Need help! i lost a lot of distance with my irons?

Question

out of nowhere, i lost 2 clubslength in distance, i used to hit my 8 iron 150 and now i hit my 6 iron 150. Any advice tips or questions please, thanks

Answer 1

Tough to answer without seeing what is happening.  Is your ball flight now a high fade or slice vs. a draw before?  That could account for some distance loss, but 2 clubs is pretty radical swing flaw. Suggest a lesson to have someone look at it, but get back to basics on grip, ball position, tempo.  

Answer 2

Could be a couple things:

1- Maybe you are not accelerating thru the ball with the max speed of the clubhead just after impact.

2- Maybe you are not making as full of a soulder turn when taking your backswing.

3- Maybe when you take the club back, you are setting your wrists too early, which can sometimes create minimal width & coil in the backswing.  If, at the top of your backswing, your right hand is only a few inches away from your right shoulder (Right Handed golfer), then you have lost the width in your backswing.  Try minimizing the wrist hinge in your backswing and try getting that left shoulder under your chin at the top of your backswing.  Creating 12 to 18" of width between the right shoulder and right hand at the top of your backswing will get you back on track to hitting the 8 at least 150.  

If you're dropping two full clubs in distance, it's gonna be one of the three above ideas that will get you back on track.

If you have any other questions, please visit me at www.freewebs.com/egolf.

Answer 3

I used to reach150 yards with my 8-iron, too. Now it is 140. However, my shots became straighter. I used to swing hard and it made me lose accuracy. I tried swinging easier and my ball now goes more or less towards the direction I want it to go. It was an acceptable trade-off.

I assume that you you did not gain any directional accuracy because otherwise you would not be complaining. My guess is that you unconsciously moved your ball position at address in unperceived minute increments toward your forward foot such that your present ball position is more forward than it was when you used to hit further. The result is that your clubface has become a tad more lofted. With more effective club loft, you ball now flies higher but travels shorter. Try to deloft your club by moving your ball position at address a little towards your back foot.

Another cause of the distance loss is a change in your downswing. It may now be shallower than before.

Another cause is the ball. Some balls are designed to be hit longer than others. Distance is sometimes sacrificed by some manufacturers to give players more control around the green. For instance, Titleist NXT Extreme may go longer than a Pro V1 off the tee, but the latter will give you more control in your piches and chips.

Something to think about, though: are you more consistent now that you are hitting shorter shots, or were you more consistent when you were hitting long shots? If you are more consistent now, don't bother changing anything. Just adjust your club selection. My regular golf buddy uses a 6-iron to reach 140 yards and I use my 8-iron. His shots, however, lands closer to the hole. I would trade my distance for his accuracy anytime.