Do you hit your 5, 6, and 7 irons the same distance most of the time?
A decelerating club head has something to do with this ‘phenomenon’. You will experience a similar distance with your irons when they fly at the same height and speed.
We can tell you the simple answer to the question, ‘why do I hit my 5-6 and 7 irons the same distance? One of the main reasons is your swing speed. We explain more, later.
Why Do I Hit My 5, 6, and 7 Irons The Same Distance?
Leisure and amateur golfers have something in common, well, mostly: They are hitting 5 and 6 iron at the same distance most of the time. Sometimes, they also do it with their 7-iron. But why do you think this happens for many recreational and non-pro players?
These golfers hit the same distance from their irons no matter how they try to increase their ranges. As your irons get longer, you may always have difficulty striking the ball with consistency: It may result in losing distance in the process. We found three crucial things that may cause you to hit your irons at a similar distance most of the time. Here they are:
1. You are spooning the golf ball up.
Yes, that is right! There are so many golfers doing this! They sometimes forget the club loft, so they tend to scoop the ball up using their irons. The action creates lots of spins resulting in a decrease in distance.
You can try hitting the ball while you move it back from your stance. Do watch how professional golfers do it if ever you have doubts.
2. You lack the needed swing speed.
The swing speed matters the most when you hit your irons emerging at similar distances. Low-speed swingers tend to get the ball not high enough when airborne, especially when using their long irons.
You have a better alternative when you have a problem with your swing speed: use hybrid clubs. The hybrids have an ultra-lightweight design with a deep center of gravity. They generate the launch and spin needed for golfers with low swing speeds.
3. You are not using the correct golf club.
When you are playing with the wrong golf club, you are more prone to poor shots. For example, many high handicappers utilize muscle-back blade irons, which may not be suitable for their skills. These irons are more recommendable for low-handicap players.
Many beginner and amateur golfers make do with game-improvement irons as they begin learning the play. Also, intermediate players may opt for game improvement irons to hone their skills.
Read more: 10 Best Irons For 10-Handicap
Why Does My 4-Iron Go The Same Distance As My 7-Iron?
The 4-iron (a long iron) has a longer shaft than the 7-iron (mid-iron). The former should have a longer distance than a 7-iron. But if you are experiencing the same distance for both irons: your swing speed might be the culprit.
The 7-iron is one of the preferred irons among amateur players because it is the median between long and short irons. On average, men could take a distance of 120 yards and women about 80 yards on a 7-iron. In contrast, the 4-iron can deliver an average of 170 yards for men and 150 yards for women.
So, if you are wondering why your 4-iron is hitting the same distance as your 7-iron: you do not have enough club head speed.
Why Can I Hit My 7-Iron Further Than My 5-Iron?
In golf, each golf club has three to four degrees of loft less than a club before it. It follows that your 7-iron will have less loft than your 5-iron. The 7-iron also has a shorter shaft than the 5-iron.
It also follows that when a golf club is long and with more loft: it is more difficult to hit: If you are a beginner, you can hit a 7-iron easily. It could give you a farther distance than your 5-iron.
Why Am I Hitting My Irons High and Short?
You are hitting your iron short, most probably because of your backswing. We know that it has nothing to do with your club’s speed. Many experts will agree with our findings: hitting good short iron shots is about letting the club settles on the ground while the ball is on the right path and angle.
But when you are hitting your irons too high, the most probable cause is the high launch angle. It may also be due to the high dynamic loft of your iron. It results when you do not compress the ball as you hit it. Moreover, ball position and when you are not letting your grasp lead the grip may also cause high iron shots.
How Do You Hit a Golf Ball Farther With Irons?
Sometimes you may hit your irons straight, but still, you do not get the power you want to gain more distance. What seems to be the problem here? Our guess is as good as yours: you may not be creating adequate lag when your downswing.
You can have the needed lag when maintaining the angle between the club shaft and your forearm. Keep this angle as long as possible before releasing it all at impact.
So, do you want farther golf balls with your irons? We recommend you do the following:
- Grip your iron by the hosel and do a wide backswing as possible while keeping your arms straight. You may reach a wide backswing arms position when you feel the tightness in the left side of your torso. This is for a right-handed player, if you are left-handed, the opposite is applicable.
- Once you feel the tightness on your left side, drop your hands toward your right pocket. Do this as fast as you can. This move will make your shot wide on the backswing and becomes narrow while your downswing. The movement should maximize your wrist hinge.
- Practice this move more often with an upside-down club until you become more adept with the motion. Then, flip the club and do the actual swings. If you hit behind the golf ball, your swing is not fast enough during the transition. In producing the needed lag, you should swing as fast as you can: it makes your wrist hinges more.
FAQ’s
Irons have steep attack angles enabling them easy control on the club plane. A driver, on the other hand, produces a curved path making it hard to control. The driver has the least loft than irons and is more prone to mishits.
Furthermore, the driver is not too keen on delivering spin and more susceptible to creating side spin. The result is more miss-hits than irons. The more miss-hits, the more you miss the distance you want.
As we told you, you are hitting your irons at a similar distance because of club speed. When you deliver decelerating club head or without an adequate amount of club head speed: you are bound to make your irons fly the same distance.
Professional golfers on the PGA Tour hit a 5-iron at an average distance between 195 and 205 yards. Average players hit a 5-iron at 164 yards. The distance may vary between 164 and 179 yards depending on the skill of an average golfer.
One of the best ways of hitting your irons farther is by compressing the ball better. You can do this by leaning the shaft forward to tilt the weight into your left side (for right-handed golfers). This can compress the ball with more power and get it with a quick ball speed off the club face.
Average players hit a 7-iron at 145 yards. The distance may vary between 128 and 160 yards depending on the skill and age of the golfer.
Many wedges may go the same distance as irons. This could be possible if you do not have the swing speed needed to further your distance. Also, some golfers do a half swing when hitting their wedges.
Conclusion
So, “why do I hit my 5-6 and 7 irons the same distance?” We are sure that we gave you the answers to this question.
We practiced them because all your swings should be the same regardless of the club in your hands. But we also agree that sometimes, when this happens, even short golf clubs can fly farther. And that is if you have adequate club face speed.
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Matt Stevens is the founder of Golfrough.com. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf since he was four years old. Having experienced every high and low golf has to offer, his writing helps the average golfer avoid the mistakes he has made in 28-years on the course.