It doesn’t take a launch monitor to see it — Collin Morikawa’s iron shots just hit different.
While the rest of us are hoping for a decent strike and a green in regulation, Morikawa is firing 6-irons with the accuracy most players can’t even get with a wedge. His secret? It’s not strength, swing speed, or some secret sauce in his irons. It’s a set of very deliberate moves, built from years of real practice on real grass, that create one of the most precise iron games we’ve ever seen.
Let’s break it down — because there’s a lot we can learn (even if we never make it to the PGA Tour).
The Slow Takeaway That Sets Everything Up
Most amateurs rush the takeaway — hands too fast, club sucked inside, tempo all over the place. Morikawa? He does the opposite. He starts slow. Real slow.
In his words, “I have a lot slower takeaway than a lot of guys out here… my tempo’s a little different but for me that’s the key.”
That deliberate start gives him control early — which sets the tone for the rest of the swing. For the rest of us, this might be the simplest thing we can steal from his game. Next time you’re on the range, slow down the start and see what happens. (Spoiler: It won’t hurt.)
The Bowed Left Wrist and That Wild Impact Position
If there’s one move that sets Morikawa apart, it’s his wrist position at the top — and even more so, at impact. It’s bowed. Flexed. Whatever you want to call it, it’s not “classic.”
And that’s exactly the point.
Jack Backhouse calls it a “wildly bowed left wrist at impact,” and it’s part of what lets Morikawa square the face without needing a strong grip or extra hand action. He’s using structure, not timing, to deliver the clubface.
Pair that with a weak left-hand grip — rotated more counter-clockwise than most coaches would dare suggest — and somehow, the clubface still gets back to square. It’s weird. But it works.
And before you start tweaking your grip mid-round, remember: this combo works because of how everything else is sequenced. Morikawa didn’t build this overnight.
A Transition That Compresses Everything (Literally)
This is where things get sneaky athletic.
Brandel Chamblee points out how Morikawa’s transition involves a compression move — not just shallowing the club, but syncing the entire body: “rib cage, core, upper body, lower body almost compress together.”
It’s like coiling a spring — but smoother.
His right elbow tucks in, his body compresses, and then everything rotates through in sync. This is why he hits down on the ball with control, not chaos.
If you’ve ever tried to “compress” an iron shot and ended up digging a trench, this is what you’re missing — it’s not just hitting down, it’s rotating with control.
Practicing on Grass (Not Mats) Changed Everything
Here’s something that might surprise you: Morikawa didn’t grow up pounding balls off perfect mats.
He trained on the course.
“I was practicing on the golf course, so I’d always hit different shots. I’d never just throw it on a mat,” he explained. Sometimes he’d even stand with “one foot off” to simulate uneven lies.
This built feel. It built adaptability. And most of all, it built elite contact skills.
If you’ve got the option — or even just a scrappy patch of turf at your local muni — start practicing off the grass more often. Because the ball doesn’t always sit pretty when it counts.
Face Control Like a Robot (But Cooler)
At impact, Morikawa’s clubface barely rotates.
He doesn’t “flip” at it. He doesn’t rely on timing his hands. And that’s a big reason why he’s so accurate.
Coach Pete Cowen summed it up simply: “He doesn’t have a lot of face rotation in his impact area, which makes him very, very accurate.”
The key? That bowed left wrist — again — stabilizes the face. Combine that with his preference for a soft fade, and you get a pattern he can trust under pressure.
Not a one-off shot. A repeatable shape.
The Stats Back It All Up
It’s not just feel or hype — Morikawa’s numbers are ridiculous.
He leads the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Approach. In 2021, he averaged +1.395 strokes per round just on approach shots. For context, that was nearly half a stroke better than the guy in second place.
He also hits over 70% of greens in regulation and consistently ranks near the top in proximity to the hole.
And then there’s this gem from his college days: his 6-iron dispersion was comparable to what most pros achieve with a pitching wedge.
Read that again.
What the Coaches Say
Pete Cowen calls Morikawa’s swing “pretty classic,” but highlights the key twist: that “little left wrist bowed position” that gives him a stronger face.
Brandel Chamblee says it’s one of his favorite swings in the game, describing the transition move like “hitting the gas pedal” — a perfect mix of control and acceleration.
And Ryan Ressa from TaylorMade? He’s seen it since day one. Back when Morikawa was still in high school, Ressa remembers him “lasering 6-irons” into a green 160 yards away, over and over, even into the wind.
The consistency was already there — it just needed a stage.
Final Take
Morikawa’s swing isn’t built on brute strength or textbook mechanics. It’s a blend of feel, precision, and personal quirks that work together like a machine.
Yes, the bowed wrist looks odd.
Yes, the weak grip breaks “the rules.”
But the ball flight doesn’t lie.
It’s a reminder that there’s no one right way to swing — but there is a right way for you. And if Morikawa teaches us anything, it’s that precision comes from understanding your swing, practicing with intention, and building a pattern you can trust.
So next time you’re on the range, maybe start with this: slow your takeaway. Feel your wrists. Hit off a real lie. And forget the swing tips that promise the world. Focus on the ones that help you hit one more green.
Because that’s where it starts.