Tips: 4 Keys to Consistent Iron Shots

by David Leadbetter

If you think about the great players through the years, some have been really good drivers of the ball -- Greg Norman, for example.

Some have been great putters -- Seve Ballesteros comes to mind. Tiger and Jack are certainly known for their all-around games.

But one thing is for certain of all players who win tournaments, particulary majors: Their iron play is top notch. Consistent iron play is all about controlling distance, trajectory and spin. Here are four keys to help you reach a higher level with your iron play.

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Golf Tip: Sweep Uphill Chips

Your club's approach should follow the angle of the slope

When playing a course with elevated greens, you'll frequently find yourself chipping from an upslope to save par. But a normal chipping stroke, where you hinge your wrists and then make a steep, downward strike, can result in hitting a fat shot that comes up short. Simply put, the club gets stuck in the ground.

For this common short-game situation, you need to sweep the ball off the slope, not hit into it. I recommend taking a less-lofted club--the upslope will help get the ball in the air--and then making a swing that goes from low to high. In other words, the backswing should stay low to the ground, but the through-swing should move upward along the slope.

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Golf Tip: The Golden Rules of Pitching

By Scott Holden, DLGA Senior Certified Instructor

One of the most common complaints I hear from golfers is: "I'm absolutely terrible from one-hundred-yards-and-in to the flag. I don't strike the ball solidly and I can't control my distance or direction."

The first thing I tell them is, "You're not alone."

Let's examine this problem as it relates to a larger issue, and that is, how one approaches and plays the game of golf. I believe approaching this problem from this point-of-view will accurately expose this common complaint for what it truly is, a symptom of a larger problem.

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Golf Tip: Three Steps to Better Putting

By Bob Lohr, DLGA Senior Certified Instructor

In my personal experience as a PGA Tour player and as an instructor at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy, I have found that inconsistent putting, in many instances, can be a result of poor decision making, or in some worst case scenarios, no decision making at all.

I am the first to admit there are a handful of essential "putting fundamentals" that should be adhered to in order to become a great putter.

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Golf Tips: A Cure For Over The Toppers

By Tim Mitchell, Certified DLGA Instructor

Golf is a game of perseverance...is it not? No matter how talented or accomplished a player is, that player still goes through bouts of immense suffering while playing this stup...er, I mean wonderful game. It's the nature of the game, and the nature of those crazy enough to play it.

A common fault that is the cause of SO much suffering in this game comes from one of the most dreaded phrases in golf.

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Learning How to Trust Your Game

By Dr. Robert K. Winters - DLGA Sport Psychologist

"Play your own game."

Almost everyone who is a student of the game has heard this piece of golfing advice. I often ask veteran golfers what "playing their game" means and they often respond that they aren't sure what it's supposed to mean, even though they have heard the concept mentioned for years! They intuitively know that the concept is important, but are relatively unsure how to create or produce a mindset for playing with trust and to believe in their talent.

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Paying Attention to Details

By Matt Denzer, DLGA Certified Instructor

At the start of my lessons, the first things that I start to observe are the basics. I ask myself: How is the student's grip? How is the student's posture? Is the student aligned properly to the target?

Many times the majority of faults can simply be found in these few basics or are caused by not doing these things properly.

Matt's Tip:
When you are sitting around the house, keep a club or two laying around. As you are watching your evening TV shows or are talking on the phone, spend a few minutes gripping and then re-gripping a golf club or your David Leadbetter SwingSetter.

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Swinging Through the Doubt and Fear

By Dr. Robert K. Winters - DLGA Sport Psychologist

Dr. Bob - Answers Your Questions:
Dear Dr. Bob,
When I am in a tournament or when I play in front of strangers, I become nervous and I don't trust my swing. This doubt affects my ability to hit the ball solidly. I feel that I am not swinging well and I tend to mess up my shots and I end up with a high score. How can I cope effectively with these feelings of doubt and not hit poor shots?

This question plagues many golfers because doubt and lack of success creates confusion about one's ability to swing with confidence and competence.

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The Leadbetter SwingSetter: Golf's Most Complete Training Aid

Golf's best selling training aid worldwide, The SwingSetter, develops your Grip, Swing Plane, Release and Tempo - the four keys to a great golf swing.

A perfect tool for golfers who want to get better but just don't have the time. As little as six minutes twice a week will give you the feel for a great swing, solid ball striking and will improve your distance, accuracy and consistency.

