Getting in the swing

It is logical to think that the closer your ball is to the green, the easier the approach shot should be.
 
However, it is often the case that it is easier to control the distance of a full wedge shot than it is to control the distance of a ‘half’ wedge shot. One of the main difficulties with these shots is they require a shorter swing and a lot more feel than a full wedge shot. In order to achieve consistency with these ‘in between’ shots, it is important that you practice three different swing lengths that result in different yardages.

*Half Swing
This is the shortest of the three swings and therefore produces the shortest distance of shot. You should have a slightly narrower stance than normal with a bit more weight on your front foot. You should swing the club to the ‘L’ position where the left arm is parallel to the ground and the shaft of the club is pointing 90 degrees up.
 
*Three-Quarter Swing
This is a slightly longer swing that will produce a longer shot. The set-up is the same as above apart from that you should have a slightly wider stance to improve balance through the swing. You should now swing the club so that your left arm points to 10 O’clock but try to ensure that you maintain the 90 degree angle between your left arm and the shaft.

*Full Swing
This is just your normal full swing. It is a good idea to put more weight on your front foot as this will promote a solid crisp strike.

It is important with each of the three swings that you are 100 per cent committed to the shot and that you accelerate the club head through the ball and finish with your chest facing the target every time.Decelerating or ‘quitting’ on any of the above swings can result in inconsistent contact and outcome. It is important that you practice these swings and note the yardages so that you can commit to using them on the course. The table shown above contains an example of the different yardages you could produce with the various swings.

       ½ Swing  ¾ Swing  Full Swing
PW       80          100       130
52°       65            90       115
56°       60            80       100
60°       50            65         80

       ½ Swing   ¾ Swing   Full Swing
PW       80           100       130
52°       65              90       115
56°       60              80       100
60° 50 65 80

As you can see, if a player has four wedges and can utilise the three different swings, they can have 12 possible yardages to choose from within 130 yards. You will also notice that the yardages often overlap and understanding this can give you an advantage in windy conditions. For example, when playing into the wind from 80 yards out, you might wish to use your half swing pitching wedge as opposed to your full swing 60 degree wedge in order to keep the ball under control.

If you practice the above swings, you will find that over time you become very confident with your club selection in the ‘scoring zone’. Naturally, this confidence will result in better shots that will get the ball closer to the hole. Work hard on your wedge game and watch your scores get lower!