5 Shots You Can Hit With an 8 Iron 

Last Updated on March 21, 2024 by Britt Olizarowicz

I’ve always loved my 8 iron, and as a golf professional, I often hit shots from the tee or when approaching a par 5 that leave me with a solid 145 yards to the hole. This is my most comfortable distance for my 8 iron. However, the 8 iron is also good for other golf shots around the green and as you approach the green. I’ll show you 5 shots you can hit with an 8 iron to make yourself a more versatile and accomplished player.

What Is An 8 Iron?

The 8 iron is a short iron that typically has between 37 and 39 degrees of loft. The length of a standard 8 iron is usually 36.5 inches for men. One of the things that makes an 8 iron so popular is the fact that it’s in almost every golfer’s bag. Even if you have a beginner set or a more forgiving set made up of mostly hybrids, chances are there is still an 8 iron.

5 Shots You Can Hit With an 8 Iron

Don’t limit yourself to these 5 shots; you can hit with an 8 iron. I’ll show you what I use in my game, but you can certainly add others. Once you become comfortable with diversifying the clubs you use on the course, you may find you can use the 8 iron for 10 different types of golf shots. 

To make things a little easier for both of us, I spent some time on the course with my 8 iron and took pictures to help you see the different uses of an 8 iron. All golf swings (mine included) can use a little work, but this info should give you a really good starting point. 

Full Swing Approach Shot 

With modern distance measuring devices, there is no reason not to know exactly how far you hit an 8 iron.

With the full swing approach, ensure you have the right distance, and then fire away. 

An 8 iron approach shot is a textbook golf shot with a balanced and stable stance, rotation around a fixed point, acceleration down and through the ball, and a slightly flexed wrist position at impact. 

Key Tips for Success 

• Check alignment to make sure your clubface, target, and body are lined up to the hole, and make sure feet, hips, and shoulders are all headed in the same direction. 
• A neutral grip for an 8 iron shot is best 
• Keep your weight evenly distributed at setup, maybe even a little more on the lead side than the trail side, simply because of the fact that this is a shorter iron 

How To Hit It 

The 8 iron approach shot is one that you will need to trust and feel confident in as a golfer. I take a stance that is about shoulder width apart, and the golf ball stays directly in the center of my feet. 

My backswing feels slower, and the club stays low for at least the first foot. 

At the top of the backswing, I make sure that my lead wrist is flat, the clubface is square, and the club has not traveled past parallel. On a standard 8 iron shot like this, I do rotate both my upper and lower body, and I ensure that my left arm is extended at impact. 

When impact is made, most of my weight is on the left foot, promoting that descending angle of attack that gives me both spin and distance in my shots. 

Don’t forget to pick a spot on the green to land this one; visualization and shot planning are so important. Your 8 iron approach shots should be setting you up for a birdie. 

The 70% Shot 

I hit a standard 8 iron shot in the 140-148 yard range. However, I can also use this as my 100 yard club by doing this 70% shot. 

Why do I want to use an 8 iron to hit the ball 100 yards? 

Confidence and simplicity. 

Key Tips for Success 

• Don’t slow your golf swing down, even though the backswing is shorter; if you slow down, you may hit behind the ball 
• Find something that feels like a stopping point for you. Is it the hinge in your wrists, the point when your left arm feels extended when your shoulder is under your chin, etc….

How To Hit It 

When I hit the 70% shot, I hold the 8 iron about one inch down from the top of the grip. Having that slightly shorter club also helps to reduce distance. My backswing is more controlled, and I stay slightly more centered over the golf ball. 

Remember that you still need to hit down and through this shot to get it up in the air, and therefore, it’s best to focus on hitting that divot after the ball. 

Get Out of Trouble Shot 

In this example, I’m going to show you how to hit a lower lofted 8 iron shot that you can hit under a branch. However, this is not the only place to use the 8 iron to escape trouble. 

If you are in a lie with really thick rough, and the ball is hard to even see, the 8 iron can also get you out of trouble. You may even try the 70% shot for a lie where the rough will grab your club. 

For this one, you will hit an 8 iron shot that keeps you under a branch and allows you to make it up to the green or close by.

