How to Hit a Draw with Your Irons
← Golf Instruction & Improvement | Swing Mechanics & Fundamentals
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Quick Answer
- Set up with a slightly closed stance and a stronger grip.
- Aim your clubface directly at your target, while your body points right of it.
- Swing from the inside, letting the clubpath travel out towards your target’s right.
Who This Is For
- Golfers who want to add a controlled draw to their iron game.
- Players looking to improve accuracy and work the ball both ways.
What to Check First
- Stance Alignment: Ensure your feet and shoulders are aimed slightly right of your target. This is your closed stance.
- Clubface Aim: Confirm the clubface is square to your target, not your body. This is crucial.
- Grip Strength: Check for a slightly stronger grip – your top hand rotated a bit clockwise.
- Ball Position: Keep it centered in your stance, just like a standard iron shot.
- Swing Path Awareness: Mentally visualize swinging from the inside, out to the right of your target.
Step-by-Step Plan for How to Hit a Draw with Irons
Alright, let’s get that ball curving. It’s not rocket science, just a few key adjustments. Think of it as adding a little flair to your game. I remember when I first started trying this, I was all over the place. Patience is key, folks.
1. Action: Adjust your stance to be slightly closed.
What to look for: Your feet and shoulders are aimed a bit to the right of your actual target. This is the foundation for swinging from the inside. It feels a little unnatural at first, but trust the process.
Mistake: Aiming your body directly at the target. This setup screams “push” or “slice,” and that’s not what we’re after.
2. Action: Strengthen your grip slightly.
What to look for: For right-handed players, this means rotating your left hand clockwise on the club a notch or two. You should see more knuckles on your left hand. This helps the clubface naturally close through impact.
Mistake: Maintaining a neutral or weak grip. You’ll fight to get the clubface to close, and that’s a losing battle for a draw.
3. Action: Aim the clubface directly at your target.
What to look for: The clubface points precisely at your intended landing spot. This is critical. Your body is aimed right, but the clubface is aimed straight. The ball will start where the clubface is aimed.
Mistake: Aiming the clubface right of the target along with your body. This will send the ball straight right, or worse, make it curve further right.
4. Action: Take your normal, smooth backswing.
What to look for: A controlled and balanced motion. You don’t need to do anything fancy here. Let the club go back naturally.
Mistake: Trying to manipulate the backswing to force an inside path. This usually leads to over-swinging or getting stuck.
5. Action: Initiate the downswing from the inside.
What to look for: Feel like the club is approaching the ball from “underneath” or from the inside of the target line. Think about swinging out towards right field if you’re on a baseball diamond.
Mistake: Swinging “over the top” – bringing the club down outside the target line. This is the classic slicer’s move and will kill your draw attempt.
6. Action: Allow for a natural release through impact.
What to look for: Let your hands and wrists rotate through the ball. The clubface should naturally close as you swing out towards your target’s right. Don’t hold on!
Mistake: Holding off the release or “strangling” the club through impact. This keeps the clubface open and prevents the draw. It’s like trying to keep a door from closing.
How to Hit a Draw with Irons: Troubleshooting and Common Mistakes
Getting the ball to draw consistently takes practice. Don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t happen overnight. Here are some common hiccups and how to avoid them.
- Mistake: Swinging Over the Top
- Why it matters: This is the number one killer of draws. It forces an outside-to-inside swing path, which naturally produces a slice or a push.
- Fix: Focus intently on your downswing takeaway. Feel like you’re dropping the club into the inside slot before you swing. Visualize that swing path out to right field.
- Mistake: Aiming the Clubface Right of the Target
- Why it matters: This is a huge confusion point for many. If the clubface is aimed right at address, the ball will start right and likely stay right, or even curve further right.
- Fix: Be militant about aiming the clubface directly at your target. Your body alignment creates the path, the clubface creates the start line.
