Browsing: irons

Welcome to GOLF’s Fully Equipped’s weekly Tour equipment report. Each Friday of PGA Tour weeks (plus other times, if news warrants), GOLF equipment editor Jack Hirsh will run you through some of the biggest news surrounding golf clubs on Tour, including changes, tweaks and launches.

Some golfers think they might need 15 clubs, but Jason Day only has 13 in the bag this week at the Bank of Utah Championship.

But playing a $6 million PGA Tour event with one less tool in the bag than everyone else is not the biggest story about the former World No. 1’s gear this week.

That honor would fall to his new set of Avoda protype irons.

You may recall the Avoda name from last year, when Bryson DeChambeau had the company build him a set of 3D-printed irons which got approved for play just days before the 2024 Masters. DeChambeau went on to win the U.S. Open with those irons, which featured a unique bulge-and-roll design to help mitigate side spin on mishits, similar to woods.

Day’s prototypes are 5-AW combo set of muscle backs and shallow cavity backs and also feature what the company calls a “curved face” design. Instead of going with a single-length set like DeChambeau, Day’s irons are standard length.

In his first round since the BMW Championship in August, he opened with a three-under 68 on Thursday at Black Desert Resort. After the round, Day explained what led to this point; he said he felt like his iron game wasn’t where it needed to be, so he started looking at options with coach Collin Swatton. Day hasn’t ranked inside the top 100 in strokes gained: approach on the PGA Tour since 2016, when he was the No. 1 Player in the World.

On the range at LIV Golf Miami, these clubs most caught my eye

By:

Johnny Wunder

“I’m a free agent there so I can go out and see what the best of the best is,” Day, who was most recently playing a set of TaylorMade P7CBs. “Stumbled across Avoda in a way that like obviously Bryson had some success with it. He won with the Avoda irons at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst. But I just told my coach, just have a chat to the guys, see what they think.

“[Swatton] got off the phone and called me and he goes, ‘Man, in all the years I’ve been doing this, I’ve never come across the guys the way they explained everything.’”

PGA Tour Live host Lisa Cornwell reported on Thursday’s broadcast that Swatton’s conversation with Avoda’s Tom Bailey and Tom Lewis lasted 90 minutes. That led to Day going out to meet the Avoda team in person and they 3D-printed multiple prototype sets of irons to his specifications.

Day still lost shots on approach in his first rounds with the new irons, but he led on that he doesn’t believe this is his final setup.

“There is a process there. After this week we’re obviously going to get back together and see what needs to kind of be improved,” Day said. I think currently right now I would like to see a little bit— a tiny bit more offset. Try and get a little bit more turn. If that has a little bit more offset it will actually elevate the ball a little bit more in the air, which would be nice.”

He also added that he wants to look at the grooves to see if he can get more spin.

Jason Day intentionally bent his putter at U.S. Open. The benefit was striking

By:

Alan Bastable

The 37-year-old Day also made two other changes to his iron setup with longevity in mind. He’s long been a user of the True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 shaft, the heaviest and stoutest shaft in the Dynamic Gold lineup. This week, he’s gone to a 110-gram KBS TGI 110X graphite shaft in his irons and two Vokey wedges. He also added JumboMax JMX Zen Lite grips, which together with the lighter shafts have made it “easier on the body.”

The TGI shafts also match the KBS Proto shafts he put in his woods for bend profile.

“The theory I think I have the same profile shaft from 60-degree all the way up to driver,” he said. The goal is to be able to swing, just pretty much have one swing like whatever ball flight you want, whether that’s a draw or a fade. For me it’s a draw. To go up there and hit a draw and pretty much put the same swing on it and hopefully it produces the same shot over and over again.”

Finding the 14th club

With the new iron set, Day has joined a growing number of players on Tour who are dropping 4-irons completely from their bags, which brings us back to the lede of this story.

Day hasn’t yet found a replacement for the 4-iron slot in his bag, which was previously a TaylorMade P790.

He did become the latest player to add Callaway’s new 2025 Apex Utility Wood to his setup, adding a 21-degree head bent to 18.6˚ to serve the slot after his 6-year-old TaylorMade M6 3-wood. The next club is his 5-iron.

