Hitting longer irons

Question
Hi,

I am a releatively new golfer. I am having trouble hitting longer irons. I can hit my PW,9,8, and 7 irons perfectly well for my standard i.e straight and about 135yards for 7 iron, but as soon as i try 6,5,4,3s it starts going wrong. I hook them (which at times i do with the short irons) and also there is no sweet contact and they don't go very far. I don't use my woods because i cannt, but i would just be happy using the longer irons. How you might have some advice. Thanks in advance.

Answer
Hello Glyn:

My advice Glyn is to get rid of your long irons.  You need to get yourself some hybrid clubs to replace the long irons.  Long irons are the hardest to hit, simply because they don't have enough loft on them.  So people are generally pretty good until they get to about a 5 or 6 iron, like you.  Then they have trouble.  They don't hit them solid, and if you don't hit it solid, it won't go up in the air enough and you never will hit them very far (for that particular club).  Then you start making lots of adjustments to try to hit that club OK.  Forget it, I would suggest doing some research to see what hybrids would work best for you and your price range.  Every manufacturer makes a good hybrid today, so do some checking and if you can, try some out to see just how easy they are to get up in the air.  They have more loft and more mass than a long iron, and they have a low center of gravity to help get it up in the air.  I would suggest a 27-30 degree hybrid to start.  Again, please do your own research to check which ones might work best for you and your budget.  My 27 degree hybrid takes the place of my 4 iron, I hit it nice and high (unlike my 4 iron) and it holds the greens.  A 30 degree hybrid would replace your 5 iron, etc.  Do some checking and let technology help you Glyn.  You don't need to work that hard.  Get clubs that fit you and will work for you.  Stop trying to make the clubs work when they are too hard to hit.  

Eddie Kilthau
PGA Member