Can one have 2 different swings?

[very handicap]

Is it possible for a person to have 2 different type of swing?  First a John Daly type of swing to rotate and swing as wide as possible to bomb the tee shot 300 yards down the fairway, follow by a 3/4 accuracy swing to get the ball on the green in 2 for a par 4?

I have in the last 2 years shortening my swing to 3/4 swing and seem to have amazing accuracy in GIR.  The only problem is my tee shot is now down to 220 yards.  This is ok for short courses and i can come home with a low 80 score, but on blue tee or any longer course, i will return with a 90s.

Anyone comments?

[lumpuckeroo]

I average 70 - 90 different types of swings in a round!!!!

Seriously, when it comes to driving the ball vs. most every other swing, I don't see any issues.  I know, I know, all swings should be the same but in the last few years I have a very different swing with my driver than with my irons and have played some of my best golf.

[Bryan SD2]

My driver swing is different than all others.  Ball position, swing speed, length of backswing, etc.  It's not a big deal, and if you are swinging your driver with the EXACT same swing you use with your irons from the fairway, you have a problem.

Taken a divot with your driver off the tee box lately????

[Pope33]

I agree. I have a bit of a forward press with my irons and come in much steeper than I do with the driver.

I have a much wider arch with the driver and try to stay flatter to hit the big draw.

I used to think they had to be the same, but finally gave up on that. Good Luck

[ghalfaire]

I have tried to do this (two swings) also and for me it didn't work.  The required rhythm for the two swings were different and difficult to pull off on the course.  So instead I tried to just develop a swing that works for both the short irons and the driver.  But most of all I tried to keep the timing (rhythm) constant [or at least feeling constant] for every club in the bag.  I think you have to be a pretty good athlete to have two distinct swings and be able to play under pressure.

[saevel25]

Well of course you can change your swing. But i find that it messes me up to much. I really don't bother with driving distance, i am comfortable hitting any iron in my bag, and inbetween clubs as well. So i have no issue just swinging in control and taking what the course gives me.

I use to take extra wide swings and try to bomb it, but mostly i would mishit it a bit and loose the distance there. Yesterday i hit a crushing fade on a par 5 (480yds up hill), i had 168 left to the green. I will say, i didn't swing any harder than any of my other drives that day, i just caught this one in the center of the clubface. Given i might have hit a sligh downslope, the fairway has a bit of ungulation to it, not much, but even so, i don't overswing anymore. If i do try to swing hard, i actually shorten my swing, and rotate faster through the ball instead of trying to get width. I can get about 10 more yards out of my swing, and still control it.

[Bryan SD2]

I think we are disagreeing on the definition of a "different" swing.

If you have 100 yards to the pin from a level fairway... do you have the ball in the same position in your stance as you do with a driver?  Most people don't.  To me, the ball position is a big enough difference to equate to a different "swing."  That said, there is not much difference for me between that same wedge and, say, a 5 iron from the fairway on the next hole.

I also have a swing thought "swing it like a 5 iron" when I have my 14 degree hybrid in my hands, so for me, it's Driver swing, and then everything else pretty much the same.

[Bad Golfer]

Absolutely.  caused by the length of the club and your chosen swing plane.

I like to have a very "square and controlled" swing for my short game, whereas I let rip with my woods and long irons.