John Daly has tip for amateur players when hitting an iron shot into the green as he tells them the ‘best thing’ to do

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Amateur golfers often hesitate to hit three-quarter approach shots, commonly opting for a club that ends up short of the target.

On average, a higher-handicap golfer will come up short more often than their lower counterparts. Even scratch players, to some extent, struggle with missing short.

According to golf stats guru Lou Stagner, a scratch golfer 165 yards out with a seven-iron in hand will come up short 18% of the time. That’s one in five attempts. The figure only increases with yardage.

But hitting the ball pin-high is a quick fix, and 1995 PGA Championship winner John Daly might have the answer.

John Daly says what amateur players should do with their irons

Daly is known for his unique warm-ups and practice sessions, the ‘Wild Thing’, however, has some relatively textbook advice for amateur golfers looking to improve with their irons.

Quite simply, Daly believes amateurs should be looking to hit more club and choke down on the grip in order to control distance.

“Let’s shorten the club. Think of your favourite swing with a wedge, like you’re going to hit an 80-yard shot. That’s what I do, I choke down on 7-iron, and I just hit it a normal like a chip, almost,” Daly explained.

“Swing gets a little shorter, but the ball is going to be more solid because the shaft is a little stiffer. And the club’s a little shorter. Your chances of hitting a solid shot are much better than if you’re gripping an eight iron on the heel of the grip, thinking that’s going to make you hit it longer. Put it back in your stance and gripping it tight is what you don’t want to do.

“The best thing to do, and what I’ve always told amateurs, is to hit that three-quarter shot. Choke down and just hit it normal. I almost choke down where it says super stroke. Just take a normal swing; you don’t have to hit it hard. Another tip would be if you’re struggling, take your favourite club and warm up with it. The bottom line, you want to have confidence in your game, if you not hitting a club very good then don’t hit it on the range.”

• READ MORE: What Justin Thomas says amateur golfers ‘really need to have’ in order to hit the ball further off the tee

What else amateur golfers can do to hit pin-high

Clearly, as Daly mentions, the easiest way to avoid coming up short is by hitting an extra club. The more approaches that end up pin-high or beyond the hole, the more shots will eventually be shaved off a score.

Another reason amateur golfers struggle is their consistency of contact. Whether it’s a fat shot, thin or a shank, the ability to strike the ball consistently is a distinguishing factor between club golfers and tour professionals. The likelihood of a heavy shot ending up hole-high is minimal, especially when the club often underestimates the required distance.

Recently, Bryson DeChambeau shared advice on improving strike consistency, although it was far from conventional. “This may sound crazy is that fact you’ve got to learn to hit the golf ball with your eyes closed,” DeChambeau said.

“The most important thing you can do is to know where the centre of that club is at all times with your eyes closed. If you can do that, you’re on a pathway to the best in the world. It’s what the best in the world can do. It’s a bit psychotic, but what else is new with me.”