Want to Hit Your Irons Like Collin Morikawa? He Just Gave Away Three Clues You Can Actually Use

Collin Morikawa remains one of the purest iron players in the game. He ranks fifth on the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Approach this season. While his 2025 campaign has been a mix of highs and lows, there is a lot to learn from the way Morikawa strikes the ball.

In a recent Break 50 YouTube challenge, Morikawa shared three revealing clues about his iron game and they’re things any golfer can learn from.

Clue #1 – Control the clubface with a bowed lead wrist

Morikawa’s iron control starts with how he manages the clubface.

“I hold the face so hard … I don’t really let the club release and turn over. That’s how I think gear effect doesn’t happen. I might have the most bowed wrist out of anybody I’ve ever seen — maybe even more than DJ.”

Morikawa has a lot of bowing in that lead wrist and, because of that, the clubface is pretty square, maybe even a little shut at the top of his backswing. He leaves himself very little work to do on the downswing. Most amateurs struggle to square the face as they swing down.

I’ve played around with this concept in my own game and I can tell you that some people don’t have the physical ability to get anywhere near as much bowing in the lead wrist as Morikawa does. However, if you can move from a cupped position to at least a flat or slightly bowed lead wrist position, you should notice better accuracy from your iron shots.

Clue #2 – Protect your foundation, even when searching

Like any pro, Morikawa experiments with different feels. This even happens in the middle of the season at times. However, he’s careful not to lose the fundamentals that make his swing work.

“The best players know what builds their foundation. As long as you keep those building blocks, that’s what you need.”

He told the story of trying approach shots without a glove at the Travelers Championship, saying:

“I played about 11 approach shots with no glove in my first round … but as the week went on, it went less and less because I just got more uncomfortable with it.”

His point is to test new ideas but to know when they’re hurting more than they’re helping. His consistent setup, ball position and swing structure are what keep him in the top five in approach play even when the putter goes cold like it did in 2025.

If you’re struggling, it’s fine to experiment, but keep your pre-shot routine, setup and balance points intact so you can always return to a “baseline” swing you trust.

Clue #3 – Look at the details most players miss

One of the most eye-opening parts of the video wasn’t a single swing tip. It was how much detail Morikawa processes before every iron shot. It’s something most amateur players can’t wrap their minds around.

Here were some of the things Morikawa said when preparing to hit iron shots.

• “If I want to take spin off, I’ll take a different club … if I want it to check, I’ll hit the 60 instead of the 56.”
• “Why would we play a scuffed ball or dirty grooves if we have the chance to switch? It changes how the ball comes out.”
• “106 to 102, but then we’re in Vegas … right now only a few percent [distance adjustment], but when we get to 9 it could be going 5–10% depending how hot it gets.”

He is constantly adjusting for factors such as elevation, temperature, turf firmness, spin control and even minor lie differences. That level of detail is why he can consistently land shots inside 20 feet from 125–150 yards, where he ranks sixth on Tour.

Most amateurs do not need this much detail simply because they can’t execute to this level. What you can take away from Morikawa here is just to have a little more awareness the next time you hit a shot.

Final thoughts

Morikawa’s stats prove he’s still one of the best ball-strikers in the game. He gets his edge from a strong foundation, consistent face control and awareness of details that other golfers may overlook.