This story about Phil Mickelson's ball-striking tip was one of our most popular instruction stories in 2024.
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There’s nothing like hitting a crisp iron. You can’t beat the feeling of catching an approach shot clean and watching it laser directly towards the pin. Those are the types of shots that keep you coming back for more.
The pros? They hit these types of shots often. Weekend warriors? Not so much. Flagging an iron is more the exception than the rule.
That doesn’t mean we can’t strive for more of them, though. This year, our readers made it clear that tips for elite ball-striking were top of mind.
Back in February, we posted a story featuring Phil Mickelson‘s best ball-striking tips, and it was one of our most-read stories of the year. You can read the entire post here, or keep going for a rundown of what he shared.
Lefty’s ball-striking tips
When it comes to elite ball-striking, there’s one trait all great golfers share — and it starts with a proper setup.
“You won’t find a good ball-striker who doesn’t set up with a straight line arm and club,” Mickelson said. “You can return to that position, even swinging 100 miles per hour, or whatever, and feel yourself going back to square.”
When you go to the range to practice, it’d be wise to check this line to make sure it’s as straight as possible. If you aren’t setting up with these fundamentals in order, you’re setting yourself up to fail before you ever take the club back.
“All [poor] ball-strikers will start with their hands back, while all good ones will start with their lead arm straight,” he said. “So I’ll start with a straight line going back, and then I’ll feel it cast back to a straight line [coming down].”
If you’re struggling to hit solid shots with your irons, give Mickelson’s advice a shot. It might just solve your ball-striking woes.
(Watch Mickelson deliver a half-hour of gold in an episode of Warming Up below.)
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, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists on all things instruction and covers amateur and women’s golf. He can be reached at zephyr_melton@golf.com.
