Is your swing the same for Iron and Woods? Or are they 2 different Swings?

Recently, I have been asked by some friends if the swing for Irons and Woods should be different.
what do you guys think?

I have 13 different swings and 1 excuse of a putting stroke

To truely have 1 swing for all clubs wouldn't you need to adopt the 1 swing plane in order for it to work?

Too many variables between the clubs to really have just 1 swing ie length, lie, weight, stance, distance to ball, position of ball etc etc.

Iron takes a divot. Woods (hopefully) doesn't (but debatable). Iron compresses downwards, woods upwards or not so steeply.

1 swing to take care of all that with the only variance of ball position might be a tall ask, not impossible, but might need machine like precision, no?

Which brings me back to the 1 swing plane. Could work though. Good topic!

chemicalpro wrote:

I have 13 different swings and 1 excuse of a putting stroke

To truely have 1 swing for all clubs wouldn't you need to adopt the 1 swing plane in order for it to work?

Too many variables between the clubs to really have just 1 swing ie length, lie, weight, stance, distance to ball, position of ball etc etc.

Iron takes a divot. Woods (hopefully) doesn't (but debatable). Iron compresses downwards, woods upwards or not so steeply.

1 swing to take care of all that with the only variance of ball position might be a tall ask, not impossible, but might need machine like precision, no?

Which brings me back to the 1 swing plane. Could work though. Good topic!

So that means you go to the range to develop "muscle memory"... so you are training 13 different muscle memories??

How does your body know which one to bring out?

only one swing plan for me just for wood i go a bit more inside on the first step to make it draw

I think it really depends on individuals and what works for them.

Some people's downswing is very steep. For steep downswing, if you chop down behind the ball with iron, the ball will still launch due to the steep loft. However, it is almost impossible to launch fairway woods (and even long irons for that matter) with a steep downswing as the clubhead loft is shallow (less than 19 degrees). So for people with steep downswing, they probably have to come up with some special compensation during the swing to stand a chance of launching fairway wood.

For those whose downswing aien't as steep and are almost able to achieve a reasonably "shallow angle of attack" into the ball, they can afford to "hit down" on the irons and take slight divot or simply "sweep the ball with a slightest descending blow" using their fairway woods.

But in general, if your swing can launch fairway woods, you definitely have no problem with the irons.

[quote="shorthitter"]

chemicalpro wrote:

How does your body know which one to bring out?

Unfortunately it doesn't

Think I should take up another hobby like collecting stamps

Oh yah, I think the biggest difference is also the set-up.

For iron, the ball will more or less be in the centre of stance. So at set-up, the hand should be leading the clubhead.

For fairway wood, the ball will definitely be forward of centre. So at set-up, the clubhead is leading the hand.

So ideally speaking, the golfer should have only one swing, but you vary the ball placement.

But thats ideal lah.... even Tiger Woods has a different different approach in swing thoughts when using different woods/irons.

If I am not wrong. Having the different swing plane does not mean you are having a different type of swing.

Your swing plane is dependant on the length of the shaft and where the clubhead/iron rests. You can also hit a quarter, half swing shots. However, that does not really mean your swing mechanics has changed, does it?

[quote="chemicalpro"]

shorthitter wrote:

chemicalpro wrote:

How does your body know which one to bring out?

Unfortunately it doesn't

Think I should take up another hobby like collecting stamps

And that is why you are inconsistant.... It is impossible to have 13 different swings....

When you change from 7 iron to wedge it happens automatically, but when people go from 7 to 3 iron all sorts of issues....

As to plane, Jim Fuyrk has many planes, but driver, wedge or 7 iron the swing is the same... not pretty but the same...

Maybe I could organise a clinic at BFG to dispell some of these myths... would take 3 swings to show you that plane is not the be all to end all....

My thoughts on the game of golf are that it is such a difficult game to play so lets try and keep it simple. It is hard enough to learn one swing let alone two or three. I believe one swing and one set up for all clubs, just alter the ball position as BigBogey has mentioned.

The pictures below show a driver, iron and putt. You can see from all the shots that the set up angles are the same, just the ball position is altered. After all your objective with a putt is no different than with a driver - your are still trying to hit the ball forward towards your target. The choice of the club is what makes the difference to the height and distance of the shot, not the swing.

If you have different swing for different clubs, I believe that unless you practice a lot, you will suffer from inconsistency. Of course there are some variations for more advanced shot making such as fading and drawing, high and low. Get yourself a consistent, repeatable swing first and then try the more advanced shots later.

