The 8-iron sits in the friendlier end of the golf bag for most golfers.
With the combination of its loft, meaning we can see the face at address, and the length of the shaft, we generally feel comfortable pulling the 8-iron from our bag.
The 8-iron can have different uses during a round of golf, from approach play to bump-and-run chip shots around the greens.
Throughout this guide, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about the 8-iron and how to set up for success with this club, including:
- 8-iron loft and length,
- 8-iron distance range: how far does an 8-iron go?
- When to play an 8-iron,
- Five tips for setting up an 8-iron shot
What is an 8-iron?
In the opening line, we referred to the 8-iron as friendlier for most golfers.
We mean that the 8-iron is housed in the short iron category along with the 9-iron and pitching wedge.
I feel a sense of comfort with this club as, generally, I don’t have a long way to go to the target when I choose to hit it.
As we see with all irons, the 8-iron can come in many guises.
From the traditional blade-style, compact head, which better players prefer for shaping shots and feedback, to the maximum forgiveness available for beginners or high-handicapper golfers, there is an 8-iron style for everyone!
Appearance and cosmetics are important to us, so we also referred at the start to how we are drawn to look at the 8-iron first when we are looking at the news, the latest offerings, and shop racks.
The loft of an 8-iron
Lofts for 8-irons vary between 37 and 39 degrees; however, some 8-irons can have lofts as low as 32 degrees.
While the stronger lofts might help provide more distance, we also need to consider whether an 8-iron with such little loft will have the stopping power on the greens compared to more traditional lofted 8-irons.
Length of an 8-iron
The standard length of an 8-iron is between 35 and 37 inches.
Some distance-focused 8-irons might have slightly longer shafts, which will help promote more club head speed.
We all come in different shapes and sizes, so we should always have our 8-irons and other clubs cut to the specific lengths and flexes we need.
A good club fitter can assess whether standard-length clubs are right for you or if you need something longer or shorter.
How far does an 8-iron go?
If we are contemplating using an 8-iron, it generally means that our approach shot can’t be too long, but to give you a more accurate indication, the averages are:
High handicaps: 110 yards (100 meters)
Mid handicaps: 130 yards (119 meters)
Low handicaps: 155 yards (142 meters)
PGA Tour average: 160 yards (146 meters)
LPGA Tour average: 130 yards (119 meters)
When to play an 8-iron
When considering playing an 8-iron shot, we primarily look at using it for an approach shot to the green; This can either be from the fairway or on a par three hole.
We must always consider the conditions we are playing in as a factor for selecting an 8-iron.
We’ve quoted average distances above, but distances can be affected if you play uphill, downhill, into the wind, or downwind.
An 8-iron can be handy for playing a bump-and-run chip shot.
This shot is effective if we have no obstacles to carry between the ball and the hole and will get the ball rolling on the green quickly.
For this type of shot, expect at least 80% of the ball’s journey to the target will be along the ground.
8-irons also form an essential part of our practice regimes.
The 8-iron provides a nice blend of the shaft, is not too long, and has a decent amount of loft to provide shots that let us see and analyze the ball flight.
The 8-iron can also be a popular club choice to work on when we receive lessons for the above reasons.
Set up for an 8-iron
Like any club, setting up well to hit an 8-iron can go a long way to hitting straight and powerful golf shots.
When we set up to hit an 8-iron, here are 5 tips:
- Tip #1: Keep our grip pressure light on the club
- Tip #2: Set up with our feet just inside shoulder width apart
- Tip #3: Weight evenly distributed
- Tip #4: Hands marginally ahead of the club face and ball to help promote a downward strike on the ball
- Tip #5: Ball is positioned in the middle of our stance.
We have plenty of articles that can help you build a better backswing leading into a more effective downswing but getting the basics right is critical to the overall success of your swing.
We can play a lower-flighted punch-type shot with an 8-iron where the main differences to a normal shot at address would be:
- Move your grip a couple of inches further down the handle
- Move the ball back in your stance by a couple of inches
- Set up with your weight distributed 60%-40%, favoring your lead side.
- Narrow your stance by a couple of inches.
This lower-flighted punch shot won’t fly as far as a normal 8-iron shot, so bear the distance to the target in mind before committing to the shot.
The bump-and-run shot set up.
If we want to execute the bump and run effectively, we set up the ball in the following fashion:
- Narrow your stance so there is no more than a couple of inches gap between your feet
- Move your lead foot back a couple of inches, giving the feel of your stance being open.
- Stand close to the ball, feeling the shaft is almost vertical.
- Weight favors the lead side to help promote a slightly descending blow.
- Keep your hands marginally ahead of the club face and ball.
The common mistake with this type of shot is that golfers will try and help get the ball airborne with an almost flicking action of the hands through impact.
Let the loft of the club face do the work for you.
To this extent, some golfers will even use their putting grip for this type of shot to help them feel like their hands always remain ahead of the club face through the shot.
Like the full swing, we have other guides available to help you chipping and pitching around the greens.
Now that you have some ideas on how to hit your 8-iron effectively, let’s look at an inspirational shot from one of the game’s very best – Tiger Woods.
Tiger’s “Shot in the Dark”
We have been blessed with genuinely memorable shots from Tiger Woods over the years. One shot that stands out from his back catalog is a shot that virtually nobody saw!
During his incredible 2000 season, Woods played at the NEC Invitational at Firestone Country Club.
Woods hit the fairway with his tee shot with virtually no daylight left, leaving 168 yards left to the pin.
Woods sent the shot into the gloom by choosing an 8-iron and trusting his swing and pin location provided by his caddie, Stevie Williams.
Nobody saw the ball in the air, and all Woods could do was start walking towards the green, hoping the ball would land on it.
Falling out of the sky, the ball landed within three feet of the pin setting up an easy birdie putt which Woods subsequently rolled in.
Woods has been asked how that shot rates in his all-time great shots and has jokingly answered, “I don’t know, I couldn’t see it. But I could hear it,” referring to the crowd reaction to where the ball finished near the hole.
8-Iron Key Takeaways
As we have uncovered, the 8-iron is one of the more friendly clubs in the bag for us to hit.
The shaft length and loft mean this is a club that we generally feel confident hitting.
The 8-iron is a versatile club in that it can be used for approach shots or teeing off on favorable par 3s, but we can also chip with it if the conditions allow.
Looking for a bit more range in your irons? Check out our five and six-iron guides!
