How Rory McIlroy Hits His Irons: Technique and Aim
In front of the Me and My Golf radar, Rory McIlroy explains what changes when he switches from the driver to his irons: his stance, ball position, and how he addresses the ball. Then he takes on two flags in the wind and demonstrates how to avoid coming up short.
To be continued
What the lesson shows
In the stable, the priority is the trajectory and the exact distance. What works with a driver—leaning over the ball with your body tilted—doesn't work here: with an iron, Rory tries to block the ball with your chest and compress the ball. At address, he leans slightly more over the ball, with his hips more bent, which helps the club rise. Stance is about shoulder-width apart; with a mid-iron, the ball is positioned between the inside of his left heel and the center—he tends to place it closer to the center; weight 50/50, slightly more to the left if there’s a headwind. What he’s working on: his hands were moving away from his body, causing the club to become flat and “laid off”; he’s bringing them back straighter, letting his right elbow bend, and positioning the club more vertically. His exercises: swings to the L-position with small balls, and repeating the first two steps of the takeaway.
Then there's strategy. Left-rear flag at 205 yards, wind from the left: he hits the ball straight toward the flag on a draw shot so that it hold up against the wind, with one more club. Front right flag: the prohibited miss is short to the right; he takes enough club and shaves about ten yards off his 7-iron by playing a gentler fade, landing to the left of the flag. His rule: never put yourself at a disadvantage and aim for the side with the most green. For amateurs, the instructors recommend aiming for the center of the green.
The Exercise, Step by Step
- Lean a little closer to the ball than you would with a driver, with your hips bent more.
- Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
- Place the ball between the inside of your left heel and the center of your stance.
- Distribute your weight 50/50, leaning slightly more to the left if you're facing a headwind.
- Repeat the first two steps of the backswing to set the path of your hands, then swing up and hit the ball.
- Before taking your shot, identify the out-of-bounds area and aim for the widest part of the green.
Key Takeaways
Mistakes to Avoid
- Swing an iron like a driver, hitting down on the ball.
- Let your hands move away from your body: the club becomes flat and “laid off.”.
- Hitting a front flag without enough club.
- Let the wind carry the ball away instead of holding it against him.
- Going for the flag when the middle of the green is enough.
Driving Range Mode
Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.
- Swing to the L position, small balls
- Repeat the first two steps of the backswing
- The same iron used at three different distances
- Two flags: a draw on the back, a gentler fade on the front
Your Questions
Where does Rory hit the ball with a 7-iron?
Between the inside of his left heel and the center of his stance for a mid-iron. He tends to place it closer to the center because he likes to cover his irons.
How does he play a left-hand flag with a left-hand wind?
He hits the ball straight toward the flag with a draw, so it will hold up against the wind, and takes one more club: a 6-iron instead of a 7-iron.
What does “go short” mean?
Miss on the side where there is little green left between the ball and the flag. With the flag in the front right, Rory figures that the worst-case scenario is coming up short on the right, so he aims to the left of the flag.
What exercises does he do for his backswing?
Swing exercises up to the L-position using small balls, and repeating the first two steps of the backswing to establish the path of the hands.
Learn More
Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Rory McIlroy). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons, without hosting them.