6 Strategies to Increase Distance With Your Irons

Hitting it 280 off the tee is great but what if your 7-iron only goes 130 yards? There’s a disconnect somewhere. Want to reconnect with your irons? I’ll walk you through six strategies to increase distance with your irons. You’ll be able to implement these strategies immediately and you don’t need to use all six at once.

Play With The Right Golf Ball

As with all things golf, we at MyGolfSpy have done a lot of golf ball testing. Amateur golfers see what the professionals use and assume that’s the best fit for their game. This is not always the case. Amateurs have swing speeds and spin levels that are much different from the professionals.

The biggest mistake you can make when choosing a golf ball is not checking the specific iron distances it can produce.

When we did our 2023 golf ball testing, the Titleist Pro V1x, Callaway Chrome Soft X LS and the Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash were the longest golf balls for mid-swing speed—for the driver.

When we tested with irons, the LA Golf Ball, Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash and Titleist AVX were the longest.

Just because a golf ball helps you get more distance on your tee shot doesn’t necessarily mean it will turn into distance on the irons.

Wider Stance (But Still Turn)

A slightly wider stance will give you a bit more stability in your swing. With stability, you can take a more aggressive (and slightly faster) swing. This combination of changes should lead to extra distance in the irons.

One thing to be aware of here is the lower body.

The wider your stance, the harder it is to make a good lower body turn. The muscles have more work to do and many golfers start swinging with just their arms.

When we say wider, start with a half-inch and go from there. If you find you aren’t turning (you’ll see inconsistent shots like a slice or thinned shot), then go back to your traditional shoulder-width apart stance.

Narrow The Perfect Ball Position

To get a slightly higher trajectory and a few more yards of carry distance, make sure you don’t play the ball too far back in the stance. Start with your mid irons in the middle of the stance and try a few practice shots.

Move the position about half a ball length forward and then half a ball length back of middle. You’ll eventually find a sweet spot that works for consistency.

Depending on the bottom of your swing arc with your irons, finding the perfect ball position can help you gain a few extra yards.

Don’t forget to practice ball position at the range. The most important thing to practice is your consistency in the ball position. Your approach shots will be longer and more accurate.

Use A Swing Speed Trainer

If you work with a specific speed trainer and stay committed, you’ll get longer drives and, as a result, shorter iron shots into the green. Swing training can be as simple as using a weighted or heavy club or you can invest in a complete swing speed training system.

A few with which we have had success:

The Stack  Orange Whip  Lag Shot SuperSpeed Rypstick 

If you invest in a swing speed trainer, make sure you have a way to measure your speed. A simple portable launch monitor will do the trick but you need to be able to track progress.

In addition, keep track of your numbers as they change so you have good distance control on the course.

Do A Flexibility Check

Golfers who are more flexible get more distance and fewer injuries. Do a quick flexibility check before you decide whether it’s your irons, the golf ball or the humidity in the air (or a combination) that’s keeping it from traveling as far as possible.

Reach one arm across the body and use the other hand to pull it closer. If you feel tightness or discomfort, do some shoulder stretches.  Try touching your toes without bending your knees. If you can’t, your hamstring and lower back flexibility could use some work.  To test your hip mobility range, perform deep squats and see if your lower body can get the torque and rotation it needs to produce distance.  Rotate your core/torso from side to side as you would in the swing. Can you increase your range of motion? Are you stiff? Work on back stretches to help improve swing mechanics and gain extra distance.

Talking to a golf and/or fitness professional about proper golf stretching and strength training techniques is a smart idea. Again, it will help with more than just distance in your iron shots.

Check Your Wrist Positions

The final tip, but potentially one of the most effective, is to check your wrist position in your golf swing. The wrist position controls the clubface angle. If you have a square clubface as you approach the impact position, you’ll hit the golf ball further.

Take a look at the top of your backswing and see if your lead wrist is too extended (the label on your glove would be pointing more towards the ground than the sky). When the wrist is too extended, you’ll have to make a last-minute adjustment before you hit the ball to straighten/square the face of the club. This movement slows you down. Some players call it “flipping” or “squaring.”

If you have a flat lead wrist at the top of the backswing, your clubface will be square and you can accelerate through impact at full speed ahead.

Take a look at Dustin Johnson or Collin Morikawa before they start their downswing. Their position lets them accelerate through impact with a square face.

Final Thoughts

You might have noticed we didn’t suggest replacing your irons as a solution to increase distance. You can certainly go for a club fitting and test to see which irons may get you a few more yards. However, even when changing your equipment, there should still be some focus on the fundamentals of the swing. More distance comes from a clean strike in the center of the face with plenty of speed.

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