Hitting great approach shots is a good way to lower your golf handicap. Short of dramatically improving your putting, hitting great approach shots is probably the fastest way of cutting strokes from your handicap. In fact, some expert’s think hitting more greens hit in regulation is the fastest way to improve your game. Whether that’s true or not, we’ll leave for others to decide.

But one thing is for sure: you can’t hurt yourself by hitting great approach shots close enough for a one-putt, or at worst, a two-putt. To do this, you must hit crisp, clean irons. Some golfers improve their approach shots by hitting shot after shot at the range, studying golf tips in newsletters, and/or taking golf lessons from their local pros. Others do it by building critical keys into their swings at six key points.

Below are six critical swing keys you need in a good iron swing

1. Feel loose at address.

You never want to feel jammed up at address when hitting irons. You also don’t want to feel as if you’re reaching for the ball. You want your arms to hang loose and perpendicular to the ground. Also, bend from the hips and straighten your back. Feel loose at address and you’ll hit crisper irons.

2. Flex your knees for balance.

Flex your knees so your shoulders are in line with your hips and your knees are in line with the balls of your feet. Doing so improves balance. I encourage students attending my golf instruction sessions to practice this setup in the mirror. Also, narrow your stance to stay on top of the ball. You don’t want to use the same stance you use for your woods. If you do, you’ll tilt too much forward.

3. Keep your left wrist flat and slightly bent

During your backswing keep your left wrist (right, for left-handers) flat or just slightly bent. Think of your left arm swinging up and through your right shoulder. That keeps you on plane during your backswing. In practice, spend some time making sure your clubface remains square at the top. When you’re square at the top, you won’t need to get handsy at impact.

4. Create lag in your downswing

You want to create as much lag as possible in your downswing, as I explained in one of my recent golf tips newsletters. You can create lag in the takeaway by stretching both arms as far as you can during your takeaway while making little wrist hinge. This creates the widest possible arc. Then, when you drop your hands to start your downswing, your arc will go from wide to narrow.

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