Approach Shots
Compress Your Irons Like A Pro
![David Leadbetter](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2017/10/10/59dd240031c974785d8e2b01_David-Leadbetter-compress-irons-drill.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.544.suffix/1573348236436.jpeg)
Photo by J.D. Cuban
If you're near a pro who's hitting an iron shot off the fairway, one thing you might notice is the sound it makes. A compressed ball off the center of an iron's face creates this distinctive noise as it cuts through the air, like a burst of steam releasing from a pressure cooker. If you want your shots to sound like that, you've got to hit down on the ball. That's key. Here are four steps—including a drill—to make it happen. —With Ron Kaspriske
![David-Leadbetter-step-by-step-compress-irons.jpg](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2017/10/10/59dd23f531c974785d8e2aff_David-Leadbetter-step-by-step-compress-irons.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.966.suffix/1573348228475.jpeg)
Illustrations by Todd Detwiler