| Put another way, you must drop the shot as | | | | and practice at the range. Also consult golf tips on |
| close to the hole as possible, leaving you an easy | | | | hitting them. |
| putt. If you don't, you've cost yourself a birdie. | | | | 4. Where Do I Want To Hit This Shot? |
| Obviously, the more birdies you make, the better | | | | Directional accuracy demands that you aim |
| your score and your golf handicap. | | | | correctly. When you're practicing with these clubs |
| But before hitting from this distance, you must | | | | on the range, work on alignment, too. Begin every |
| answer six critical questions. Answering them | | | | shot by standing behind the ball. |
| improves your chances of dropping it close | | | | Then follow your routine. In addition, picture an |
| significantly. In this article we'll discuss these six | | | | imaginary line from your long distance target to |
| critical questions and provide golf tips on how to | | | | an immediate one a few feet in front of the ball |
| hit them better, improving your chances of | | | | to the ball. Align your club to the target line and |
| collecting more birdies. | | | | the ball. Then, align your body parallel to the |
| 1. How Far Do You Hit Each Club? | | | | imaginary line. |
| Dialing in your short irons is mostly about distance | | | | 5. What Are Your Conditions? |
| control. In other words, you must know exactly | | | | The best short iron players monitor their |
| how far you carry each club on the course, if you | | | | conditions—their sate of mind and their physical |
| want to hit it close. | | | | condition—on every hole. Your conditions really |
| Distance control is what teachers focus on in golf | | | | matter. |
| instruction sessions. If you don't know how far | | | | If you're angry or pumped up, you'll hit the ball |
| you hit each short iron, go to the range. Practice | | | | longer than you normal. If you're tense or tight, |
| making normal and hard swings. Get a feel for | | | | you may hit it shorter. compensate for your |
| just how far you hit each club using each swing. | | | | condition. Also, track how you hit the ball under |
| 2. How Do You Hit Each Club? | | | | the various conditions. |
| Direction control is also vital when hitting short | | | | 6. What Are the Playing Conditions? |
| irons. So in addition to getting a feel for distance | | | | Like your personal conditions, playing conditions |
| when practicing at the range, track your | | | | matter as well. What type of lie do you have on |
| tendencies with each club. Do you draw or fade | | | | the course? How firm is the green? What is the |
| the shot? When you swing harder, do you pull or | | | | wind doing? Is the green above or below you? |
| push the ball? | | | | The answers to these questions have a major |
| Find the answers to these questions on the range | | | | bearing on the shot. Run through them before |
| first, so you're not educating yourself on the | | | | you hit any shot. The last thing you must do |
| course. Keep them in mind when playing a shot | | | | before hitting a shot in the scoring zone is remind |
| within the scoring zone. | | | | yourself to never short-side yourself. |
| 3. What Kind Of Swing Do I Make? | | | | Never miss a shot to a spot that gives you no |
| Some weekend golfers shorten their swings when | | | | green to work with coming back. You want to be |
| hitting short irons. Or, they ease up. This leads to | | | | aggressive in the scoring zone, but be smart |
| bad shots. Take your normal swing and hit | | | | about it. Follow this cardinal rule and you'll be glad |
| through the ball in the scoring zone. | | | | you did. |
| Hit them just like they teach in golf lessons. If | | | | Answer the questions listed above before hitting a |
| you need more distance, don't swing harder. Take | | | | short iron and you'll make more birdies. Make |
| an extra club. And don't try to hit the ball really | | | | more birdies and you'll not only trim your scores, |
| high. You may lose control of the shot. If you | | | | you'll also cut your golf handicap by several |
| don't hit these clubs well, take some golf lessons | | | | strokes. |