7 Golf Tips to Reset Your Iron Swing 

How many times has this happened to you?

You blast a drive straight down the middle only to shank or duff the next shot. You’ve wasted a good drive. If you’re like many weekend golfers, it’s probably happened more than once. Critical mistakes like that can cost you par, add strokes to your scores, and inflate your golf handicap. It’s no way to break 80.

Good iron play is critical to going low. But sometimes your iron swing goes astray for seemingly no reason. When that happens, you have to figure out how to get your iron swing back. Often, applying some quick fixes to your stance or swing can help dramatically. They can have a profound impact on both your iron play and your score for the round.

Below are seven quick fix golf tips that can help you reset your iron swing

1. Focus on course management — Weekend golfers often lose focus during a round of golf and never get it back. That can cause them to make bad decisions that land them in trouble. Eventually, these decisions catch up with them. The remedy is simple: Plan out every shot you make. Then commit to it and hit it. Follow this formula and you’ll hit better irons.
2. Align your feet properly —Positioning your feet the right way is critical to hitting solid irons. But weekend golfers are sometimes careless about this fundamental. Instead, be aware of your feet. Positioning them parallel to your target blends power and accuracy. Positioning them slightly left of parallel restricts your backswing and provides more rotation through the ball. Positioning them slightly right of target promotes a bigger backswing and abbreviated finish.
3. Grip down on the club — The rhythm in your swing is among the first things to go when your swing goes south. Gripping down on the club, which slows swing speed, can help you recover your rhythm. It can also help you hit those in-between shots that don’t require a full swing without consciously decelerating, which can cause mishits. But gripping down on the club while swinging normally slows down swing speed automatically.
4. Mind your ball position — If you’re like many weekend golfers, you change ball position as you change clubs. And like many golfers, you use your feet to decide where to place the ball. Use body marks instead. It’s easier, simpler, and safer. Play short irons in the center of your stance in line with your sternum. Play middle irons just below the logo on your shirt.  And play longer irons just under your front armpit.
5. Find the right swing plane —  Every club has its swing plane. Trying to find the right swing plane for the club your using as you start your swing can cause mishits. So, stop doing that. Instead, focus on what happens at the top of your backswing and make a smooth transition. Allow for extra time in your backswing for longer clubs and less time in your backswing for shorter clubs.
6. Don’t sway, rotate — If you’re hitting irons poorly, you may be swaying when you swing. That can cost you. Swaying short-circuits power and impedes distance control. Better golf swings require a solid base from which to hit. That includes having a stable lower half of your body when swinging. So, make a good rotation away from the ball. Rotating frees up your body to make a bigger coil, boosting power and control.
7. Control your ballflight — Many weekend golfers just flail away their irons. They give no thought to their ballflight. Controlling ballflight saves strokes.  So, focus on controlling ballflight when your swing goes south. Hitting timely draws and fades can help get your swing back on track. To hit high shots, play the ball just under your armpit. That forces you to tilt your shoulders, producing loft. To hit low shots, play the ball back. That evens out your shoulders, minimizing loft.

Flubbing your approach shot after blasting a great drive is frustrating. It’s also no way to break 80.  Often, it’s a sign that your iron swing is beginning to derail. You need to hit good approach shots with your irons to break 80 consistently.

Implementing the right quick fixes when your iron swing derails saves strokes. The right fixes can help you reset your swing, which will help you hit pinpoint approach shots. They can also help you shape shots to tight pin locations and avoid making critical mistakes that can cost you pars and boost your scored.