Callaway 2025 Apex Custom Utility Wood

The Apex UW is designed for serious, avid golfers seeking the perfect blend of a fairway wood’s power and a hybrid’s versatility. Engineered with Tour feedback and loaded with performance technologies, it delivers a higher, more neutral ball flight with the control all players demand. 
TUNGSTEN SPEED WAVE
A dynamic, 41g+ tungsten wave structure positions mass low and forward, enhancing ball speed and launch—particularly on low-face strikes where players tend to lose distance.
STEP SOLE DESIGN
A redesigned sole with a stepped geometry reduces turf interaction, helping to maintain swing speed through impact and promoting more consistent contact across different lies.
TRIAXIAL CARBON CROWN
The lightweight carbon construction allows for strategic weight redistribution, creating a more forgiving clubhead while refining launch and spin for greater shot-making control.
TOUR-INSPIRED SHAPING
Designed with input from the world’s best, the compact, refined shape and neutral face angle inspire confidence at address and deliver workability from tee to turf.

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA Tour Superstore, Callaway

“I’m actually playing 13 clubs here this week. I’m missing a club,” Day said. “I would like to play a 23-degree [UW], and that would fit perfectly between the 21-degree and the 5-iron that I’m playing. It goes about 230, 229. The 21-degree Apex, Callaway, that goes about 250 in the air, so i need something right smack between it and that should cover the whole thing.”

Day seems to be doing all sorts of testing this week… not just on the range, but during the actual tournament and he said he’s still got more to work on coming up.

“I think we’re in the testing phase,” he said. “You know, we still got to get the gappings right, have to get the spins right, so obviously that is going to be more testing coming up for me.”

With Day’s spot in Signature Events next season locked up, he can be pretty free in any of the fall events he chooses to play. It’s almost like he’s using this week as a testing ground of sorts for his new gear setup.

It will be interesting if other pros who finished in the FedEx Cup top 50 also utilize this strategy moving forward, the rest of this season or next year.

Check this out

This section is dedicated to one cool photo we’ve snapped recently on Tour, but haven’t had a reason to share yet. For this week, check out Paul Peterson’s Nike Vapor Pro irons. Peterson shot a five-under 66 in round one as he fights to retain his PGA Tour card.

Paul Peterson’s Nike 5-iron has quite the lead tape job.

Jack Hirsh/GOLF

Odds and Ends

Some other gear changes and notes we’re tracking this week.

Not many notable changes this week … Although with no report last week, Ping’s S259 wedge launched on the DP World Tour.

3 things you should read/watch

A selection of GOLF content from the past week that may interest you.

Can Cobra’s 3D Printing completely change the irons market? – You can see custom Cobra Golf 3D printed irons on the PGA Tour, but how soon might we see these custom options available to the consumer?

Cobra 3DP Tour Custom Irons

The KING 3D Printed TOUR irons utilize 3D printing technology to unlock a new realm of performance. Their one of a kind design features the most forgiving blade shape on the market, delivering the forgiveness that aspirational players need, and the sleek looks and soft feel that better players desire.
3D PRINTED STEEL CONSTRUCTION
Each iron is fully 3D printed from 316 stainless steel. 3D printing provides significant advantages over traditional methods of casting and forging, unlocking more design freedom and significant performance improvements.
FORGIVING PLAYERS BLADE SHAPE
3D printing has unlocked new design possibilities, enabling COBRA engineers to create a compact blade shape with the mass properties (high MOI, low CG) of a game improvement iron without sacrificing looks and soft feel that better players demand.
INTERNAL LATTICE STRUCTURE
COBRA took a muscle-back blade shape (similar in size and shape to the KING TOUR iron), and transformed the inside of the blade into a complex internal lattice structure to reduce the weight of the club by 33%. That discretionary weight was repositioned to optimize feel, CG position, and MOI.

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I added 10 yards to my drives with this speed training system – For the past six months, I’ve been trying out Super Speed Golf’s new Speed Sticks Pro speed training system and the results have been surprisingly good.

Speed Sticks Pro (NEW!)

