Jason Whitehill
Q. I am having trouble with my irons. I do not take a divot but quite often the club head hits the turf well behind the ball resulting in “fat” shots. If I try to correct, I hit thin shots.
Pro’s Note: “Thin means hitting the middle of the ball with the leading edge of the iron.”
A. You have developed a swing that incorporates a “scooping” action during which the club head passes your hands prematurely. The three main positions that a good right-handed iron player has at impact are 1. Weight on the front foot. 2. Flat left wrist. 3. The handle is ahead of the club head resulting in the shaft “leaning” toward the target. A good drill to feel this move is to tee the ball up on a short tee, take your normal stance, but put 90% of your weight on the front foot and make short swings with your arms gently pulled together and keeping them long after impact. It is important that you turn your hips and your shoulders in order for the club to swing. After hitting shots in this exaggerated position, slowly incorporate the feeling at impact into your swing. Be patient; it takes time.
Q. My ball was near the cart path but was in a good lie. Could I hit it although I would be standing on the path?
A. Yes, in fact you could hit it off the path if you wanted to. It is important to remember that if you decide to take relief, you must drop the ball so that you are not standing on the path at all resulting in “complete” relief from it.