Can anyone explain this

take everything

Just hitting a few balls at the driving range there.
Hitting every ball really well from pitching wedge to 6- really perfectly hit shots.
Then I move onto my 4 iron, which I hit ok usually and bang, crapola. Half-shanking, topping, every sort of crap. Went back to my 9 iron to see what happened my swing and tried to convince myself to just hit the 4 basically the same as the 9. Half the 9 irons were crap. Like the 4 had infected the short irons.
Was getting really frustrated because I couldn't reproduce the really nice shots even though (in my mind) I was doing exactly the same thing.

Just wondering was this psychological. Like a lack of confidence spreading from my long irons so to speak.
Left feeling pissed off tbh
Would like to hear what ye think.

Norfolk Enchants_

take everything wrote: »

Just hitting a few balls at the driving range there.
Hitting every ball really well from pitching wedge to 6- really perfectly hit shots.
Then I move onto my 4 iron, which I hit ok usually and bang, crapola. Half-shanking, topping, every sort of crap. Went back to my 9 iron to see what happened my swing and tried to convince myself to just hit the 4 basically the same as the 9. Half the 9 irons were crap. Like the 4 had infected the short irons.
Was getting really frustrated because I couldn't reproduce the really nice shots even though (in my mind) I was doing exactly the same thing.

Just wondering was this psychological. Like a lack of confidence spreading from my long irons so to speak.
Left feeling pissed off tbh
Would like to hear what ye think.

Short answer, yes it's psychological and if you come up with a cure, you'll make millions.

take everything

Norfolk Enchants_ wrote: »

Short answer, yes it's psychological and if you up up with a cure, you'll make millions.

Lol.
Exactly what I thought.
:P

Edit: seriously though it was so frustrating going from perfection (if I say so myself, :P ) to serious ****e.

bobwilliams

I don't find this unusual at all op,often hit my 4 and 5 iron inconsitantly whereas I'm solid with 7iron up.
Narrower face doesn't help,with me swing can get a bit flat with the longer irons,the outcome of which for me is a push more often than not.

dar_cool

Low irons are the hardest clubs to hit. Theres a few videos on YouTube which might give you some tips

take everything

bobwilliams wrote: »

I don't find this unusual at all op,often hit my 4 and 5 iron inconsitantly whereas I'm solid with 7iron up.
Narrower face doesn't help,with me swing can get a bit flat with the longer irons,the outcome of which for me is a push more often than not.

The thing is the day before I was hitting the 4 iron crisply as well. It's not like me and it don't get on. But what really interested me today was when I went back to the 9 iron I became kinda **** again. Could the crap 4 iron shots have done something to my brain
Maybe it was just tiredness. I might start with the long irons the next time I go out.

Helpmefarm

I'd near guarantee u ' coming over the top' my friend

Ciaranra

Or maybe your tensing up on downswing and this is making you hit instead of a sweeping action you need for long irons, Try relax the muscles over the ball,

shane 007

Could it be the longer club is naturally having you to stand further from the ball which can lead to some people dipping in their swing, thus leading to putting the club more often into the ground, so more duffs.

d2ww

Ciaranra wrote: »

Or maybe your tensing up on downswing and this is making you hit instead of a sweeping action you need for long irons, Try relax the muscles over the ball,

Taking a deep breath and feeling your muscles relax really helps for me.
OP, of the ones that you get away, are they pulled, straight or push? what's the ball flight?
If there's a pull element, then helpmefarm is almost certainly right.

denishurley

I have actually stopped going to the range because things like this kept happening there

Montgolfier

denishurley wrote: »

I have actually stopped going to the range because things like this kept happening there

Get advice or a lesson from someone that can actually see your swing.

denishurley

Montgolfier wrote: »

Get advice or a lesson from someone that can actually see your swing.

I get regular lessons, I just meant that every so often I'd find I've a free half-hour and go to a range nearby but the experience is almost always a bad one

Rikand

Watch this

and you'll be grand

derra

Happened to me the last few times at a range and I rarely go now because of it.
I'd be hitting the balls fine and when I get to around the 30th ball, I just end up hitting shank after shank. Even people in the bay next to me would comment on it after hitting decent strikes. Something just changes in my swing hitting it off the mats.