2024 MyGolf Spy Holiday Staff Wish List

The most significant evolution of swing speed training since the release of our original SuperSpeed Golf Training System, the Speed Sticks Pro take speed training equipment to a whole new level.
“These are some next-level innovations that will help you get to your personal bests in swing speed.” – Padraig Harrington, 3x Major Winner and World Golf Hall of Fame Inductee

Features the Inertia Matching System 10 Piece Weight Kit to customize your speed sticks to precisely match your driver for optimal gains.
Improved Aerodynamics with 3 air flow modulators making these the fastest speed sticks ever!
Upgraded shafts including a Load Zone to optimize downswing loading and Torque Zone to optimize release.
Tour Pressure grip to promote optimal grip pressure throughout the swing.
A single club travel version where the middle weight blue club can be used as a stand alone with interchangeable weights.

All SuperSpeed Golf Training Systems include lifetime access to our Free Mobile App for IOS and Android which includes access to all our Level 1 Training Protocols and ability to track your speed training gains.
Bundle and Save up to $30! By adding our easy-to-use training technology to get instant feedback and track your progress

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This trendy putter design is popular in junior ranks, too (INSIDERS ONLY) – I just came back from Pennsylvania’s PIAA State High School Championships and I saw dozens of low torque putters. Has the real onset boom only just begun?

L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i HS Putter

It’s heel-shafted. It’s still L.A.B. Heel-shafted putters have been around forever. No reason they shouldn’t be balanced. OZ.1i HS is the first heel-shafted putter with Lie Angle Balance, giving golfers the traditional look so many love with the ease of use that defines L.A.B.
This isn’t just an OZ.1 i with a different neck. Lie Angle Balance demands precision, so we re-engineered the OZ.1 i chassis for a no-compromise heel-shafted design. Our proprietary aluminum riser connects the shaft to the head in a way that maintains Lie Angle Balance and delivers the same forgiveness as the OZ.1i.
Golfers who prefer a heel-shafted look no longer have to compromise on performance. And because it’s a L.A.B., you can count on every putter being individually built and balanced. With OZ.1i HS, it’s not where the shaft goes. It’s where the ball goes.

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Want to overhaul your bag in 2025?Find a club-fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

Cobra Golf is in a unique position. Over the last several years they’ve continued to refine their 3D printing process to now include the flagship 3DP tour iron, which is 100% 3D printed. They also have multiple tour models available for the likes of Max Homa, Danny Willett, Gary Woodland and others — which have each been custom-designed for that athlete. 3D printing creates an entirely new level of “1 of 1” for these athletes, but it also leads to an intriguing follow-up: are we closer to a consumer available option than we think?

This week on the podcast I talked with my co-host Johnny Wunder about a dream I have for Cobra Golf. Regardless of price, if they were ever able to offer a consumer available custom program, we could see Cobra take over the iron category. The 3DP Tour and its custom tour siblings have already proven that this is possible. For the consumer it would have to be packaged a bit differently, but imagine a Cobra 3D Printed Custom Shop. You can pick from 3 different sole designs in whatever width suits you best, specify the offset and blade length you prefer, the head weights for each of the heads, the top line thickness, amount of grooves… it’s all there to pick from. On the back end, Cobra would hypothetically create their own program that allows to take the pieces and options that you chose and mesh them together to be 3D printed. And then after a short period of time — and likely a big hit to your bank account — you’d have a set of irons in your hands that you designed for YOU from the ground up.

As Johnny stated on the podcast, you can get as granular as you want. If you want your long irons to launch easier with some more forgiveness, maybe you make those soles a tad wider and add a little bit of offset and blade length. You can even place tungsten lower in the blade. More like the 3DP Tours. Want your scoring irons to flight a bit lower with more spin? Add some grooves to those faces, shorten the blade length, and raise the CG. You can create your own custom set. However you want. No more combo sets. No more bending some clubs weak and some sort. No more custom grinding soles. No more lead tape. Just one seamless set of irons with the same look and feel built 100% for YOUR game. It’s really an incredible thing to think about. And again this is already a thing. Max Homa, Danny Willett, Lexi Thompson, Rickie Fowler, Gary Woodland, and some unnamed non-staffers have already seen the fruits of these capabilities.

