Best Way to Use and Practice the Long Irons for Women Golfers

The long irons can be difficult even for very good women golfers. They require strong wrists, and accurate contact and steady nerves. A beginner may take time to feel happy with them.

The long irons are those numbered from 1 to 5. For women golfers, and most men for that matter, the 1 and 2 are only for world-class professionals. Many women professionals no longer carry a 3 iron and prefer a 7 wood, which is easier to use and covers the same distance.

There should be about a 9metre (10 yard) gap between each club, and the further the distance the lower the height of the ball during the shot.

The long irons are longer and lighter than the shorter ones. It can be difficult to feel the clubhead. The ideal contact for a woman golfer is to sweep the hall off the grass without any real divot. It is easy with the heavy head of a 9 iron to take the ball and divot. Most women find this harder with the long irons and it isn’t really necessary.

If the lie is good with the ball sitting on a little tuft of grass, position the ball just ahead of centre, watch the ball well and just sweep it away, lightly brushing the grass on which the ball sits. It is harder if the ball sits on a tighter lie with less grass. Try just to sweep the ball away.

The long irons require good tempo and rhythm. The ball should, of course, travel 27metres (30yards) further with a 4 iron than with your friend, the 7 iron. But don’t press for distance. Allow the extra length of the shaft and reduced loft – the angle of the clubhead which affects height – to produce distance. Swing more slowly with the long irons and trust the club to give you the distance.

Check Out Your Long Iron Faults

Contact with the ball is at the heart of women golfers’ problems with long irons. The lightness of the head can be unforgiving. Later you will see why a fairway wood can be so much easier to use.

When practicing your long irons, focus more than anything on your contact. Listen to your strike on the ball. By listening for it you can feel the timing you are trying to produce. You can hear whether the contact is a clean one. Award yourself five points for a perfect contact and zero for a horrible contact and just keep focusing on scoring fours and fives.

If you have a faulty or loosening grip during the swing, it will show up most with the long irons. One of the most typical faults for a woman is to hit the ground behind the ball. If this is your problem, make sure the ball is positioned only just ahead of centre in the stance and keep your left-hand grip firm from address through impact.