Do this drill for more crisp and compressed iron shots

If you want to take your game to the next level, you’ll need to learn how to compress the golf ball. What is “compression,” though? Some describe it as “one of golf’s best feelings.” And while that’s true, there’s a technical element to compression as well.

In the simplest terms, compression is when you deloft the club (typically an iron) at impact, hitting down on the ball and compressing it into the turf. As GOLF Top 100 Teacher Joe Plecker explains, “this combination of factors creates a metric instructors call ‘spin loft,’ which measures the difference between the dynamic loft of the face and the attack angle of the club at impact. That’s the feeling of compression.”

All of the best players in the world compress the ball at impact, and you should aim to as well.

However, compression is not easy to achieve for the average weekend hacker. Many recreational players “scoop” the club through impact, and they lose distance and spin because of it. But there is a way to teach yourself the proper fundamentals for compressing the ball.

Check out the video from Top 100 Teacher Andrew Rice for more.

Start with your shaft parallel to the ground with your lead wrist bowed and the clubface pointing to the ground. Now, take the club to the top while you maintain that clubface and wrist position.

From the top, continue to hold that position and hold it until you make contact with the ball. If you’ve held the position all the way to impact, you should strike down on the ball and compress it into the turf.

Work on this drill at the range if you struggle with compression and your ball striking is sure to improve.

Golf.com Editor

Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. Prior to joining the team at GOLF.com, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists on all things instruction and covers amateur and women’s golf.