The Best Free Golf Video Lessons565 Free Golf Lessons from the Best ProsOver 120,000,000 views
565 lessons from professionals, selected and summarizedOver 120,000,000 views across all videos
Draw or FadeIrons: Compress the Ball Irons Expert ⏱ 9 min 🇬🇧 Video in English, summarized

Tiger Woods' Nine Windows: The Iron Shot Drill

Three heights, three spins: these are Tiger Woods“”nine windows.” On the driving range, with a 6-iron in hand, he hits them one after another and explains his two key factors: the length of the finish for height, and the hands and clubface for spin.

▶
Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

18 minSame problemFlighted Wedges from Scheffler, Morikawa and KordaScottie Scheffler · Expert7 minSame problemMatthieu Pavon's Controlled Draw: Clubface Toward the GroundMatthieu Pavon · Expert16 minFrom the same proUneven Lies in Golf: Tiger Woods’ KeysTiger Woods · Intermediate / Expert

What the lesson shows

Tiger Woods describes his routine himself: three trajectories (high, medium, low), hit as fades, straights, or draws. He starts with the one he considers the most difficult: the straight shot. To change the height, he barely adjusts the ball’s position at all: he follows his father’s rule, The length of the finish determines the height. He holds his hands at rib level for a low ball, at shoulder level for a slightly higher one, and above his head for the highest one. For a low, straight ball only, he moves the ball back about half a ball’s length and stands closer, “above” it.

The effect, on the other hand, comes about through the hands and face. Tiger says he never adjusts the angle of the club shaft relative to the ball’s position, and he maintains centered contact. Every shot has a precise starting line (a flag, a ball placed at the edge of a green) and a target (a palm tree). He doesn’t keep score: he either makes the shot or he doesn’t. In tournaments, he doesn’t think about his swing at all: he hits toward the mental image he has created, just as he putsts “toward the image.” As for working on his stance, he does that in front of a mirror or on the driving range.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Pick a mid-iron (Tiger uses a 6-iron) and choose a clear target.
  2. First, hit a straight shot at normal height, straight toward the flag.
  3. Same target, higher ball: finish with your hands above your head.
  4. Same target, lower ball: Move the ball back about half a ball's width, step closer, and stop your hands at rib level.
  5. Switch to a draw, then a fade: pick a starting point and an ending point, then make the ball curve using your hands and the clubface.
  6. For each effect, play the three pitches again using the same finish rule.
  7. Finish the series with a straight shot.

Key Takeaways

Nine windows: three heights (high, medium, low) combined with fade, straight, or draw.
For Tiger, the straight shot is the hardest one.
The height is adjusted by the finish: hands at the ribs, at the shoulders, or above the head.
Low ball: a ball positioned about half a ball's length back, with the player standing closer to it.
The effect comes from the hands and the face, not from the angle of the shaft.
Every shot has a specific starting point and ending point.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Place the ball well back to hit a low shot: this adds a draw.
  • Tilt the handlebar forward or backward to create the effect: Tiger never does that.
  • Hitting a draw or a fade without a defined tee line.
  • Sacrifice a centered hit to make the ball curve more.
  • Focus on your technique on the course instead of trying to hit the ball a certain way.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. Nine balls, one per window, starting with the ball on the right
  2. Hands on the ribs, shoulders, or above the head, depending on height
  3. A starting line and a finish line for each ball
  4. No score: Move on to the next move when the move is successful

Your Questions

Do you have to move the ball to change the height?

Very little. Tiger adjusts the height by changing the length of his finish. For a low, straight shot, he moves it back only about half a ball and stands closer.

How does he create the draw and the fade in this drill?

With his hands and the clubface. He says he never adjusts the angle of the shaft relative to the ball's position, and the contact remains centered.

How does he choose his targets?

A starting point and an ending point for each shot. For his fade, he hits the ball off a ball placed on the right edge of a green and sends it into a palm tree.

Should you keep track of your points?

Tiger isn't scored. Either he makes the shot or he doesn't, and that determines whether he moves on to the next shot.

Learn More

All “Draw Effect or Fade Effect” videos →Find the lesson that's right for youAll “Irons - Compressing the Ball” videos →Find the lesson that's right for you Attack Pins with Your Irons Like Scheffler: 3 ShotsDepending on the flag's position, Scheffler chooses the club and the shot that will bring the ball from the center of the green toward the hole: the safest shot. Flighted Wedges from Scheffler, Morikawa and KordaThree champions rarely hit a wedge full: use a longer club, a smoother swing, and less spin for a low ball flight and consistent control. The Arm-Shoulder Triangle in Golf: Bringing It Back at ImpactMaintain the arm-shoulder triangle from address and bring the clubhead toward the inside of your front thigh at impact, first on a half-swing and then on a full swing. Tiger WoodsAll of his lessons

Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Tiger Woods). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons without hosting them.

* Amateur competitions with guidance from the pros