How to Stiff It When You're Between Clubs
Is it a 6-iron or a 7-iron? You'll get it close more often with the longer club and a shorter swing

By Steve Bosdosh
Top 100 Teacher

The Situation

You're in the fairway, but the yardage to the hole is five yards farther than what you can comfortably hit your 7-iron and five yards short of what you get with a good 6-iron swing.

The Solution

If you're a 10 handicap or less (or the pin is up and there's trouble long)...
...hit the shorter club with a harder swing.

Play the ball just back of center and lean the shaft forward. This delofts the clubface, turning your 7-iron, for example, into a 6.5-iron. Make a full backswing and feel like you're going to pinch the ball between the clubface and the grass at impact. If you try to pick the ball clean you'll come up short of your target.

If you're an 11 handicap or above (or the pin is back and there's trouble short)...
...hit the longer club with a three-quarter swing.

This should be your go-to option in most cases. You'll get a softer trajectory and you won't feel like you have to kill it. Follow the steps at right to knock it stiff.

Credit: Schecter Lee