Do You Make These Crucial Changes At Setup When Hitting An Iron Or A Hybrid? So Many Amateurs Get This Wrong...
The subtle changes at setup when hitting an iron or a hybrid could be the difference between brilliant ball striking and hopelessly hacking it around...
Similarly to many amateur golfers, I struggle with my ball striking from time to time and often get frustrated by a lack of consistency.
While trying to find the answer, I have spent time trying to embed the perfect golf grip, ensuring I have a straight left arm in my golf swing and even attempting to determine how far to stand from the golf ball to give myself the best chance of striking the ball better.
It wasn't until I met Top 50 Coach Sarah Bennett, however, that I learned the problem had arisen from my setup position, specifically by not making effective adjustments when changing clubs.
In this article, Sarah shares her expert advice on how to change your setup when hitting an iron or a hybrid, helping you to shoot lower scores and play better golf...
How To Change Your Setup When Hitting An Iron Or A Hybrid
Sarah Bennett is an instantly recognisable name in the field of professional golf coaching, having been the PGA Captain and Women's PGA Captain in her stellar career. As a player, she performed on the Ladies European Tour for 25 years, competing against some of the best professionals on the circuit. As a PGA Honorary Member, Women's PGA Chair and one of Golf Monthly's Top 50 Coaches, Sarah Bennett has helped copious amateur and professional golfers to reach their full potential on the course using her wealth of experience and knowledge of the game.
1. Setup With Irons
Sarah Bennett demonstrating the correct setup position for an iron shot
The weight distribution at address with an iron should be approximately 55% favouring the lead leg.
The sternum is more in line and over the ball, naturally resulting in more level shoulders. The perfect ball position is more central at address, with increased shaft lean towards the target, makes for a sound set-up.
I use the device in the image below when I’m coaching, as it helps to demonstrate the optimal downward strike angle with an iron.
A training aid demonstrating the correct downward angle of attack for an iron shot
2. Setup With Hybrids
The hybrid club can be a wonderful addition to any golfer’s armoury due to its playing versatility. The ball position should vary according to the lie and the shot in hand.
A more forward ball position is ideal when you want to produce a higher, softer ball flight, while a more central position is perfect for delivering a lower ball flight via a steeper angle at impact.
Sarah Bennett demonstrating the correct setup position for a hybrid
Should I Use Long Irons Or Hybrids?
This is a difficult question to answer, as a lot of the decision comes down to you personally as a golfer.
However, there are some strong arguments for both sides. A hybrid might be easier to hit for many amateur golfers, but a long iron is arguably more versatile for use around the course.
If you want to read the full debate, and determine which is right for you based on the opinions of two experts, check out our helpful guide on whether you should use long irons or hybrids.