Is there one big problem? (other than cost)

The inherent problem here is being able to properly fit these. It would be pretty disappointing to design this super cool custom set to your liking to find out after you hit them that you don’t actually like what you designed. It makes me think about the Forward Golf fitting kit and if something like that could be developed with the Cobra lineup using specific shapes and pieces so a consumer can walk into a fitting bay specifically for this program and figure out what options they actually want to use to build their new set.

My ideal set would have as many grooves as the USGA would allow me to have, a nice compact blade length with just a minimal touch of offset, the topline from the Cobra King CB irons, the sole from the Cobra King MB irons with just a touch more trailing edge relief, and a progressive CG location that helps me separate the top and bottom end of the set by 10-15ft of peak height with the shorter irons launching just a touch lower.

So Cobra, let me know when you’re ready to make the 3DP JM Irons. I’m ready when you are.

Cobra 3DP Tour Irons are available to custom build from Fairway Jockey.

Cobra 3DP Tour Custom Irons

The KING 3D Printed TOUR irons utilize 3D printing technology to unlock a new realm of performance. Their one of a kind design features the most forgiving blade shape on the market, delivering the forgiveness that aspirational players need, and the sleek looks and soft feel that better players desire.
3D PRINTED STEEL CONSTRUCTION
Each iron is fully 3D printed from 316 stainless steel. 3D printing provides significant advantages over traditional methods of casting and forging, unlocking more design freedom and significant performance improvements.
FORGIVING PLAYERS BLADE SHAPE
3D printing has unlocked new design possibilities, enabling COBRA engineers to create a compact blade shape with the mass properties (high MOI, low CG) of a game improvement iron without sacrificing looks and soft feel that better players demand.
INTERNAL LATTICE STRUCTURE
COBRA took a muscle-back blade shape (similar in size and shape to the KING TOUR iron), and transformed the inside of the blade into a complex internal lattice structure to reduce the weight of the club by 33%. That discretionary weight was repositioned to optimize feel, CG position, and MOI.

View Product

If you’re interested in checking out the Cobra 3DP Tours for yourself book a fitting at True Spec!

With Xander Schauffele’s victory at the Baycurrent Classic, it’s another win for Callaway’s popular Apex TCB iron platform, the company’s most popular on Tour.

Including Schauffele’s two major titles in 2024, and Jon Rahm’s 2023 Masters and 2021 U.S. Open victories, the TCB platform has won the grand slam in the last five years.

Schauffele has been in the Apex TCB ’24 and the previous edition TCB ’21, since their release in 2021, but the current model is a good bit larger in chassis size than the TaylorMade P750s he used as a rookie. While TCB stands for “Tour Cavity Back,” the Apex TCB 24s have slightly more offset than other irons in the category.

And there are other players who have switched from pure blades like this week’s guest on GOLF’s Fully Equipped podcast, Erik van Rooyen. Van Rooyen switched from the 2018 Apex MB blades about a year ago.

Xander Schauffele’s clubs: What’s in his Baycurrent-winning bag

By:

Jack Hirsh

“It was a forgiveness thing. And curiosity, more than anything,” van Rooyen said of the switch. “I’ve played a blade-style club since high school. And I mean, eventually, technology is probably going to have some effect on it and an improvement on things.

“It was met from a place of curiosity. What I found was, I switched into the TCB the week before Sony and just tighter dispersion. That was it, tighter dispersion.”

The performance benefits were obvious, but the TCBs and MBs are very different-looking clubs from address. Fully Equipped co-host Johnny Wunder asked van Rooyen if that made the transition difficult at all.

“I think aesthetically, it has to fit my eye,” he said. “I feel like I’m quite sensitive in that aspect. The minute something looks quite off, it’s hard for me to go, oh, just kind of close your eyes and hit. Like, I see it and I get a feel for it.

“But I think the transition was so, it was way easier than I thought it would be, which I was impressed by. So, yeah, playing a blade for so long, I thought, ‘Jeez, dude, I might have to try this for like two weeks.’”

