Friday, April 17, 2009

Using your Nine Iron on the Golf Course

By Greg Hansward

If you're new to playing golf or even if you've had a good amount of experience on the golf course, you may be wondering what the nine iron is used for. Well, you're not alone. True, it can't be used if your ball is more than 130 yards from the green. Also true is that even though the nine iron's head is deeply angled, it shouldn't be used in place of a wedge since it won't give your ball enough loft. So what is the nine iron good for?

Well, there is a reason why the nine iron was made and there are some situations that this golf iron is ideal for. It's a good short range club, providing sufficient elevation and ample distance. Since the head is angled (more so than normal clubs) it can be used as a chipper or even in place of a sand wedge.

The nine iron can also be used in place of a seven or eight iron if you are less than approximately 170 yard from the green. If you're more than 150 yards from the green and you don't need a lot of loft then you may wan to blade the ball for a little extra distance. The seven or eight iron is sometimes "too much club" for the shot so this is when the nine iron is ideal. Therefore the nine iron is ideal for a short (less than 100 yards) par 3 hole since the others would give you too much distance.

When using the nine iron for chipping, you should be at least 100 yards from the green or your intended target. To get more elevation from your swing, position your stance in front of the ball. Also, have a short stance to prevent you from hitting the ball too hard. This may seem awkward but it will give you more elevation and cut your distance so you don't overshoot (or sometimes called "fly") the green.

The best way to find out what the nine iron can do and its best purpose is to practice at the driving range. If you wait until you're on the course you run the risk of not predicting the control of the ball and hurting your game (and your ego). Practice on the driving range with different stances (legs close together and far apart) and with the ball in front and behind your stance.

After some practice with this underutilized golf club, you'll see why the nine iron does have a purpose. - 16887

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