And suddenly, no idea how to hit an iron...

[robrandalgz]

Oh man, you've got some good courses up your way in Show Low and Pinetop. But those damn Summer thunderstorms are scary!

Yes they are. When the monsoon was steady and predictable (many moons ago) you could set your watch by those afternoon showers. You'd better start heading to the clubhouse by about 2:30.

 

[Nappy]

This happens to me from time to time as well and the only solution I've found is stepping away for a week or two and then coming back to it. Like my mind needs time to forget the bad habits I've ingrained in my head and body.

 

[GraniteRoost]

I am right there with you @pattyboy21, my irons have left me. Short irons and wedges more specifically, I couldn't hit a green with a PW right now if you gave me the whole front nine. I tweaked the lead shoulder doing something non-golf related a few weeks back, and I can't get down through the ball and into the dirt with any consistency at all. My swing is fine for sweeping a ball of a tee, I've had some fantastic Driver and 3w play.

Hoping this is short lived - I miss my iron game.

 

[HarlettoScara]

I'm with you 100% here, completely. I've always had a problem getting onto my left side and not 'early releasing' but usually I can get into a groove but not at the moment. I need to hit many many more irons at the range to get back into it.

 

[Selasmit]

This is exactly my over my last few rounds. My driver has been a nightmare for the last 2 years (with my irons pretty solid). I decided to have a driver focussed lesson with my coach 2 weeks ago, and ever since my driver is now on fire, but my irons are literally un-hittable. They either never get off the ground and run 10m, or they are massive moon balls which end up 2 clubs short of their usual distance. I know it's me, and I know it will come back, but it's at times like this that I really consider just selling the damn things

 

[Knot Right]

So for the past 6 rounds, I've totally lost the ability to hit my irons. I drove the ball very well this past Saturday and failed to hit the green with LW, PW, PW, 9-iron, 9-iron, 8-iron, LW, 6-iron, LW, LW, 9-iron. I shot a truly hideous 79 with zero birdies. Last week, I didn't drive the ball as well but made 3 birdies on the only 3 greens I hit in regulation; that round was punctuated by horrific iron play as well.

I seem to be completely unable to compress the ball and take a divot. I know my bad back is part of the problem as it makes it difficult for me to transition into my left side. But this has been a problem for 20+ years and I've been able to hit irons well the whole time.

I rarely go to the range, but I went last Wednesday with a 7-iron and tried to figure it out but had no success. For some reason, I just can't seem to make a good transition from the top and get into impact with a descending blow and slight forward shaft lean. My best iron shots over the past few weeks have been on line, but with no divot and no compression; I've left a lot of these shots just short.

I'll try to make a video next time out, but for now, I'd love some THP help and comments!!!

I had been fighting the tempo wars during these couple of months since coming back to the game. I was like a drunk at a driving range on every swing.

I started copying Nancy Lopez's slower take away and her little pause at the top. It helped to synch up my mind's eye to my body a little easier with the little more time it takes in the swing. I'm still a work in progress, but I'm feeling it know.

Might be worth a try for you.

 

[pattyboy21]

I had been fighting the tempo wars during these couple of months since coming back to the game. I was like a drunk at a driving range on every swing.

I started copying Nancy Lopez's slower take away and her little pause at the top. It helped to synch up my mind's eye to my body a little easier with the little more time it takes in the swing. I'm still a work in progress, but I'm feeling it know.

Might be worth a try for you.

I'll try anything at this point... That line Costner says in Tin Cup about his swing feeling like an unfolded lawn chair - that's where I'm at right now!

 

[pattyboy21]

I am right there with you @pattyboy21, my irons have left me. Short irons and wedges more specifically, I couldn't hit a green with a PW right now if you gave me the whole front nine. I tweaked the lead shoulder doing something non-golf related a few weeks back, and I can't get down through the ball and into the dirt with any consistency at all. My swing is fine for sweeping a ball of a tee, I've had some fantastic Driver and 3w play.

Hoping this is short lived - I miss my iron game.

I miss the feel of a compressed ball and a good divot. I used to take them for granted but they seem so elusive right now.

 

[pattyboy21]

Yes they are. When the monsoon was steady and predictable (many moons ago) you could set your watch by those afternoon showers. You'd better start heading to the clubhouse by about 2:30.

Had some friends get struck by lightning at Forest Highlands years ago; it was a bad scene...

 

[pattyboy21]

I'm not in your league so take or leave this advice.

When I have a feeling of loss of power, it's usually because I don't get the club set at the top(end) of my backswing. My down swing will feel rushed. and feels like a lot of arm swing with not enough hand action. So, I practice getting into a set position in my preshot routine. Cock the wrist and set the club where it want it to be on an actual swing then try and get to that position on a real swing.

If I'm picking the ball too clean, it's because the ball has crept too far forward in my stance. To correct, I take my normal stance then inch myself one ball width(or more) towards the target.

As for getting to the left side, I've often just started with more weight on my left foot and kept in there throughout the swing, especially with wedges and short irons.

Good Luck!!!

Thanks for that! I've tried to stay neutral or even adopt a little stack-and-tilt and I'll say it does help get me to hit down and through the ball; it would just take a whole lot of retooling to adopt that as my formal swing.

Here's what I know I'm failing at: When tempo/connection/sequencing are all good, I'll start to make a slight move left just before my club gets to the top. Then it feels like a very gradual building of power as I unwind and I'll hit my irons as I should. But those things are definitely not optimal right now, so I feel like I'm stuck on my right side at the top. From there, I tend to throw my arms out at the ball and never quite "cover" or get down and through. That's why I'm able to hit my driver and 3w decently during this slump too.

I'm stretching and planking like crazy every day now in hopes that my bad back, weak core, tight hammy & psoas are major culprits in this mess.

Here's a pic from a few years ago and I can already tell that by lower back is hurting here. I can see that I've totally straightened my right knee to help accommodate my shoulder turn, and usually at the top, I would have already centered and started to move left with more separation in my legs. I can tell that what I will do in this pic is kind of fall from the top with my upper body in an attempt to get the shaft leading forward at impact.

 

[Chef23]

If you back is worse and you can't get to your left side then it is almost impossible to compress a ball properly and hit crisp iron shots. That said I doubt you have completely forgotten how to swing a club. I would look at your alignment. Set up an alignment station at the range with some clubs or alignment sticks and start from the basics. I would recommend getting set up properly then making some 60-70% effort swings. Still make a full swing but slow the speed way down. That always helps me get everything back in sequence.

 

[pattyboy21]

If you back is worse and you can't get to your left side then it is almost impossible to compress a ball properly and hit crisp iron shots. That said I doubt you have completely forgotten how to swing a club. I would look at your alignment. Set up an alignment station at the range with some clubs or alignment sticks and start from the basics. I would recommend getting set up properly then making some 60-70% effort swings. Still make a full swing but slow the speed way down. That always helps me get everything back in sequence.

I agree, and I do try to do that when I first hit the range to warm up. I'll hit a few 7-irons about 75 yards and then step it out to 100, 125, 150 and then 165 (full). This is the first time I've struggled to this degree with irons though. I think video will be a big help for me next time out.