The 4 Biggest Iron Striking Mistakes (and the Drills to Fix Them) – Peter Finch Video
Iron shots make up a good portion of your round of golf.
If you struggle to make clean contact with your irons, you probably notice shots that don’t end up at the target, inconsistencies in flight, and more.
There are four big mistakes that golfers make when they hit their irons. These drills using the HackMotion training aid can help you correct them and become a better ball striker.
Watch the full video by Peter Finch below, and be sure to check out his YouTube channel, Swing Quest Golf, for more great golf content!
Contents
4 Drills to Fix Common Iron Striking Mistakes
Mistake #1: Poor Ball Position
While this first drill may seem simple, it’s one that you will want to check off your list before moving into any of the others. In addition, this is a drill you won’t need the HackMotion for, just your golf club and a few golf balls.
Ball position plays a major role in your ability to strike a clean iron shot. If your ball position is too far back, you will have a tendency to hit fat shots. If the ball position is too far forward, you’ll likely experience thin or topped shots.
Try this drill on the range; it’s simple, but it helps you dial in the ball position. Keep stepping away from the ball and then setting up again to practice the position.
Step in Ball Position Drill
- Start with your feet together, placing the ball directly between your toes.
- For a short iron – Take a small step left and a small step right.
- For a mid-iron – Take a small step left and a slightly bigger step right.
- For a long iron – Take a small step left and a larger step right.
Once you feel confident in getting the ball in the correct position, move on to the next common mistake.
Mistake #2: Flipping at Impact
The flip at impact is an interesting miss because golfers do it to square the clubface. The instinct is good, but the flip leads to weak and inconsistent strikes.
The flip often happens when the clubface is in the wrong position at the top of the backswing or when players don’t shift their weight correctly on the downswing.
One of the easiest ways to fix flipping at impact is the Impact Press Drill.
The Impact Press Drill
- Get into your setup position with an iron in hand.
- Press your hands forward, exaggerating the feel of leading with the hands.
- Shift your weight to your lead foot, mimicking the correct impact position.
- Hold this position, then release and repeat the drill.
The drill trains your body to feel proper shaft lean and weight shift. You teach yourself how to get to this position, and because of that, you’ll learn to repeat it in your full swing.
If flipping is a real problem for you, take a look at the article on how to stop flipping at impact.
Mistake #3: Poor Clubface Control
Your clubface position at impact is what controls where the golf ball goes. If you have an open clubface, it causes pushes and slices if you have a closed clubface, it will cause hooks and pulls.
Inconsistent face angles make it difficult for you to learn to control the ball’s flight.
HackMotion allows you to check your wrist angles throughout the golf swing (in real-time) to ensure better face control.
Wrist Angle Check Drill
- Check your takeaway position: The clubface should match your spine angle when the shaft is parallel to the ground.
- Check your top-of-the-swing position: The best golfers have a flat or slightly flexed wrist at the top of the backswing. This position makes it possible to square the clubface through impact.
- Use HackMotion for feedback: The app will show whether your wrist angles are too cupped (open face) or too bowed (closed face). You can set ranges to ensure you are working towards your goal of a flat or slightly bowed lead wrist at impact.
Mistake #4: Over-the-Top Swing Path
Another common swing flaw is coming over the top. With this move, the club moves from outside to inside at impact. The result is a slice, pull, or poor contact.
When hitting shots with an over-the-top swing path, you cut across the ball, causing weaker shots.
The simple drill of putting a ball outside the one you are hitting brings some awareness to your club path and will help you naturally swing more from the inside.
The Outside Ball Drill
- Set up a second golf ball just outside your target line.
- Swing without hitting the outside ball—this forces an inside-to-out path.
- Start with slow, controlled swings, then work up to full swings.
Working on fixing the over-the-top swing path should also help you shallow your golf swing and strike with a more neutral swing path.
When you can match the path and clubface, you’ll hit some of your best shots.
Try HackMotion’s interactive drills and get real-time feedback to train smarter.
With built-in guided practice, you’ll instantly see what needs adjusting. Here’s a sneak peek of how the HackMotion drills section looks in the app:
Final Thoughts
To hit better iron shots, you need to fix these common mistakes and work through these drills. Don’t forget that your clubface is controlled by the position of your lead wrist in the golf swing.
If you can get that lead wrist position right, you’ll hit predictable shots that travel toward your target with plenty of distance. Start measuring your wrist angles and see how they are helping or hurting your game.
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