Callaway Apex TCB 24 Custom Irons

Since Xander Schauffele put a TCB iron in play,his strokes gained in approach have significantlyincreased year over year. Now in 2024, he is top 5 inthe world in strokes gained on the field, and has wontwo major championships with the new ’24 TCB Iron.
MAJOR SUCCESS
Trusting the ‘24 Apex TCB iron, Xander Schauffelewent on to secure two major championships in the2024 season.
TOUR FEEL
Combining our best in technology, the ’24 TCB usesa 1025 tour cavity back body with a 17-4 tour tunedface for consistent spin and control up and down thebag. The feel is second to none. Just ask Xander.
PRO LOOKS
The beautiful raw aesthetic and overall footprint isexactly what Xander was looking for. With a compact controllable shape, and shorter blade length, TCB ’24 are players irons for discerning golfers.

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One of Miura’s most legendary irons is available at retail once again.

The KM-Baby Blades irons, originally designed for the personal use of late Miura founder Katsuhiro Miura, are once again being released in limited quantities.

This is the third release of the Baby Blades, which are 15 percent smaller than Miura’s MB-101 blades to produce an unmatched feel.

“The KM-Baby Blade is leaner, more exacting, and engineered for the golfer who seeks ultimate control and workability,” said Mirua Golf COO Bill Holowaty in a release. “Our goal with the creation of these new KM-Baby Blade irons was to reward commitment and help players realize that they are better ball-strikers than they believed.”

Keep reading below for more on the KM-Baby Blades, including who they are best-suited for and my thoughts on the limited-release irons.

What are the Miura KM-Baby Blades?

As told by his sons, Shinei and Yoshitake Miura, Kutsuhiro, who passed away this May at 82, began crafting the Baby Blades around 2000. He saw the trends in the golf equipment industry and wanted to create something that valued precision and feel over distance.

“At the time, driver heads were becoming larger, and companies were developing and manufacturing heads that offered greater distance and directional stability,” Shinei and Yoshitake said. “Soon after,  irons also began to get larger, and unlike in the past, these new, larger irons evolved to offer greater distance and directional stability without requiring greater skill from the player.

“During this transition, Miura-san felt a strong desire to buck the trend and stay true to the basic performance and shape of a muscle back iron. As the pursuit for greater distance and directional stability evolved, so did the transition to larger heads which were designed to give players a sense of security at the expense of significantly reducing controllability. Miura-san’s vision was to minimize the head size in order to deliver maximum effectiveness with minimal effort.”

The resulting iron is 15 percent smaller than Miura’s MB-101 blades, and this is the third time they’ve been released to the public after limited runs in 2011 and 2019. While being smaller than the MB-101, the KM-Baby Blades maintain the same headweights and lofts, meaning they will actually have increased MOI and an increased thickness around the hitting area, giving them a more solid and soft feel.

With the third Baby Blade’s release, the company has also added the Y-Grind to the sole, honoring Yoshitake’s influence on his family’s company. The Y-Grind, which is found on many of Miura’s popular irons, like the TC-202, adds bounce to the leading edge of the club, allowing it to glide more cleanly through the turf.

The Y-Grind sole is a new addition to this Baby Blades release.

Miura

Who are the Baby Blades for?

The Baby Blades are certainly not an iron for the masses, and Miura knows that.

That said, anyone who is unafraid of playing a traditional muscle-back iron will be rewarded with an incredible feeling iron. This iron is for the golfer who, like Miura-san, believes technology has cheapened the art of ball striking in golf.

My thoughts!

The Miura KM-Baby Blades irons are a showpiece that will turn heads in any bag (or wall if you so choose). The clean cosmetics are the best looking Baby Blades release and the signature Hanko Stamp, reversed for Miura’s most celebrated designs, is only going to make them more sought after.

The Miura KM-Baby Blades would be the show piece of any golf bag.

Miura

Miura is releasing a fitting tribute to their late founder, with a subtle nod to their feature thanks to the addition of Yoshitake’s Y-Grind sole. Not only is there symbolism in that, but that will also enhance the playability of the iron for anyone who games them.

