Why can't I hit my longer irons?
James Craig
Published Jan 25, 2026
Update from a scratch golfer
Why do I struggle to hit long irons?
Chances are you are struggling with your long irons because your swing speed is not quite fast enough to be able to hit them properly. What is this? As we mentioned, the long irons have a low loft, and the clubs are longer. This requires more speed and great efficiency in the golf swing.
How can I hit my long irons better?
If you want to hit your long irons well, ball positioning is key and it must sit slightly forward of centre to promote a shallower attack angle. Additionally, it's crucial you dial back the tempo. Fast swings result in lost shape, so a smooth, effortless rotation will yield far better results.
Why do my long irons go the same distance?
The first factor is speed. Without a good amount of club head speed or with a decelerating club head, it will seem that all your clubs fly the same. Sometimes when this is the case even shorter clubs can fly further. Imagine a 90 year old that is stiff and can't move quickly.
Should you club up in rough?
It's a common mistake that people justify by saying the rough is going to take yardage off their shot, so they need to club up. Schmedes says what they don't realize is that they're leaving themselves with a club that doesn't have enough loft to get the ball out.
43 related questions foundWhy is a 5 iron so hard to hit?
Some golfers make the mistake of playing the five iron with a ball position that is right in the middle of their stance. This will make it very difficult to even get the ball up off the ground. A proper ball position with a five iron is closer to your left foot than it is to the middle of your stance.
Why does my 7 iron only go 150 yards?
Speed. Your club head speed will have to be around 80mph with your seven iron to get it to go 150 yards. You may need to be fitted for a lighter shaft or a graphite shaft. The graphite shaft will be easier to swing faster and could help you get the clubhead speed that you need.
Do irons lose distance over time?
As we mentioned, truly worn out irons can be hard to come across, it would take me back to the days of using my dad's old clubs that were well past their sell by date. However, if you have truly worn your clubs out, you can lose about 7-10 yards on them.
How far can a 5 iron hit?
The average golfer should be able to hit a five iron 160 yards. This is for a player with average swing speed. The faster swinging players should be able to get 170 to 180 yards out of their five iron. Golfers with very slow swing speeds may only see 150 or fewer yards out of their five iron.
What is the hardest iron to hit?
A 1-iron is the hardest iron to hit because it is the longest and has the lowest loft of between 14° and 16°. The rise of hybrid clubs to replace long irons however means in the modern game 1-irons and 2-irons are very rare indeed resulting in 3-irons and 4-irons in reality being the most difficult irons to hit.
Should I Regroove my irons?
The purpose of regrooving is to make your grooves sharper as they get dull after a lot of use. Having deeper & sharper grooves allow you to have more control and spin in your shots.
Are 10 year old irons too old?
Well maintained clubs will last a lifetime. 10+ year old clubs should be checked for better options but clubs less than 5 years old do not need replacing except for wear and tear issues to which wedges and forged irons are most vulnerable.
Should I replace my 15 year old irons?
I would expect that trend to level off, but if your long game clubs are more than three or four years old, you should check out the new stuff. Unless you play a ton and shut down the range nightly, there's no reason a set of irons shouldn't last five to ten years.
How far should a 70 year old hit a 7 iron?
How Far Should a 70-Year-Old Man Hit A Seven Iron? A 70-year-old man should be able to hit a seven iron roughly 135 yards. The 135-yards shot will vary depending on the use of steel or graphite golf equipment.
How far does Tiger Woods hit a 7 iron?
Tiger Woods is a legend of golf but on average, how long does he hit a 7 iron? Tiger hits his 7 irons approximately 172 yards. This is an average figure and there will times when Tiger hits the ball closer to 200 yards.
Can you hit irons but not Woods?
If you are struggling to hit your driver but not your irons, the issue could be a lack of clubhead speed. If your driver is slowing down as it makes its way into the impact position, you will lose both distance and accuracy. A lack of clubhead speed is a problem throughout the entire game, not just the driver.
What happens if your clubs are too short?
What Happens When Golf Clubs Are Too Short? For most golfers, having clubs that are too short will be better than if they're too long, but can still result in inconsistent shots. Clubs that are too short will make you stand bent over, which can cause back pain. You'll also have the tendency to push the ball a lot.
What is the green in golf?
Definition of putting green
: a smooth grassy area at the end of a golf fairway containing the hole also : a similar area usually with many holes that is used for practice.
What does a par mean in golf?
For golf purposes, the USGA defined "par" as, "the score that an expert player would be expected to make for a given hole. Par means expert play under ordinary weather conditions, allowing two strokes on the putting green."
What club should I hit out of the rough?
However, the three most popular choices for hitting out of the rough are the hybrid golf club, a short iron, or a wedge. When you hit a golf shot out of the rough, you need to ensure that you have enough loft to be able to launch the ball in the air. Thick rough will grab your golf club and shut the face down.
Is sharpening your grooves illegal?
The rules of golf state that grooves must be no more than 0.035 inches wide, 0.020 inches deep and 0.075 inches from any adjacent grooves. If you play competitively, using a groove sharpener could make your clubs non-conforming and illegal for competition.
Do I have V or U grooves?
The deeper, sharper grooves are called "U" grooves. "V" grooves are the opposite. They are much shallower and have rounder edges. The "U" groove can move much more debris away from the contact zone.