The SwingSetter is the most complete golf training aid ever devised.

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The Mental Edge: Creating a Single-Focus Mindset

By Dr. Robert K. Winters - DLGA Sport Psychologist

One of the characteristics that I instill in every player is to know that they have the talent and developed ability to clear their mind of negative thoughts and step into the ball with a single purpose!

This sole purpose must be based on a player's ability to execute the shot as competently as he or she can and be committed to this mindset for the duration of the round.

Although it sounds relatively simple in concept, the execution of playing with a singular focus in application is much more difficult than it sounds.

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Getting Ready for Golf Season

So how do you go from winter couch potato to weekend links warrior?

David Leadbetter, the world's leading golf instructor, tells us in his own words how to make the transition from winter to spring more productive for golfers:

1. Make sure you're reasonably flexible after the winter. Your muscles get stiff. Do some stretching. Work and rotate your torso. Loosen your back.

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Refresh Your Game with Leadbetter's Quick Tips

David has taught some of the brightest stars in golf, including Nick Price, Ernie Els and Michelle Wie. His advice is also valued by amateur golfers - from weekend players to club champions - throughout the golf world.

Collected from his monthly instruction column and instruction features in Golf Digest, the tips and drills in Leadbetter's Quick Tips represents the "best of the best" of his time-tested, straightforward advice.

Here are some excerpts from this very handy and easy to follow instructional book.

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GET YOUR SWING IN SYNC

To strike a golf ball solidly and consistently on line requires great timing of the swing's two main components -- the rotating body and the swinging arms, hands and club.

No small feat, given that all the moving parts of the body, not to mention the clubhead, travel different distances at different rates of speed.

The goal of any golf swing is to get all of these parts moving in the proper sequence, a chain reaction that results in the clubhead being delivered powerfully and squarely onto the ball.

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ACCELERATE THROUGH THE SAND

Control Distance by Adjusting the Length of Your Swing

Just as it does on a shot from grass, decelerating the clubhead through impact leads to disaster from sand.

You're not making contact with the ball, your intent is to slide the club through the sand under the ball.

Because of the resistance the sand creates, the general rule is that to hit the ball the same distance from the sand as you would from grass requires you to swing about three times more aggressively.

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Turn back the clock to close out your slice

Golfers who hit a weak slice have two basic problems: They cut across the ball with an out-to-in swing path, and they have an open clubface at impact. Knowing this, you can eliminate one of these problems - the open face - from the start, simply by turning the clubface closed before you take your grip.

To set the clubface in the same closed position every time, hold the club in front of your chest and visualize an imaginary clockface. Rotate the toe from 12 o'clock (square) to 11 o'clock (closed) from your perspective.

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MAKE YOUR SHORT PUTTS

Most players miss short putts because their backstrokes are too long, and they decelerate through impact. When you slow the stroke, you lose control of the putter, which can change the face position and send the ball off line.

It doesn't take much to propel a golf ball four feet, but what energy you do need must be controlled.

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ACCELERATE THROUGH THE SAND

Control Distance by Adjusting the Length of Your Swing

Just as it does on a shot from grass, decelerating the clubhead through impact leads to disaster from sand.

You're not making contact with the ball, your intent is to slide the club through the sand under the ball.

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HITTING THE NEW HYBRID CLUBS

Where to Position the Ball

Compared with a normal 3- or 4-iron, the forgiveness of a hybrid club is heaven. Though the designs and lofts vary from make to make, the generally small, compact head, wide sole and low center of gravity of a hybrid make it easy to get the ball airborne.

Because there's so much more weight behind the ball, even if you hit slightly behind the ball with a hybrid, the club is going to swing on through.

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THINK 'SWEEP' ON FAIRWAY WOODS

With a fairway wood you want the sole of the club to skim the turf as it approaches the ball.

A helpful visual cue is to imagine you're brushing the ground using a broom, using a wide, sweeping motion. Use a light touch and sense the the weight of the clubhead just as you would feel the broom's bristles sweeping across the ground.

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GIVE A CONSISTENTLY GREAT EFFORT

The Mental Edge: by Dr. Robert K. Winters - DLGA Sport Psychologist

Whenever I am asked the secret to any overachiever's success, the answer is always the same: True champions put in the blood, sweat and tears to go after their dreams every day, whether they are being successful at that point in time or not.

No matter what the endeavor, great performers have a consistent mindset that promotes persistence, determination and ultimately success.

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