Price, Specs and Availability

Miura KM-Baby Blade Custom Irons

THE INTERSECTION OF TRADITION AND INNOVATIONThe new KM-Baby Blade introduces the Y-Grind sole, a first for this iconic model and a design that reflects Yoshitaka Miura’s lasting influence on the brand. By refining the leading edge and sole geometry, the Y-Grind allows the club to glide more cleanly through the turf, enhancing consistency and versatility without sacrificing the precision that defines a blade. For players who demand ultimate control and shot-shaping ability, the Y-Grind makes the Baby Blade more playable and confidence-inspiring, while preserving its uncompromising character and compact profile.
MATERIALPremium S20C Soft Carbon Steel
FINISHSatin Chrome

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The Miura KM-Baby Blades irons will be available to pre-order on Miura’s website at 10 a.m. ET Tuesday (Oct. 7). Only a limited number of sets will be available.

KM-Baby Blades are offered in the same specs as Miura’s MB-101 irons and cost $400 per club. The set is offered in right-hand only, 3-PW.

Want to get fit for a set of Miura irons?Find a club-fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

After Tour Edge‘s first rebrand ahead of its 40th year in 2026, the company is announcing three new iron models as part of its 2025 Exotics line.

The new Exotics line features two forged players’ irons in an MB and CB package, as well as a game-improvement focused Max iron. There’s also a hollow-bodied Ti-Utility Iron.

“Each model has been perfected to address a distinct performance need,” Tour Edge founder and CEO David Glod said in a release. “I’m confident that any golfer who steps into a Tour Edge fitting will walk away with a set that elevates their iron play.”

Keep reading below for details on all the irons, who they are for and my thoughts on this new release.

What is the new Exotics iron line?

Tour Edge’s new Exotics line consists of two forged iron models (MB and CB), the game-improvement Max iron and the Exotics Ti-Utility long-iron replacement.

All three of the iron models, including the MB, feature Tour Edge’s “VIBRCOR” technology, in which a TPU compound is placed inside the head to help dampen vibrations and increase ball speeds. It also pushes mass to the perimeter of the clubs, allowing for a more forgiving and solid strike.

The Tour Edge CB and MB irons share a lot of the same DNA.

Tour Edge

Both the MB and CB irons are forged from 1025 carbon steel and milled for a combination of feel and precision. The CB’s topline is just 1 mm thicker than the MB’s while both models share the same loft specs, making them easy to blend.

With the Maxirons, the company has taken the “Pyramid Face Technology” from the new Exotics driver line and added 100 pyramids to the face in variable 3D thicknesses to expand the sweet spot and deliver fast ball speeds across the face.

The Exotics Max irons.

Tour Edge

The Max irons also have a “360° Undercut Cavity” to lower CG and increase face flexion for a higher launch.

For the Ti-Utility, the company is once again taking the super-fast material and putting it into a long-iron replacement with a Titanium L-Cup face brazed to a steel body for weight savings.

Who is the new Exotics iron line for?

With the MBand CB irons, the target market are your better players who want forged precision and feel. The irons use a slightly stronger loft spec (32˚ 7-iron), so they’re optimal for better players who want a distance boost from stronger lofts.

The Maxirons are best suited for your 10-handicap or higher, or any player who needs more launch.

The Ti-Utility is one of the few titanium long irons on the market.

Tour Edge

Finally, the Ti-Utility is a better player’s long iron that will work optimally at the top of the bag as either a driving iron, 4-iron replacement or for players who don’t like hybrids.

My thoughts

When it comes to the new MB and CB irons, from a looks perspective, Tour Edge knocked these ones out of the park. The clean badging and new logo work well, and the shaping similarities between the two models make them super-easy to blend, which is a huge advantage.

I also really like how the CB is a shallow cavity-back, but it packs in technology like the VIBRCOR and Impact Zone Weighting for forgiveness.

The Max iron does a great job at hiding all of its tech from the address position and should offer a player-friendly option to improving golfers.

Lastly, the Ti-Utility is another great long iron replacement option from Tour Edge for players who want to add speed to the top of the bag. Few companies even offer titanium for any other part of the bag other than drivers or fairway woods, so to see Tour Edge continuing to use it for long-iron faces is exciting.

Price, specs and availability

All of Tour Edge’s new Exotics line irons are available for pre-order starting Oct. 7, and available to buy on Nov. 4.

The MB and CB irons will cost $1,249.99 for a 7-piece steel set or $1,349.99 for graphite. Stock shaft options will be the True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid 100 and 115.

