Hitting pure iron shots

1. Ball position is the first thing to check if you're making poor contact with your irons. Sometimes the ball creeps up or back in your stance, and a simple fix can make all the difference. I play my short irons in the center, my middle irons an inch forward, and my long irons another inch forward. Here I'm hitting a 6-iron.

2. One swing thought I use for all full shots, including my irons, is to keep my right arm fairly straight on the takeaway. This helps me make a shoulder turn and not just lift my arms. From the top, I start down by pushing off my right foot. With my weight left, I turn my hips through, making room for my arms to swing into impact.

3. Good iron contact comes from a descending strike. To hit down, your weight has to be moving toward the target. A lot of amateurs struggle with iron play because they hang back on their right side to try to lift the ball. Hit some irons with your feet together (right). You won't be able to hit off your right side without losing your balance. You can shift right and left, but not enough to get in trouble.

Sorenstam writes instruction articles only for Golf Digest Publications. Read more tips from Annika.