Struggling with short shots into the green

[Harmonious]

Short game shots are, more than any other, all about confidence.  You cannot be indecisive about what you are trying to achieve, or that doubt will result in an apprehensive stroke (chunk, blade, skull, bad stuff).  For that reason I don't subscribe to idea that equipment will make much of a difference if you don't know how to hit a 50 yard shot with confidence.  Or a 75 yard shot. Or a 30 yard shot.  These are things you absolutely must know how to do, or the game will continue to be a struggle regardless how well you hit your full shots.

I can't speak for others but, for me, Dave Pelz' Short Game Bible is the best resource for hitting less-than-full-swing shots.  If you absorb what he is teaching, and practice his principles, I think you will be pleased with the results.   I dropped 2 or 3 strokes after reading his book, and doing a little practicing. I still refer to it every once in awhile. There are other good books on the short game (Floyd, Utley) but Pelz seems to strike the right chord for me.

FWIW.  Good luck.

[Gerald]

I agree the Dave Pelz book has many good thoughts on the short game, but my personal bible is "Getting Up and Down" by Tom Watson and Nick Seitz .....

[Open-Faced Club Sandwedge]

You have to learn what fractional swing leads to what fractional distance.

For instance, for my sandwedge, using my swing:

Full swing = 105 yards.

3/4 swing = 95 yards (weird, huh?).

1/2 swing = 70 yards.

Choked down an inch, 1/2 swing = 60 yards.

1/3 swing = 50 yards.

1/3 swing with 1/3 follow-through = 40 yards

1/4 swing with 1/3 follow-through = 30 yards

20 yards and less is really just a pitch shot.

So for your problem of wanting to hit a SW that only goes 1/2 as far as a full SW, I know I need to take a 1/3 swing with good acceleration and follow-through.  Learn your own fractional swing by using different amounts of swing and seeing how far the ball goes.  It doesn't have to be rocket science.

-Andrew