Key Tips for Success 

• Check the height of the tree branch that you are trying to keep it under; if it’s really low, you may need a 5 or 6 iron, not an 8 iron 
• Don’t check to see where this one is going to go; stay committed through the golf ball so that you don’t clip this one thin (in other words, trust the shot you have chosen)
• You can close the clubface a little on the 8 iron to deloft it, but be sure you aren’t aiming it left and setting yourself up for a hook 

How to Hit It

To hit this shot, I take a slightly narrow stance, keep the ball in the middle, and I focus on taking a 65% swing. My goal is to keep my finish a little lower so that the ball does not get too high up in the air. 

My swing thought for this type of get out of trouble shot is “down and through.”

Keep tempo slower on the backswing; many golfers tend to speed up because of the poor lie or increased difficulty, which could lead to a topped or thin shot. 

Longer Bump and Run 

There’s nothing better than having nothing between you and the pin. These situations where you have a lot of green to work with warrant a shot that stays slightly lower to the ground. 

Why? 

It eliminates some room for error. The 8 iron is a great shot for a longer bump and run WHEN there is nothing between you and the pin. 

Key Tips for Success 

• If your shot is in the rough, the 8 iron won’t stop all that easily; make sure you either have a lot of green to work with, or you choose a club with more loft.
• Don’t land the ball more than halfway to the hole; it’s going to roll a good bit when it gets there 
• Learn this shot with a 9 and 7 iron so you can zero in on how far you hit each and choose the right club; use your laser rangefinder to determine the yardage and get yourself close to the pin. 

How To Hit It 

Even though this is a short game shot, you will probably need a 30-50% swing to get the 8 iron to fly halfway to the whole. 

My most important piece of advice here is to keep your feet a little closer together. I also open my stance just a little. The open stance helps get the ball a little higher up in the air, which isn’t necessarily bad. 

Focus on clipping the grass on this shot and rotating towards the target. Practice these on a chipping green, especially with a slightly uphill approach, to get more confident. 

The 8 Iron Putter 

Have you ever thought to use your 8 iron in the same way you would a putter? 

If not, you might as well start!

This shot is so simple and works anytime you are on the fringe around the golf green. I do not like putting from the fringe as I have a hard time judging speed. I do much better using a wedge, 9 or 8 iron. 

When the hole is a little further from me, I use the 8 and that’s why it makes the list of 5 shots you can hit with an 8 iron. 

Key Tips for Success 

• Take a really narrow stance for this one; you are going to have very little movement, so stability and balance won’t be an issue. 
• Remember the rule of only getting the ball started towards the pin, as there will be plenty of roll. 
• Do not watch the club go back; keep it focused on the ball as you would with a regular putt. 
• Read the green before you take your shot; you may as well try and make this one! 

How To Hit It 

When I hit the 8 iron putt shot, I choke down on the club so my hands are just above the shaft. I try to keep my body relatively still and use my arms and shoulders as a pendulum, just like you would do with a putter. 

Truly, just play this shot like a putt and see what happens. 

I think you will like how easy it is to get the golf ball along the right path. 

Final Thoughts 

I hope the explanations and demonstrations of the 5 shots you can hit with an 8 iron have helped you see how versatile this club can be. The rules of golf will never give you more than 14 clubs; it’s up to you to turn these 14 clubs into 100 different golf shots!

Frequently Asked Questions (About 8 Iron Golf Shots) 

When should you use 8 iron in golf?

You can use an 8 iron in golf for a full swing approach shot, a half swing approach shot, for a pitch up to the green, to get out of trouble, and for shorter chips around the green. The 8 iron is a versatile club; you must learn how to alternate your swing, stance, and ball position to make the most of it. 

Can you pitch with an 8 iron?

Yes, pitching with an 8 iron requires a slightly narrow golf stance, a shortened backswing, and a controlled motion that encourages clean and crisp contact with the ball. 

Is hitting an 8 iron 150 yards good?

Hitting an 8 iron 150 yards means you have above-average clubhead speed. Golfers that can hit an 8 iron 150 yards likely hit a driver close to 270 yards. 

Why do I hit my 8 iron as far as my 5 iron?

If your 8 iron is going as far as your 5 iron, you may be a slower swing speed player who is not capitalizing on the distance that a 5 iron can bring. Try switching to a lighter or graphite shaft in your 5 iron or switching a 5 hybrid to see greater distance.