18 min
Why Michael Kim Is One of the Best Long Iron Players on Tour with No Laying Up
18 min
Michael Kim and No Laying Up discuss how to master long irons. Michael is one of the best long iron players on the PGA TOUR and he will be the first to tell you there is no secret formula.
Kim grew up as a short hitter - 130 pounds heading into college, hitting the ball nowhere. Out of necessity he got comfortable with long irons early, while the bigger hitters around him were reaching for shorter clubs. That foundation never left. Today he ranks among the top players on tour from 200 to 250 yards and his approach is straightforwardly simple - standard height, standard trajectory, three yard draw, every time.
The reason is practical. Long irons spin less. Mixing trajectories and taking yardage off introduces variables that work against you. Kim's three yard draw with a full release is repeatable. His lazy draw with the six iron at 200 yards carries 197, spins around 5700 and lands at the right angle. His stock four iron at 225 carries 227 at 4500 spin. The numbers are consistent because the approach is consistent.
He plays his ball slightly back in his stance - not conventional for everyone, but for Kim it feeds the draw, keeps him behind the ball and lets him release it fully. Move it too far forward and he gets over the top. Close the face slightly at address when he needs to keep it lower. Hit the shorter club harder rather than take something off the longer one. These are the adjustments that have made a 200 to 250 yard approach feel like a strength instead of a liability.
Kim grew up as a short hitter - 130 pounds heading into college, hitting the ball nowhere. Out of necessity he got comfortable with long irons early, while the bigger hitters around him were reaching for shorter clubs. That foundation never left. Today he ranks among the top players on tour from 200 to 250 yards and his approach is straightforwardly simple - standard height, standard trajectory, three yard draw, every time.
The reason is practical. Long irons spin less. Mixing trajectories and taking yardage off introduces variables that work against you. Kim's three yard draw with a full release is repeatable. His lazy draw with the six iron at 200 yards carries 197, spins around 5700 and lands at the right angle. His stock four iron at 225 carries 227 at 4500 spin. The numbers are consistent because the approach is consistent.
He plays his ball slightly back in his stance - not conventional for everyone, but for Kim it feeds the draw, keeps him behind the ball and lets him release it fully. Move it too far forward and he gets over the top. Close the face slightly at address when he needs to keep it lower. Hit the shorter club harder rather than take something off the longer one. These are the adjustments that have made a 200 to 250 yard approach feel like a strength instead of a liability.
