NOT COMPRESSING YOUR IRON SHOTS? LEARN HOW TO LAG
son pros often hit their 7-irons as far as you hit a hybrid or fairway wood. The lag delofts the clubface into impact, and it allows better players to pinch the ball off the turf powerfully. To feel how to properly sequence movement in the down- swing – lower body first, then upper body, arms and finally the club – make a fully wound backswing with your wrists nicely hinged, your left arm pinned across your chest and the club’s shaft feeling loaded up. From this spot, mimic the start of your downswing, but pump a couple of times up and down with your ankles and knees ( above ) before unwinding into the ball. This dynamic drill subconsciously trains you to get that lower-body activity going ahead of your torso, arms and club. It’s key to the lag you need to compress your irons. You can even hit shots with this pump drill.
Ask pros what their favourite lie is for hitting iron shots, and they’ll say, “The tighter the better.” Ask most amateurs, and they’ll likely describe that cushy high cut of grass just off the fairway. Why?
Many amateurs “cast” the clubhead down into the ball. It’s a term that comes from its resemblance to the action required to cast a fishing line into the water. The surest way to hit crappy iron shots is to start the downswing with the hands and arms. To compress the ball, you need your lower body to lead the way. The clubhead path down into the ball should trail the movement of the feet, legs and hips – which push down and then rotate towards the target. This trailing action is known as lag, and it’s the key to pure iron shots. In fact, it’s the rea-
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 53
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024
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