Playing 1/2 & 3/4 swing approach shots

[8.5_Drive]

Hi, im having trouble with my half swing approach shots. About 100 yards in.

I naturally hit a draw, but when taking short swings i tend to block/slice it out way right. Is this common?

I can almost feel the clubface staying open at address. But i dont want to close it too much because i fear a hook/thin

My (new) home course requires very accurate approach shots, it is literally hit the green or struggle to get down in 2 everytime

Thanks

[imtomtomim]

without seeing what you're doing, my best guess is that you're rushing the transition and really trying to jerk the club through impact, most likely pulling the heels of your hands through.  Does any of that sound right?  I think a little more focus on your tempo might do it so everything syncs up, instead of the club getting behind the motion.  Can you tell us what you're trying to do when you hit those shots?  or even better, show us a video?

[TourSpoon]

IMO, this is one of the coolest shots for anyone to hit and the mark of someone who has some skill. At my home course there are a few shots that really demand a lower flighted wedge and when you hit it right there is nothing quite like it. When I first started playing the 3/4, I would over swing and then try to back down ever so slightly and have an undesired result. I went back to the practice tee determined to hit this shot.

When I practiced I would think of three distinct backswing positions, shoulders, chest, and waist. I would  take the club back to these positions and accelerate to the finish. By doing this I started to ingrain the proper tempo to hit these shots with fairly predictable results. Once I found the backswing positions, I then worked on speed and was able to refine even more. Now these positions and speeds are based on feel and could be off (ie my chest could really be my shoulders) but they are keys in my mind. Again, the first step was to shorten the backswing and hit the shot as normal from there and then work on speed once that was in place. Now, when I have that 105 into the wind, instead of muscling a sw, I grab the pw and 3/4 it in there. The good news is once you do the groundwork, you don't have to think about it, you just do it. I hope this was helpful.

[dsc123]

I was dealing with a similar issue earlier this year.  Turns out I was standing too close to the ball.  Try standing a bit further and see if that helps.  It should only take a few swings to tell if that's the fix or not

[saevel25]

Most people tend to take there clubhead to far in. I would stand infront of a mirror or video your swing and make sure that your clubhead doesn't get inside your hands. This can cause alot of problems, especially fat shots.

[8.5_Drive]

Thanks for the replies. Standing too close to the ball is interesting.. i think that may be the problem.

Ill do some practicing tonight and try to get a video up.

[bunkerputt]

Originally Posted by 8.5_Drive

Hi, im having trouble with my half swing approach shots. About 100 yards in.

I naturally hit a draw, but when taking short swings i tend to block/slice it out way right. Is this common?

I can almost feel the clubface staying open at address. But i dont want to close it too much because i fear a hook/thin

My (new) home course requires very accurate approach shots, it is literally hit the green or struggle to get down in 2 everytime

Thanks

Shut clubface doesn't necessarily equal thin, but regardless you definitely shouldn't be manipulating the clubface on these shots.  As the club gets shorter, the path has to come over the top a little to stay online.  This was pointed out in the foot placement diagram for each of the clubs in Ben Hogan's 5 lessons, and was confirmed by Trackman analysis:  http://www.trackman.dk/download/newsletter/newsletter4.pdf.  The face should remain square to the intended line of flight.  If it is open coming down, you likely opened it up on the way back.  It's just much harder to open it on the way down.  You may also be hitting it off the toe, which opens the face at impact.

[Cut68]

I once had this problem..... I just kept adding wedges so that I'm now taking a nice full swing at 45 yards with a 64 degree wedge.I've found it easier to control my distances this way, and my short game has improved a ton

[drglew]

I agree with Cut68 that a possible solution is equipment--I went to four wedges (now 46-50-54-58) and consolidated to a 17* 4-wood to make room--so it was a lot less likely for me to need those half-swings.  To the OP, by your signature i take it you only have the X14 PW (46.5*) and SW (55*), and it looks like you only carry 12 clubs.  So you'd have room for a gap wedge ~50-52* and a lob wedge ~60*, and voila, depending on your swing speed you probably have only ~10-yd gaps between full wedges.

Also, course management can help.  On a short par-4, resist the urge to hit a driver if it might leave you a half-wedge. instead, lay up using a fairway wood or long iron to your stock full-swing distance on your PW or SW.  Same is true for 2nd shots on par 5's that you know you can't reach in two--your 3-wood doesn't always have to be your 2nd shot if you can't get greenside with it!

[8.5_Drive]

Originally Posted by drglew

I agree with Cut68 that a possible solution is equipment--I went to four wedges (now 46-50-54-58) and consolidated to a 17* 4-wood to make room--so it was a lot less likely for me to need those half-swings.  To the OP, by your signature i take it you only have the X14 PW (46.5*) and SW (55*), and it looks like you only carry 12 clubs.  So you'd have room for a gap wedge ~50-52* and a lob wedge ~60*, and voila, depending on your swing speed you probably have only ~10-yd gaps between full wedges.

Also, course management can help.  On a short par-4, resist the urge to hit a driver if it might leave you a half-wedge. instead, lay up using a fairway wood or long iron to your stock full-swing distance on your PW or SW.  Same is true for 2nd shots on par 5's that you know you can't reach in two--your 3-wood doesn't always have to be your 2nd shot if you can't get greenside with it!

I havent updated my sig. I do carry 54 and a 62 degree wedges.

I dont like to hit full swings into some of the greens. My home course is extremely tight off the tee and around the green. So much so, if i was to miss 14/18 greens, i would most certainly lose a ball. So smacking a lob wedge isnt usually a good idea..

[pond prowler]

I've had this problem from time to time as my natural swing tendency is to hit the ball farther from the inside (draw) than these shots allow.  In this position, I'm in trouble unless I pull off some fancy club manipulation that's beyond my ability most days.  End result many times is a high weak shot to the right.  When I get into this mode, I go back to a drill that really helps me out.  I wish I could find a video of it, but my initial search came up empty so I'll try to explain... Heck I just saw someone on the Golf Channel explaining this drill two days ago...

Place a shaft in the ground slanted ~45* towards you, ~3' in front of your stance, and ~3' down the target line (hope this makes sense...)  Now proceed to hit 1/2, 3/4 shots making sure you don't hit the shaft placed in the ground.  This will force you to swing more on plane and drive your hands and shoulders down and to the left of the target line producing a more decending blow and a club head that doesn't require manipulation to stay square.  Your hands will stay in front of the ball and drive through the shot.

I'm not sure I'd recommend this tip for someone with the classic over the top slice move, but you don't seem to fit that category considering your natural shot shape is a draw.

Hopefully someone else familiar with this drill can chime in and do a better job of explaining it than me!  I'll post up a video if I come across one...

[airic31]

you could be de-celerating through the club face, you dont want to take the club back far and then ease up on your downswing, you always want to accelerate through the ball, no matter if its a full, 1/2 or 1/4 swing.  try taking a shorter backswing and accelerate through the ball. . .

[B of H]

my issue is similar on shorter swings when I don't get a full turn.  Ideally you should have your shoulders turned nearly full by the time your arms are waist high on the backswing which gives you the room to make a full move through the ball with your body.  If you lift the club with your arms/hands to start the swing then your sequence on the downswing will be all out of whack.