helped the most is doing slow partial swings focusing on hip rotation and the feeling of bringing my hands in during the down swing. My instructor told me to pretend im hitting a punch shot with the intent of staying down through impact bc my bad habit is standing up as I make contact leading to the + AoA. Along with this for some feedback is to place a tee a few inches in front of the ball. Focus on hitting the tee so your contact should be down through the ball and hitting the tee

The other thing that has made a big difference is my front foot. On video we could clearly see I am typically on my tip toes when making contact. We focused on keeping my front foot flat on the ground

Back to the front foot problems. My front (left) knee would get far out in front of my foot again leading to standing up at contact. By focusing on trying to keep the front foot flat on the ground it eliminated both the tip toe contact and knee out in front. Eventually he said we'll work to where I can get the weight on the outside of the foot for more power through impact instead of being flat
 
Arlo said:
If you can post a pic, of the divot, that would be educational.
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Are you asking me for a picture of a divot? I don't have one handy! lol

But perhaps I can add more context to my comment/suggestion -----

Rather than saying, move the ball back and hit down on the ball more, I find it easier to try and hit a certain ball flight. The idea becomes less mechanical but may help produce the launch characteristics desired. The "low" bit usually requires the ball to be moved back in your stance and the "fade" bit is to help offset the tendency to hit a draw/hook when the ball is further back than one is used to. For example, I draw the ball naturally, so when I move the ball back in my stance I'll tend to hit a more healthy draw. So I like to combine the "fade" feel (outside takeaway and a bit more hold through impact) to offset my tendency to draw the ball even more.

Hope that helps.
 
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