The Max irons will cost $799.99 for a 7-piece steel set or $899.99 for graphite. Stock shaft options will be the KBS Tour Lite Steel R and a selection of Fujikura Ventus offerings.

The Ti-Utility is available in three lofts (17, 19, 21) and retails for $229.99 a club in either chrome or black finishes. Stock-shaft options will be a selection of Fujikura Ventus offerings.

Want to find the best woods for your game?Find a club-fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

Hitting your long irons pure on a consistent basis is a challenge for most recreational golfers. Sure, they may catch one solid a couple of times per round, but sprinkled in there are chunks and thins that are unplayable. I know that’s been the case in my own game at certain points in my golf career.

If that sounds like you, just know you’re not alone. When you stick a long iron in the average player’s hand, they typically have very little shot of hitting one stiff. It can be a disheartening feeling, but with a few key swing tweaks, you can exhibit improvement.

In the text below, GOLFTEC‘s Director of Teaching Quality Josh Troyer shares five swing keys you can focus on to improve your strike with long irons. Put them to use, and you’ll quickly see improvement.

5 keys for pure long irons

Long irons — the 4, 5 and even 6 iron — can be some of the most satisfying clubs to strike cleanly, but for many amateur golfers, they’re also the most frustrating. While hybrids and higher-lofted woods are excellent alternatives for players who struggle with launch and consistency, and club fitting can absolutely make a difference, the real key to mastering long irons lies in your swing fundamentals.

1. Ball position forward

The first step to success with long irons is putting the ball in the right place. A ball too far back in your stance encourages a steep angle of attack and path too far to the right, while if it’s too far forward you’ll be too shallow and to the left.

According to Troyer, you should place the ball just inside the lead foot’s instep — slightly forward of center, but not as far forward as a driver. This position promotes a slightly downward strike, helping you compress the ball while still launching it high.

2. Widen your stance

You should also be mindful of the width of your stance when hitting a long iron. With longer clubs, you need a slightly wider stance to maintain balance and create the proper swing arc.

With a long iron, this means widening your stance by about an inch more than you would with a 7 or 8 iron. This stabilizes your lower body and accommodates the longer swing arc without sacrificing control.

3. Smooth tempo and balance

When golfers struggle to get the ball in the air with their long irons, they’ll tend to force the issue and try to swing even harder. And while this can be effective for generating clubhead speed, it often comes at the cost of a center strike.

Instead of swinging harder, try focusing on a smooth tempo that will allow you to find the center of the clubface. If you do that, you’ll find that it’s much easier to not only get the ball up in the air, but also send the ball in the direction you want it to go.

4. Maintain your posture

Another symptom that arises when golfers struggle to get the ball in the air is that they’ll lose their posture as they come through impact. They do this because they’re trying to get underneath the ball and “scoop” it in the air. This rarely works out.

Instead of dipping back to help the ball in the air, focus on maintaining your posture and keeping your weight moving forward. This encourages solid contact and ensures you’re delivering the club with the right angle and loft, which in turn will launch the ball in the air.

5. Trust your club

Modern club technology is a wonderful thing — but you’ve got to trust the club to do its job if you want to get the most out of it.

“You don’t have to create height by manipulating your body to get the trajectory that you want,” Troyer says.

Don’t lean back or flip the wrists at impact to add loft. Let the correct setup, solid contact and club technology do the work for you. If you trust all of these factors and make a solid pass at the ball, you’ll be amazed at how much better your ball striking becomes with your long irons.

If you want to get some expert insights into your swing — and learn how to properly sway your hips — book a swing evaluation with GOLFTEC below.

GOLFTEC Swing Evaluation

Shop GOLFTEC’s biggest sale of the year with up to 25% off a swing evaluation.

The Golf Central Crew unpack Nelly Korda’s opening round at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship before explaining how reduced accuracy…

Cutting-edge technology in an elegant, sophisticated package: Check out TaylorMade’s new ‘Battle Worn’ custom irons. The post JUST IN: Shop…

For a limited time, you can enjoy a huge discount on Ping’s G430 line of products, inclusive of drivers, hybrids…