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The Less Than Full Swing

I have been trying to get good distances with 1/2 and 3/4 swings. I think it is important to have these in your game. I have never been a proponent of trying to slow down or speed up the swing. The partial swings with same swing speed always work better for my game. Lately I have been trying to play a 3/4 swing feeling, but on video it looks like a full swing still (feel vs real).
 
I can do it but I don't really try to do it with anything other than wedges. Like I don't think I would try a 3/4 or 1/2 swing with an 8 or a 9 iron.
 
It is useful and fun to have the off speed shots in the bag. They seem to be more tricky to be good at when you don't have the time to put into practicing them though. The second I start thinking about them, it's usually not so great.
 
My creativity is kinda limited to shot making on the course. However I seem to be very creative when it comes to hitting creative shots into the trees, a lake or any place that takes 10 strokes to get out off. :rolleyes:
 
I'm all for using a bit of creativity inside 100 yds, let the circumstances dictate what to use. Outside of that I still have plenty of opportunities, because I don't always put myself in a position to take a normal full swing shot (under, over, around trees, etc). :confused2:
 
I honestly feel like, outside of a driver, I'm always changing what I'm trying to do, wether it's low vs high, or move it one way or another, there's always a shot shape and picture I'm trying for, it's rarely point, aim, full swing.
 
I align pretty close to your playing partner. 85 yards is a full swing 56 and I love that shot. 60 and in is a bit of a struggle for me I am need to get more confident in getting creative with those yardages. Two years ago I had a 50 yard hop and stop with a PW but I have not worked on that one in awhile. So yeah. I could probably use some more creativity with partial swings.
 
I used to really enjoy using that kind of creativity with partial shots but as my practice time has declined I'm not nearly as sharp as I used to be. They're still fun to try though.
 
Definitely something I need work on more with all my clubs, not just my wedges.
 
This is one of the better aspects of my game. My full swings are too unpredictable. When I let up, though, that's when the magic happens for me. It's not just in my short game either. Pulling back a bit on my driver has yielded much more accurate drives for me, and kept me out of hazards I probably had little chance of clearing. I'm more apt to ease up on the driver to lay up in front of a stream than I am to hit a full 3w or 5w off the tee.

I can't imagine anyone using only full swings. Too limiting, in my mind.
 
I love partial distance shots under a hundred yards. The closer the better.

"Laying up to a full swing distance" never really worked for me, even when this was the conventional wisdom. I've always been more comfortable closer in. I'll take a half-swing 50-yarder over a full swing 100-yarder almost every time (assuming the lies are equivalent.)

I think the data that Broadie (and others) seems to bear out that this is generally the better approach.

Of course, this is a personal thing and if your partial club game is a mess, then this may not be your best approach. I guess I'm comfortable with it because I've always spent a good portion of my range time hitting short shots (20-80yds). I like picking small targets (e.g. a single golf ball lying out on the range) and trying to hit them with my shots. To me, that is more fun than pounding full swings for the entire session.
 
I'm pretty good with a partial swing with my 54 and 50 and can flight it pretty well. the 135-145 range has been my weak point. My 50 is around 130 while my PW is around 153. I have not been able to get that partial swing to take a little off to work. I did manage to pull it off on 2 approach shots on back to back holes from about 137 the last time I played but it is night reliable. I prefer a full shot.
 
From 80 yards out, it is full swings, unless I have to hit under something or I am hitting a knockdown into the wind. Inside of 80 yards, I can definitely use different clubs.
 
I like partial shots, and I've got pretty good judgement with 8 or 9i-54* with them. I have a little more trouble with the 58*, but still enjoy trying to make the 40 and 50 yards shots work well. PW ans 54* are where I am really comfortable, I'm almost better off hitting a 54* from 40-50 yards than a 58*.
 
I've worked on partial shots with my wedges way more than my irons.
I think I really should get into that though!! Opens up more options on the course.
 
I love playing half & 3/4 shots all the time. Whether it's to take spin off a shot, shot into the wind, swing easy, etc. I hit wedges like this all the time instead of full swings (y)
 
Attended the Dave Pelz school in 2002. Prior to Attending I also only took full Swings for all my Shots. And only Chipped with my Pitching Wedge and and played all my bunker shots from any Distance with my SW. Never using the PW for anything other than Chipping really. And the Sand Wedge was only used in Bunkers.

Well not only did his team of instructors explain and teach us the importance of having many Wedges in our bag. Which at the time I had never heard before, but they also taught us about the finesse Swings. Or partial Swings used for any Distance inside 125 yards. 25, 50, 75, and 90 percent shots finesse moves using your body vs your hands to control the club and hit your shots to precise different distances with different clubs.

The also place a small target at 40, 60, and 80 yards I believe for us to use to build our confidence and control with these shots.

I immediately purchased the Pelz's Wedges a PW, SW, LW and XW. And still owe them to this day.

It was a real eye opener. Plus we actually got to meet Dave Pelz on one of the days. He shared his love and knowledge of the game and also his philosophy regarding putting and how he had discovered the finesse swing.

My scores improved immediately.

I honestly only have a 50% and 80% swing which I can sometimes pull off. But I do have the knowledge, although I lack the time to properly use all of his techniques. :drinks:
 
My creativity had eroded some this past year as I was so obsessed with my iron swing troubles. Made me become more mechanical and that's counter to my always having been more of a feel player.

But when it comes to my usual game, I love partial shots from say 50 yards and beyond. Inside 50 and my less than optimal touch gets exposed some.
 
I only use partial swings inside of 100 yards. Outside of that I will choke down instead of partial swings. It works better for me consistency wise.


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I usually only hit a full swing until I'm inside 95 with my lob wedge. Sometime I do choose a club that would end up near the back of the green so I can be confident that I don't need to over swing but I always keep a full swing.
 
I prefer laying back to where I have a full 54 or 58 degree wedge into a green. But have learned to be pretty creative and proficitent with wedge shots under 90 yards. I do take a fair amount of partial swings with my 4 hybrid when there is no bunker is front of the green. Especially right now when the dormant grass is pretty thin and get some less them optimal lies to make solid contact with an iron from.
 
Pretty creative. Ive always enjoyed playing different shots around the green and being able to hit whatever shot is demanded at the time. Lately Ive taken the flop shot out of the bag. Not because I cant hit it but because its a very high risk shot and it can be difficult to control distance with it.
 
I don’t mind a punch shot, but outside of that I need to be darn near full swing. I’ve got some big mental hurdles to overcome with the partial swings.
 
It's very rare for me to hit a wedge full. Maybe a PW or GW once and awhile if it's my only option but I don't recall hitting a full SW or LW in the last couple years. My scoring zone game got better after I developed a scoring matrix. It incorporates numerous partial shots with LW, SW, GW, PW, 9i and 8i and for the most part provides me 2-4 different ways to hit any 5 yard increment from 30 out to 140.
 
KY Golfer said:
Like playing a variety of different shots. Sometime because I have no choice but too.
Click to expand...
I was getting ready to say, I have to have a less than full swing because sometimes my swing puts me in more trouble than a secondary shot from the fairway.
 
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