How To Hit Irons Higher (5 Tips)

Written by Todd in Online Golf Instruction

5 Tips to hit your irons higher:

  1. Increase your swing speed
  2. Play the ball forward in your stance
  3. Increase your launch angle
  4. Pick a target off in the distance that is pretty high
  5. Full release through the shot

Are you someone that hits your irons too low?

Maybe you hit a well struck shot that comes in low, hits the greens and rolls off the back?

The ability to hit the ball high, especially with the long irons is important to be able to play a certain style of golf course.

If you were playing golf all day on a relatively flat course with lots of wind, you are going to want to hit the ball low.

However, when you start playing longer, undulating courses with plenty of bunkers and firm greens the ability to hit irons higher is essential!

The hardest part about these course where the greens are shaped with different peninsula extensions where pins are tucked in one of the four corners of the greens, it is essential to hit the ball higher with the irons.

Ultimately, the best golfers are able to control the flight of the ball and hit low and high shots on demand, so today I will provide 5 tips to help you hit your irons higher and take your game to the next level!

How To Hit Your Irons Higher (5 Tips)

Update: I have also found in addition to the 5 tips below, a fade release through the shot helps keep a bit of additional loft on the club through the hitting zone. Pick a spot up in a tree and think of hitting that spot up in the tree!

When difficult bunkering creates pins in tight locations, high, soft landing iron shots are helpful!

How To Hit Irons Higher: Tip #1 Increase Your Swing Speed

To maximize your ball height, one of the quickest ways to add extra height is to increase your swing speed.  If your swing speed is too slow, you are always going to struggle with the overall height of the shot.  While you might be able to hit shots high with a slower swing speed, your carry distance and your total distance will suffer.

One of the best ways to increase your swing speed is with the SuperSpeed Training System, which consists of 3 differently weighted swing sticks.  The green club is 20% lighter, the blue club is 10% lighter and the red club is 5% heavier.

Resource: Learn more about SuperSpeed and the Results I Experienced!


If you commit to the training protocols, which take about 15-30 minutes every other day of hte week, you can expect to see an increase of 5-8% of a swing speed increase as early as the first training session.  Your total distance gain could look similar to this chart below:

Original Swing SpeedAfter 4-6 WeeksNew Carry DistanceTotal Distance
95102245265
100108259279
105113271291
110118283303

Not only will an increase in swing speed help you hit high, powerful shots, it will leave you with shorter irons into the greens on your approach shot.  Instead of hitting a 6 iron, you might have a 9 iron in your hand.  Naturally, the ball will fly higher and your precision will increase!  

The benefits of speed training are impressive as the SuperSpeed System uses an overspeed approach to help train your mind and body to swing at faster swings than your mind and body are used to swinging at now.

Check out the current price of the SuperSpeed System, here!  You won’t regret it!

How To Hit Irons Higher: Tip #2 Play The Ball Forward In Your Stance

If you hit too much down on the ball, you will struggle to hit the ball high enough.  The key, especially with the longer irons is to hit the ball just as the club bottoms out of even possibly catch it slightly on the upswing depending on the lie that you have.

Playing the ball forward in your stance, will help you setup properly for a high shot.  The traditional look from the side will be the back shoulder lower than the front shoulder, setting you up for a shot that will launch higher and stop quicker on the greens.

I would highly recommend testing out different ball positions and the impact it has on the total height of the shot and the curvature of the ball.

There are three keys to every golf swing.  If you can do the following three things, you are on your way to quality golf.  They include:

  • Control the low point of your swing
  • Control the start line and curve of your ball
  • Have enough speed to play the course

Testing out different ball positions to maximize your low point control, control your start line and generate enough speed and height to play the course will help you play better golf!

Resource: The impact of ball position and where to play your golf ball in your stance

How To Hit Irons Higher: Tip #3 Increase Your Launch Angle

While the launch angle might be difficult to measure if you do not have a launch monitor, you can see the angle at which the ball takes off and the maximum height that you will get.  I would highly recommend using a SkyTrak Launch Monitor to understand your launch angle and to help you experiment with what increases your launch angle.  

