How to Increase Launch Angle with Irons: 6 Tips & Drills to Make Your Irons Soar
Each iron will have its own launch angle based on the loft. However, more experienced golfers know that this can be manipulated to your advantage, allowing you to attack more pins and lower your scores.
Increasing your launch angle with irons can be done in a few different ways, and it’s up to the golfer to find which tips work best for them. There are also some aspects that all golfers should take note of if they want to maintain consistency with their higher launch angle.
Use these expert tips to increase your launch angle but also gain more control over it and your swing. Try them all at the range and see which works best for you.
Increase Iron Launch Angle (Key Takeaways)
Review these critical aspects to increase your launch angle with your irons, allowing you to hold more greens and make more birdies.
- Move the ball position slightly forward in your stance to take advantage of each iron’s loft.
- Keep your hands forward to compress the ball (just not too far forward).
- Get fit for proper golf balls and irons that suit your swing style.
- Optimize your angle of attack with proper wrist set and release.
- Maintain follow-through and tempo fundamentals for all irons to make a higher launch angle possible.
Contents
1. What do you want to improve in your full swing?
6 Best Tips to Increase Launch Angle with Irons
Increasing your launch angle at will can be achieved in several ways. You may not need to implement all these tips; just find a few that work for you and stick to them.
Ball Position Forward in Stance
Moving the ball slightly forward in your stance (towards your lead foot) promotes a swing path that catches the ball on the upswing while still hitting the ball first, then the turf. This encourages a higher loft at impact, resulting in a higher launch angle.
But each iron must be treated differently. Too far forward may lead to thin shots, while too far back results in lower, piercing shots.
A great instructor will help you fine-tune this, or you can use Hackmotion to optimize your ball position. It will track the accuracy of your impact and alert you when you’re off. It will also suggest drills that address your specific issue, just like a golf coach.
Use this chart as a guideline to help you get started in identifying the best ball position for each club based on the desired launch angle.
| *inches forward of center | Current Launch Angle Ball Position | High-Launch Angle Ball Position |
|---|---|---|
| 9-Iron | 1.5” | 2” |
| 8-Iron | 2.5” | 3” |
| 7-Iron | 3” | 3.5” |
| 6-Iron | 3.5” | 4” |
| 5-Iron | 4.5” | 5” |
| 4-Iron | 5.5” | 6” |
Increase Shaft Lean at Address and Impact
While some shaft lean is necessary for crisp contact, excessive forward shaft lean delofts the clubface and lowers launch.
Work on achieving a more neutral shaft position at address and minimizing severe lean at impact.
An excellent benchmark for identifying if your shaft lean is too much or not enough is to monitor your leading wrist.
If it’s too bowed, then your shaft is too forward. If your wrist is too cupped, then the shaft is not forward enough. Hackmotion monitors this and takes into account your specific comfort zone rather than trying to adhere to a one-size-fits-all approach.
The biggest mistake most golfers make is to lean the shaft back to “help” the ball in the air.
This only results in chunks or tops and is one of the two most common issues amateurs have when taking their setup for a higher launch angle.
Use the Right Equipment
Choosing the right ball and clubs can have a significant impact on golfers aiming to increase their launch angle with irons.
Different irons have varying shaft flexibilities due to their length, which impacts how high the ball flies when struck. Using irons with a more flexible shaft can help generate greater lift at impact, resulting in a higher launch angle.
Shafts that are too stiff or heavy for your swing will keep the ball flight low. Lighter shafts with a softer tip actively help launch the ball higher. Working with a club fitter to find a shaft that matches your speed and swing can produce more optimal launch angles.
Likewise, golf balls are engineered with distinct compression ratings and cover materials to optimize the golf ball flight laws. A ball with a softer cover and lower compression allows for more deformation at impact, increasing backspin and lift, which further enhances the launch angle.
When golfers match their ball and club specifications to their swing speed and style, they optimize energy transfer and control ball trajectory. This tailored approach ensures that each shot achieves the desired height and distance, making it easier to clear obstacles, hold greens, and lower scores.
1. What do you want to improve in your full swing?
Improve Your Angle of Attack
With irons, a shallow angle of attack (not too steep) helps maximize launch without excessive spin.
Work on “brushing” or “clipping” the turf, rather than digging down. Shallow divots after the ball indicate proper ball-first contact and a slightly ascending or level strike, which increases launch angle.
Many amateurs think setting the wrists early in the backswing will help them develop lag and power, but too much of this just creates a steep angle of attack.
Monitor your wrists using the Hackmotion sensor or a mirror. Your wrists should hinge naturally in your backswing and remain in that position until impact.
Use this drill to optimize your backswing and get it on plane for a higher launch angle with any iron.
- Video Timestamp: 0:59 – 4:31
- Lay down an alignment stick between your feet and the ball, pointing at your target.
- Address the ball and set your wrists without moving any other part of your body.
- The club shaft should be parallel with the alignment stick.
- From here, you can rotate your body to the top without changing your wrist angles.
- More advanced players can go into their downswing and hit balls while ensuring the wrists stay in the same position.
Strengthen Your Follow-Through
A full and extended follow-through, where your chest and belt buckle face the target, encourages good swing mechanics and the proper release of the club.
Players who “cut off” their follow-throughs often trap the ball with low flight. Practice swinging all the way hrough the shot and hitting all of these key aspects that make an excellent follow-through.
- Balanced Finish Position: A complete, balanced finish with weight shifted onto the lead foot ensures that the swing was not decelerated or “held back.” Staying balanced through the entire follow-through means energy was efficiently transferred to the ball, helping it launch higher.
- High Hands and Club Finish: Finishing with the hands and club head high encourages an upward swing path. This upward motion at and after impact helps increase the launch angle, as opposed to a low-and-around finish, which promotes lower shots.
- Maintain Spine Angle: Only at the very end can the spine relax. It is the last thing to be added to a good follow-through for a higher launch with your irons. Keeping your spine angle from start to finish will ensure your body stays in the correct position and will help with consistency as well as launch angle.
Focus on Proper Tempo
Your launch angle with any club can be affected by tempo changes in your swing.
Maintaining a consistent tempo enables your body to make subtle, subconscious adjustments that occur rapidly during the swing.
When trying to increase launch angle on irons specifically, players can become anxious to see results, which in turn increases tempo and causes swing defects.
When making changes to your swing in any capacity, it’s necessary to maintain your same tempo; otherwise, the changes may not take effect or could cause issues elsewhere in the swing.
Use this drill to either develop or maintain a smooth tempo for a high launch with any iron.
- Video Timestamp: 4:54 – 5:48
- Line up five balls perpendicular to your target line.
- Set up to the first one and hit it.
- Without stopping, take a small step forward towards the next ball, reset your backswing, and hit it as well.
- Continue down the line with the goal of hitting each ball solidly and with a higher launch angle.
- Try with various clubs.
Final Thoughts
Being able to call upon a high launch angle with your irons when you need it most is a major advantage. Practice all tips, but focus on the ones that help you the most.
Optimizing your launch angle to reduce your handicap is made easier with Hackmotion because of its accuracy and identifying capabilities. It’s like having a trained golf coach watch over you as you practice.
Monitor your practice or use personally suggested options right on the app. Increasing your launch angle is made easy with this advanced training aid.
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