How to Deloft Irons at Impact: 4 Simple Tips for Control
Most thin, floaty iron shots can be traced back to one culprit: too much dynamic loft at impact.
A downward strike helps the golf ball get the right launch angle, distance, and accuracy. Issues with incorrect angle of attack, wrist action, and even weight shift can cause you to increase loft at impact.
If you are wondering how to deloft irons at impact and put yourself back in control of your golf shots, here are some tips and drills to take to the range with you.
Key Takeaways
If you don’t have time to read our entire guide on how to deloft irons at impact, here are some of the most important things to take with you today.
- Delofting = compression. A forward-leaning shaft and a flexed lead wrist will lower dynamic loft, raise ball speed, and tighten dispersion.
- Shaft lean starts at the top. Wrists that finish the backswing in the correct position (slight flexion, clubface square) make it far easier to maintain lag through impact.
- Minimize lead-wrist extension on the way down. Every extra degree of extension adds loft and sends the low point backward.
- Feel it first with mini-chips. Short swings exaggerate the handle-forward position and teach the sensation of a quiet lead wrist.
- Measure what you can’t see. HackMotion shows live lead-wrist flexion/extension, so you know instantly whether you’re truly delofting the club or just guessing.
Contents
1. What do you want to improve in your full swing?
How to Deloft Irons at Impact
Check the Top of the Backswing Position
You can’t fix impact if you are not in the right position at the top of the backswing. Training your top position will help you learn to deloft irons
The key here is to make sure you haven’t added extension during the backswing, opening the clubface, and getting the hands to a position where they are no longer going to be ahead of the clubface on the way down.
A great way to train this is with the Combined Top Drill in the HackMotion app.
It’s covered below in the Drills to Practice Delofting Irons at Impact section and helps you preset a square clubface by checking wrist flexion at the top.
Feel Forward Shaft Lean on Chip Shots First
One of the best ways to start training this forward shaft lean position is to break it down into a short game-type shot.
If you can make this move from waist high to waist high, you can learn to do it on a full swing.
Grab an 8 iron and chip waist-high shots, keeping the handle ahead of the clubhead and the lead wrist flat or slightly flexed.
Note the lower, more penetrating flight. Short swings remove speed from the equation and let you isolate the hand-ahead impact feel.
Minimize Lead Wrist Extension in the Downswing
After studying more than 1,000,000 golf swings and examining the techniques of the best players as they swing down from the top of their backswing, we have gained valuable insights.
The best ball strikers add flexion to their lead wrist right from the top of their downswing. They square the clubface much sooner than poor ball strikers, who are left to do it at impact.
From halfway down, rehearse moving the logo of your glove toward the ground to add flexion instead of letting it “cup.” Less extension will result in less loft and a divot that occurs after the ball.
Master Weight Shift
Once you have your hands in the right place, you can start working on your lower body and how weight shift will play into this. Feel 80–90 % of your pressure on the lead side by impact.
The tendency for many amateur players is to lean back on the trail foot. This leaning back opens the face, adds loft, and makes it difficult to compress the golf ball.
If you combine the weight shift with a flexed lead wrist, you’ll guarantee ball-then-turf contact.Forward pressure shifts the low point ahead of the ball and supports forward shaft lean.
Drills to Practice Delofting Irons at Impact
Now that you have the basics of wrist angle position, shaft lean, and weight shift down, which you’ll need to work on to deloft your irons, here are a few drills to make it easier.
The drills focus on helping you feel the proper position and then learning to repeat it with a full swing.
1. What do you want to improve in your full swing?
Towel Compression Drill
The Towel Compression Drill is one of the easiest to set up and a great warm-up to help you focus on your ball striking anytime you’re working through issues in your game.
- Video timestamp – 0:15
Towel Compression Drill – Step by Step:
- Set the Towel: Fold a towel and place it one grip length behind the golf ball.
- Half Swings First: Make smooth half swings, missing the towel on the downswing.
- HackMotion Check: Look for increased lead wrist flexion from setup to impact—avoid excessive extension.
- Build to Full Swings: Once consistent, progress to three-quarter and full swings while keeping the towel untouched.
Line Low Point Drill
The Low Point Drill is another one that forces forward shaft lean and clean contact with your irons.
You can use a spray or chalk line on the grass, but a piece of blue painters tape can also work if you are practicing on a mat.
- Video timestamp – 0:05
Line Low Point Drill – Step by Step:
- Mark the Ground: Spray or chalk a straight line on the grass, or mark a line on your hitting mat. Place the ball directly on that line.
- Initial Swings: Make practice swings focusing on striking the turf on or just past the line—this trains ball-first contact.
- Weight Forward: Keep more than 80% of your weight on the lead side throughout the swing to help compress the ball.
- Add a Ball: Place a golf ball on the line and take half swings, brushing the ground after the ball.
- HackMotion Feedback: Use HackMotion to verify increased lead wrist flexion through impact, helping control low point and prevent flipping.
Combined Top Drill
The Combined Top Drill will ensure that you aren’t overly cupped or extended at the top of your swing, and it is built into the HackMotion app.
While you could work on this without HackMotion, you won’t be able to measure your position and ensure it’s correct.
Combined Top Drill in HackMotion
Train your top position by mastering optimal wrist angles. Challenge yourself to reach the ideal wrist position during a full-speed backswing.
HackMotion Combined Top Drill – Step by Step:
- Backswing to the Top: Make a full-speed backswing and pause at the top of your swing.
- Check Wrist Angles: Confirm that your HackMotion reading is in the green zone for flexion or extension at the top position.
- Complete the Swing: Transition into your downswing and swing through to a full finish.
- Reduce the Pause: Repeat the drill, gradually shortening the pause until the backswing and downswing are blended into one smooth motion.
Final Thoughts
Delofting your irons isn’t about “hitting down,” it’s about structuring the wrists and shaft so the club’s true sweet spot meets the ball first.
Start by cleaning up the top of your backswing, then ingrain the handle-forward feel with chip shots, towels, and line drills.
Track your lead wrist flexion with HackMotion; once you see that number flatten out at impact, you’ll know compression is on the way.
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