3/4 yrd punch shot going further than a full shot

[jfrain2004]

Have got big into measuring my distances lately trying to reduce the range of distances I hit a stack of 10 balls with each iron. One thing I have noticed is that with good contact in each case that with a full swing I hit an 8 iron about 120 + 5 roll where as if I hit a 3/4 punch it only carries a lot less but rolls a lot more and on average is 10 yrds longer in total than with a full swing. Any one else experience this?

[shortstop20]

I used to have the same thing, then I realized I was swinging harder on the 3/4 shots which was making them go just as far. I need to work on it more but I'm getting there. I really want to learn how to hit a 3/4 8 iron instead of going at a 9 iron harder when the pin is just out of range for a 9 iron(or whatever club it may be). That way I'll have my distance gaps covered as much as possible.

Keep the same tempo for all shots and you should hit your 3/4 shots a shorter distance, which is what I assume you're going for.

[leezer99]

This is the philosophy behind playing during windy conditions. Take more club, ball back in the stance and with a 3/4 swing make sure you swing easy. Keeps the ball low and penetrating rather than up in the air where the wind can hit it. Likewise, when it hits the ground it will run out more.

[Where's the Cart Girl?]

Be conscious of your follow-through. If you're using the 3/4 swing to just subtract distance it's different than trying play a knock down or something for windy days. To me a 3/4 iron swing for distance control feels like a 1/2 swing with a full follow-through and a 3/4 for trajectory feels like a 3/4 swing with a 1/2 follow-through and there is not that much distance loss at all when the swing stays aggressive, you just bore it through the wind.

I expect that if your doing some mixture of these two techniques you could very well end up with shots behaving funny. You referred to the shot you're trying to play as a "3/4 punch" so I'm guessing you want less distance + less height, in which case I'd try shortening the backswing to what feels like 1/2 and making sure that the follow-through is staying abbreviated (club finishes at or below shoulder height). Perhaps try to feel as though you match the height of back swing to follow-through and see how that works.