A contender in The Annika after shooting 63, Nelly Korda made a surprising gear switch. Here's why it matters to amateur golfers

Early headlines at The Annika LPGA event were dominated by 18-year-old Kai Trump and WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark—to the point that Nelly Korda's return to the course for her first start in six weeks became a secondary story. It's not often that the 27-year-old is the understudy. That changed on Friday, when Korda fired a seven-under-par 63 to get into a tie for fourth, three shots off the lead of Grace Kim. It sets up a weekend in which the World No. 2 could contend for her first title of the season.

A year ago, Korda arrived at The Annika riding a tidal wave of dominance: Six wins in five months and an aura that made Sunday afternoons feel like coronations. A neck injury briefly derailed that momentum— sidelining her for eight weeks—before she returned at The Annika to win her seventh title of the season.

This week, Korda finds herself in a similar situation, nursing another neck injury that caused her to sit out the LPGA's fall Asian swing, focusing on rehab and gym time before making her return to the course.

Simply getting healthy was top of mind for Korda as she targeted a comeback this week at Pelican Golf Club in Bellaire, Fla., (a course she has actually won at three times). But she also managed to carve out time to adjust her equipment setup, replacing TaylorMade's P7MC irons with P7CB.

"Just have maybe a little bit more height to them so the descent angle is a little a little steeper and should land a little softer," she revealed.

The iron change didn't produce a memorable round on Thursday—Korda opened with 71, seven shots back of Day 1 leader Haeran Ryu—and golf fans likely missed the gear intel tucked into her pre-tournament presser. But for amateurs, her explanation is worth pausing on. When one of the best iron players on the planet tells you she’s chasing more height and a steeper descent angle, that’s not a throwaway detail—it’s a blueprint.

Most recreational golfers obsess over distance when they test irons. Launch-monitor numbers become a speed-and-yardage contest, and higher ball flights often get dismissed as “too spinny” or “short.” But Korda’s switch is a reminder that iron play isn’t necessarily about raw yardage—it’s about controllable trajectories and consistent landings. A steeper descent angle allows the ball to drop-and-stop, especially on firm greens, giving players more opportunities to attack flags instead of watching shots release unpredictably.

For most amateur swing speeds, landing angles generally fall from the mid-30s to the high-40s. Across nearly all speeds, though, a landing angle in the mid-40s produces shots with stopping power. Check out the above chart from Ping if you need an idea of where you land.

Korda’s tweak, while unassuming, reinforces a lesson most golfers need to hear. By prioritizing descent over distance, you give yourself a chance at more makeable putts, more greens hit and fewer stressful up-and-downs.

Korda’s change isn’t about chasing yards—it’s about optimizing how the ball behaves when it comes down. And for the average golfer, that shift in mindset might be the most valuable gear insight of the week.