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 One person who knows a thing or two about mastering the irons is Tiger Woods [https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/tiger-woods/]. The 15-time major champion has had a lot of success on the golf course, particularly due to his strong play with the irons. Do you remember the eagle on Hole 14 in the first round of the 2006 Masters? Hitting it with a short iron, Woods landed it just 8 feet from the hole, cleaning out in the subsequent putt. And now, the legendary golfer has some tips to share about hitting iron shots! The iron is an interesting club. The middleman of sorts. You can get considerable distance with it, but not as much as a driver. You have good control and spin, but not as much as a wedge. But an iron is very crucial to the game. A good iron shot could help you set up the hole for a one-putt end and could even make up for any mistakes you make with the driver. It even helps you avoid any hazards in and around the green. Let’s see what Woods has to say. THE WALK A shot begins even before the golfer is by the ball. He starts by observing the surroundings, the possible path for the ball, any hazards or obstructions on the way, etc. The walk towards the ball after a tee shot is equally as important as the shot itself. “The first thing I do is take a good look at the lie. Is it anything out of the ordinary? Is it above or below my feet? Is it in a divot? If it’s in the rough, is it a flyer?” Woods explained in an article he wrote for Golf Digest. [https://www.golfdigest.com/story/tiger-woods-breaks-down-how-he-hits-his-irons] After the lie, it falls to the path ahead. “I shift my focus to the green complex. I like to let the course dictate what type of shot I’m trying to hit. Where is the exact spot I want the ball to land? Sometimes it’s more important to have the ball working away from a hazard than toward the flag. Amateurs don’t think enough about things like that before they start their pre-shot routine.” Woods further added. There is a need to be attentive about details regarding the location of the lie, i.e., where the ball is going to be hit from. Just like that, there is a need to pay attention to where the ball has to fall. THE STANCE Once the lay of the land has been observed, you have decided on the shot, then comes the next step, the way you set up your swing. This also depends on where you place the ball with respect to your stance before you swing. Tiger Woods [https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/imago1043765838.jpg]240414 Tiger Woods of the United States during the final round of the 2024 Masters Golf Tournament on April 14, 2024 in Augusta. Photo: Petter Arvidson / BILDBYRAN / kod PA / PA0795 bbeng golf masters the masters Augusta us masters *** 240414 Tiger Woods of the United States during the final round of the 2024 Masters Golf Tournament on April 14, 2024 in Augusta Photo Petter Arvidson BILDBYRAN kod PA PA0795 bbeng golf masters the masters Augusta us masters PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxSWExNORxAUT Copyright: PETTERxARVIDSON BB240414PA028 “Well, one, the ball is so far back in his stance that no matter what he does the face is going to be open. OK. So the further the ball back — so the swing’s on an arc, right? Always imagine it’s on an arc. The further back you play it, the more open it’s going to be. So if you want to start closing the face up, just move it up a little bit in your stance.” This was what Woods had to say to correct the swing of Trent Ryan of the Foreplay podcast. The ball needs to be in the sweet spot while you are swinging at it. THE SWING Once your stance is sorted, then comes the swing. This determines a chunk of how the shot is going to take place. Imagine you are a computer. You are fed data, and you churn out the result. The data is the walk and the stance. The swing is the process by which you execute. Basically, it is the complex mathematical formulas and code that work behind the scenes. “In order to get the ball airborne, you must hit down on it. Countless golfers try to help get the ball in the air by swinging up on the ball. That makes it go down — a topped shot, or a thin one at best. Hitting down not only gets the ball in the air, it imparts backspin and enables the ball to fly true,” Woods explained. He had detailed the process of his swing for the Los Angeles Times. A swing is a combination of both horizontal and vertical movement. While the former part is fine and dandy, the latter part tends to get ignored by most golfers. The vertical part is key to hitting the ball at the right spot. A bit higher, the ball stays low. Too low, the ball tends to get less distance and more height. Not what you want. “The proper backswing is a combination of horizontal and vertical movement. Most amateurs err on the vertical side — they start the swing by lifting the arms straight up and cocking the wrists immediately. Because the backswing is too vertical, the downswing is too vertical as well. The tendency is to chop down on the ball instead of swinging through it smoothly.” The 82-time PGA Tour winner further added. The horizontal part also needs care and attention. “Don’t forget the ‘horizontal’ part of the backswing. That means establishing a nice, wide swing arc as soon as you move the club back. I have the feeling of stretching my hands and arms away from my body early in the backswing, my wrists beginning to cock naturally after the clubhead reaches about knee height. That helps me accumulate power and also ensures that my downswing won’t be too steep.” The Big Cat served as a reminder to all golf aspirants. Once the swing is sorted, the next step is the contact you make with the ball. This is a lot more about the mental state you are in rather than the physical prowess. THE STRIKE “One of the keys to good ball striking is to hit through the ball, not at it. In my mind, the ball is merely an object that is in the way of the clubhead as it tears through the hitting area. I don’t try to end my swing abruptly after the ball is struck. I try to keep the clubhead accelerating down the target line as long as I comfortably can.” Woods explained his thought process while hitting the ball. The ball needs to experience the full force of the swing. For that, the club head needs to be at maximum velocity when it strikes the ball. If you keep envisioning the ball, there will be a tendency to slow down as you reach the ball. Another mistake would be to increase your speed after or as you are striking the ball. This could further cause a lack of control. The idea is to strike the ball with the increased speed from the start of the swing. Any changes to that could be the undoing of all your efforts previously. What do you think of these pointers from the great Tiger Woods himself? Would this be enough to take your game a step ahead? 

A detailed look at how 15-time Major champion Tiger Woods hits approach shots on the golf course with his iron.

An avid athlete and coach, Ajay Kumar is ES' go-to reporter for live events. He contributes to the Golf NewsCenter at EssentiallySports, where he’s trusted for real-time coverage and fast, accurate updates. His athletic background allows him to break down on-course tactics with a coach's eye, blending a player’s perspective with sharp journalistic insight to engage casuals and hardcores alike. Ajay has a research-first approach, combined with meticulous storytelling.

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Ajay Kumar

Syndication: The Record Apr 6, 2023; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Tiger Woods tees off on the 12th hole during the first round

15-Time Major Winner, Tiger Woods Reveals His Best Tips for Hitting Iron Shots
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15-Time Major Winner, Tiger Woods Reveals His Best Tips for Hitting Iron Shots Like a Pro - EssentiallySports

EssentiallySports is the home for the underserved fan, delivering storytelling that goes beyond the headlines. As a media platform, we combine deep audience insights with cultural trends, to meet fandom where it lives and where it goes next. Founded in 2014, EssentiallySports now engages with an audience of over 30m+ American sports fan on its website and 1m+ readers on its newsletters daily.

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Ajay Kumar is a Golf Writer at EssentiallySports, specializing in global PGA Tour coverage. With five years of journalistic experience, he has proved his versatility as a writer, having covered various sports like golf, basketball, and soccer. Ajay also coaches soccer at his local club to give back to society and keep up with his passion for the sport. To relax, he turns to books and binges on TV shows and movies—swearing by Christopher Nolan's amazing direction.