The following adjustments may help:

  • Play the ball more forward in your stance.
  • Keep your right hand for right handed golfers from shutting down the face.
  • Tilt your shoulders more back with your back shoulder sitting lower than your front.

Keep the tension our of your hands and swing freely!  Once you tense up, the club will not properly release and you will hurt your overall swing performance.

Resource: How to hit your irons further (5 Tips)

How To Hit Irons Higher: Tip #4 Pick a target off in the distance that is pretty high

One of the best tips I have ever heard was from Shawn Clement, who leared this from Mo Norman.  The tip was to aim at a tree or object well off in the distance.  Often this could be the top of a tree that could be 300-500 yards way.  By aiming more towards the top, you are giving the task to your mind and body to hit a higher shot.  It is amazing how our minds and body can naturally respond to a task such as this. 

Try it out and you just might be surprised.  One other benefit of this approach is that you might find yourself hitting the ball straighter from this target based approach to golf!

Resource: Shawn Clement and how he can help your game! (Target Focused Expert)

How To Hit Irons Higher: Tip #5 Fully Release Through The Shot

If you watch anyone playing into a head wind, you will notice that they hold off their release.  They are trying to minimize the loft presented to the ball at impact.  You need to do the opposite on a higher shot.  Go ahead and play the ball forward, tilt slightly back and have a full, high release towards the trees off in the distance.  The ball will fly higher and straighter than ever before.  

The key here is to eventually work on the different types of shots you want to hit when playing golf.  The best golfers are able to adjust the setup, the ball positions and their release to hit the shape shots they want to hit.

Resource: How To Release Hands in Golf (5 Methods)

How To Hit Irons Higher: Next Steps

If you are serious about getting good at golf, I would highly recommend you check out a launch monitor such as the SkyTrak or one of the Mevos.  The ability to have instant data after every practice shot is essential to getting better.  Would this data help your game?

  • Carry and Total Distance
  • Ball Speed
  • Launch Angle
  • Spin Rate
  • Spin Axis

Could you imagine during your practice sessions either at the range or in a setup in your garage being able to have instant data to what just took place at impact?  This key information has helped me shave several shots off my game and get close to scratch as a golfer!  It is a game changer and worth checking out!

Ready to take your game to the next level?  Check out these 3 quality options below:

My Golf Simulator Experience!

Want To Take Your Game to the Next Level?

For those that are seeking ways to work on your golf game at your home, have you considered  a launch monitor that can be used with something as simple as a mat and next?  

Or take it to the next level and build a golf simulator?  

Let’s face it, in order to get really good at golf, we must practice frequently.  About three years ago, I made the leap and invested in a golf simulator build for my garage.  

I went with a SkyTrak Launch Monitor and the TGC software and can now play over 100,000 courses including Augusta, Pebble Beach, Bethpage Black, Whistling Straits. St. Andrews and many other of the top 100 courses in the world.

This golf simulator setup, which is more affordable that you might imagine, has been a game changer.  I can now play golf everyday of the year regardless of rain, snow, cold weather or time of day.  I can practice or play rounds of golf.  I can stand in the 11th fairway at Augusta and with the auto-rewind feature I am able to practice my approach shots from various differences.

It is worth checking out through Rain or Shine Golf as they offer some incredible packages along with financing offers that are difficult to beat.

Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better

What does this mean for you?  I believe in the following recipe to get better:

1 – Improve your motion in the golf swing by identifying a golf instructor.  Here are some options:

Here is a list of golf instructors that we have reviewed:

2 – Train to swing faster and improve your swing speed.  Here are some options:

Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options:

3 – Understand course strategy and work to break through your next barrier.  Here is a series on breaking through:

We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.

4 – Practice Frequently

Did you know that I build a golf simulator in my garage and have played over 500 rounds of golf on my SkyTrak system?  It has been a game changer and one worth checking out. Here are some of my other posts on golf simulators frequently asked questions:

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