Holy smokes I never knew RSS putts as RSS as well! Intriguing!

chemicalpro wrote:

Holy smokes I never knew RSS putts as RSS as well! Intriguing!

As I mentioned, keep things simple and consistent with all clubs and play more consistent.

shorthitter wrote:

plane is not the be all to end all....

Well said AK. Planes to me are just things that fly in the sky. Correct set up and swing will give correct plane yet so many golfers get so obsessed with it. Almost like the "keep head down" and "keep left arm straight"

@SH, ya man, I go from pull hooks to push slice quicker than you can say FORE!!!!

Speaking of Furyk, finally a win for him again! I was up watching till about their 16th hole before I blacked out.

His swing is awesome!

@RSC, true true... before your previous post I thought RSS only applied to swings. First time I see a RSS putting picture.

RSS gave me my first and only National Championship in 2003
Unfortunately, I no longer adopt it.

chemicalpro wrote:

@RSC, true true... before your previous post I thought RSS only applied to swings. First time I see a RSS putting picture.

You probably have but just was never conscious of it. The best putter on the US PGA Tour over the last 10 - 15 years is Brad Faxon (pictured below). Do you see the similarities

darenlim wrote:

RSS gave me my first and only National Championship in 2003
Unfortunately, I no longer adopt it.

That don't make sense.....why change after achieving success? Have you won anything since changing?

Mr Gary Edwin himself was the one who told me to change my swing and I went under Paul Riley's supervision after. I did not change my swing, I kinda stuck with RSS for quite awhile though I kinda lost it as I have stopped playing competitive golf that very same year. I left the National squad the same year as well. I only play club level championships now, am happy with that and yes I have been winning.

Right now, I am just a regular weekend golfer

I just can't hit my driver and woods the same way as i hit my irons. I tried a few months in range and green, absolutely frustrating periods (maybe because i didn't go for coaching). But later on, i tried different swing for woods and irons, it works... Heck i will still need coaching at some points but it's a quick fix for now.

watermyforrest wrote:

I just can't hit my driver and woods the same way as i hit my irons. I tried a few months in range and green, absolutely frustrating periods (maybe because i didn't go for coaching). But later on, i tried different swing for woods and irons, it works... Heck i will still need coaching at some points but it's a quick fix for now.

If you pursue consistency in golf and want to better your game, you definitely need to go for some form of coaching. Having a system in your swing is key to improving and hitting better shots consistently.
You may approach your woods/irons with different swing thoughts but ultimately it is only 1 swing.
After achieving a proficient swing, I am sure you will be able to enjoy your game more when you start to shoot lower scores.

cant agree more with that...

ultimate you need to find something to suit you and constantly maintain that 1 swing

snowman

Hmm... Just a thought... How about if i consistently split them, iron swing (hit down on the ball) and driver/woods swing (sweeping)? Consistent aren't they? Heheheh...

Hey,

just my 5 cent thought....

Both swing are totally different.

Its hard to explain and easier to demo.

Maybe the Best Move for you is to hire a good Golf Pro who will explain the right way

Since the experts are in on this discussion, if it's all about just one swing, why then do those who hit the woods well, not hit their irons well, and vice versa?

Further, I feel that the idea of 'the same swing' to a more accomplished golfer, is entirely different from what a less accomplished one thinks. I've frequently seen many trying to hit their irons with 'the same swing' they use for the driver, ball forward off the left heel with an upward sweeping motion. I think (apart from the usual scooping to help the ball up with the irons) perhaps it is because they are trying to replicate the same 'feel' with the driver swing for the irons, resulting in the same setup and swing positions unconsciously. I've heard many say "my coach told me to swing the same". Could it be that something is lost in interpretation between coach and student here?

For me at least, both iron and driver swings may essentially be the same, but my feel at setup and through the swing for both is not the same, since I am swinging up for the driver, sweeping but slightly downward for the woods, and more upright and hitting down for the irons.

Your thoughts please, RSC and Shorthitter.

i am on my phone at the moment can reply in more detail later... short answer swing same ball position diffent.

with iron we want to strike down so ball a bit back in stance...

with the driver the ball is forword and on tee so the downward part of the swing has heppened but because the ball is forwrd the arc is now going up on impact.....

make sense? i will re read when i get on PC... man i need a iphone.....