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Why Is It Easier to Hit a Short Iron than a Long Iron?

From Tom Wishon, for About.com

Question: Why Is It Easier to Hit a Short Iron than a Long Iron?

Answer: As we say in the world of custom clubfitting, "the longer the length and the lower the loft, the harder the club will be to hit for any golfer."

Long irons are definitely longer and lower in loft than short irons, which are the main reasons long irons are much more difficult to hit high, solid and their maximum distance.

Here's another reason: The longer the length of the club, the more athleticism is required in the swing to perform all the fundamentally sound swing moves (keeping the club coming into impact on a square swing path and with the face more square to the target, for example).

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About the Author
Tom Wishon is one of the most highly respected members of the golf equipment industry. He specializes in clubhead design, shaft analysis, and clubfitting research and development, and is the owner of his own golf equipment company, Tom Wishon Golf Technology. Tom is a member of the Golf Digest Technical Panel, and is the Technical Advisor to PGA.com, the website of the PGA of America.

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