- Mistake: Not Closing the Stance Enough
- Why it matters: If your stance is too open or square, your natural swing will likely be more neutral or outside-in, leading to a straight ball or a fade.
- Fix: Make sure your feet and shoulders are noticeably aimed to the right of your target. You should feel like you’re aiming at a spot about 5-10 yards right of where you want the ball to end up.
- Mistake: Holding Off the Release
- Why it matters: This prevents the clubface from closing naturally through impact. The clubface stays square or open, and the ball won’t curve left.
- Fix: Trust your hands and wrists to do their job. Feel a sense of rotation and fluidity through the impact zone. Imagine your hands continuing to turn over after impact.
- Mistake: Trying to “Steer” the Ball
- Why it matters: Golf swings are about motion, not manipulation. Trying to force the ball into a draw often leads to tension and a worse outcome.
- Fix: Focus on the setup and the feel of the inside-to-outside swing path. Let the natural physics of the swing and the clubface do the work.
- Mistake: Ball Too Far Forward in the Stance
- Why it matters: While some pros play with slight variations, for learning a draw, a center ball position is best. Too far forward can encourage an outside-in move.
- Fix: Ensure the ball is positioned in the center of your stance, aligned with the buttons on your shirt.
- Mistake: Overly Strong Grip
- Why it matters: While a slightly stronger grip is good, going too extreme can lead to the clubface closing too much, resulting in a hook.
- Fix: Make sure your grip is just slightly stronger. You should still feel comfortable and in control. If you’re hooking everything, weaken your grip slightly.
FAQ
- What is the primary difference in setup for a draw shot?
The main setup changes involve aiming your body slightly right of the target (closed stance) and often strengthening your grip by rotating your top hand clockwise. The clubface, however, should still aim directly at your target.
- How much should I close my stance when aiming for a draw?
A good starting point is to aim your feet and shoulders about 5 to 10 yards right of your intended target. It’s a noticeable shift but shouldn’t feel like you’re aiming drastically offline.
- Does grip strength affect the ability to hit a draw?
Yes, a slightly stronger grip is beneficial. It encourages the clubface to naturally close through impact, which is essential for imparting leftward spin on the ball.
- Should I aim the clubface to the right too?
Absolutely not. This is a common misconception. You aim the clubface directly at your target. Your body alignment and swing path are what create the draw, not the clubface at address.
- How much curve should I expect from a draw shot?
The amount of curve varies. Initially, aim for a gentle, controlled draw that travels 5-10 yards left. As you get more comfortable, you can experiment with your setup and swing to achieve a more pronounced curve if desired. The goal is control, not a wild hook.
- What happens if I swing too far inside?
If your swing path becomes too inside-out, you risk hooking the ball severely or even hitting a “pull-hook” (starting left and curving further left). It’s about finding that sweet spot of inside-to-outside, not an extreme angle.
- Can I hit a draw with a driver as well as irons?
Yes, the principles are very similar. The setup adjustments for a closed stance and stronger grip, along with an inside-to-outside swing path, apply to the driver too, though the ball position and swing arc will differ slightly due to the club’s length and loft.
Sources:
Michael Reeves is a PGA Professional with over 20 years of experience in competitive golf and instruction. A former Division I collegiate player at the University of Texas, he competed on the mini-tours before transitioning to full-time coaching and golf journalism. He has been a certified PGA teaching professional since 2005 and has worked with players at every level, from absolute beginners to collegiate champions.
His writing has appeared in Golf Digest, Golf Magazine, and The Left Rough. At GolfHubz, Michael leads the editorial team, overseeing fact-checking and ensuring every answer meets the same standard he demands on the lesson tee: clear, evidence-based, and immediately useful.
When he’s not writing or teaching, Michael plays to a +1.4 handicap at his home club in Austin, Texas. He has attended over 40 major championships as a journalist and fan, and has played more than 200 courses across 15 countries.
You can reach Michael at [email protected] or follow his occasional swing analysis posts on the site.