It rarely happens on the course but I wouldn't be full of confidence either after that happens at the range.
Just go out and play your next round and I'd put money on it that you will have hit no shanks. If it does happen then you will most likely have to change something in your swing but just go out and play your normal swing in the next round.

take everything

derra wrote: »

Happened to me the last few times at a range and I rarely go now because of it.
I'd be hitting the balls fine and when I get to around the 30th ball, I just end up hitting shank after shank. Even people in the bay next to me would comment on it after hitting decent strikes. Something just changes in my swing hitting it off the mats.

It rarely happens on the course but I wouldn't be full of confidence either after that happens at the range.
Just go out and play your next round and I'd put money on it that you will have hit no shanks. If it does happen then you will most likely have to change something in your swing but just go out and play your normal swing in the next round.

Thanks everyone for all the advice.
I'm going to take this on board and i think i'll take a look at those Youtube videos keeping in mind the "over the top" thing above (allowing maybe a flatter plane/wider arc for the longer irons). Although if anything any problems (if at all) with the initial high iron shots would have been a pull, not a fade; doesn't over the top result in cutting across the ball (and a fade)?

take everything

Ciaranra wrote: »

Or maybe your tensing up on downswing and this is making you hit instead of a sweeping action you need for long irons, Try relax the muscles over the ball,

Think this may have been part of it.
But as i say it was interesting how it then started to effect my 9 iron shots when i went back to it.

Actually i like this explanation as to why this happens

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P38JNe-HMsM

Helpmefarm

Over the top can cut,or you try to correct with ur wrists and it goes left and generally gives a high ball flight! Go to range and find a bank that you can hit balls that is way above ur feet more above the better! Hit 20 balls then imagine same feeling and hit from flat! This should get u hitting the ball at what feels like 3.30 o'clock rather than 2.30 that I imagine u are doing to my opinion! Best of luck!

alxmorgan

derra wrote: »

Happened to me the last few times at a range and I rarely go now because of it.
I'd be hitting the balls fine and when I get to around the 30th ball, I just end up hitting shank after shank. Even people in the bay next to me would comment on it after hitting decent strikes. Something just changes in my swing hitting it off the mats.

It rarely happens on the course but I wouldn't be full of confidence either after that happens at the range.
Just go out and play your next round and I'd put money on it that you will have hit no shanks. If it does happen then you will most likely have to change something in your swing but just go out and play your normal swing in the next round.

This ^^^^^

Has happened to me regularly at the range. Practicing pitching. Shank after shank. Out on the course. Fine. Mad and maddening.

alxmorgan

take everything wrote: »

Thanks everyone for all the advice.
I'm going to take this on board and i think i'll take a look at those Youtube videos keeping in mind the "over the top" thing above (allowing maybe a flatter plane/wider arc for the longer irons). Although if anything any problems (if at all) with the initial high iron shots would have been a push, not a fade; doesn't over the top result in cutting across the ball (and a fade)?

A push would have a matching path - i.e. path to the right and open face of roughly same amount (right hander)

A fade would have a face open to the path. So if it starts straight and then goes left to right your face us pointing at target and path is out to in (could be caused by OTT)

For me though a push and a fade do not generally go together as the the face and path is different in both cases

A pull would more naturally go with a fade as the path is the same with the face being slightly closed.

take everything

alxmorgan wrote: »

A push would have a matching path - i.e. path to the right and open face of roughly same amount (right hander)

A fade would have a face open to the path. So if it starts straight and then goes left to right your face us pointing at target and path is out to in (could be caused by OTT)

For me though a push and a fade do not generally go together as the the face and path is different in both cases

A pull would more naturally go with a fade as the path is the same with the face being slightly closed.

Actually sorry I meant pull not push above.
I'm an idiot.

alxmorgan

take everything wrote: »

Actually sorry I meant pull not push above.
I'm an idiot.

Ok then that makes more sense. It suggests a consistent path - out to in with the face determining if you fade (face straight at target, open to path) or pull (face closed to target but square to path)

Out to in is not always a result of OTT move but is in high percentage of amateur golfers who have these ball flights.