How To Compress the Ball for Power

By Dave Phillips
Top 100 Teacher

This story is for you if...

• Your impact feels mushy.
• You can't get your short and mid-irons to spin.
• You're a club shorter than your buddies.

The Problem
You tend to pick the ball off the grass, which allows you to hit decent shots, but you never get the feeling of true compression and the ball often falls short of your target.

The Solution
The only way to generate powerful iron shots is to hit down on the back of the ball and then drive your clubhead through the dirt. While many moves are required to do this on a consistent basis, you can take a giant step forward by focusing on the action of your right wrist. Follow the steps at right.

Step 1: HINGE & SUPPORT

As you swing the club to the top, hinge your wrists so that you create a noticeable angle between your right forearm and your right wrist. If you do it correctly, the back of your left wrist will be flat and you'll feel like your right hand is under the club, supporting it rather than directing it. This right-wrist hinge is an important power lever in your swing — without it, your swing loses the ability to whip the clubhead through the ball at the fastest possible speed.