Its crazy how that happens. I've noticed that a lot. Try to hit a 3/4 shot because you have too much club and the thing sails 10 yards farther than on a full swing. Crazy. It's something i've been working on but it's just so darn hard to tell yourself to swing easy to make it go farther.

Over swinging a club is a fault of many amateurs and it takes a few years to figure this out. A smooth controlled swing produces more desired results and it does go farther. We all are guilty of this.

We love the "macho-ness" of a long ball and the look of a beautiful swing. Everytime I try to pony up and really belt one I lose it right. I finally got to where I tell myself to let the club do the work. Tense muscles trying to hit the ball vs a nice smooth tempo with relaxed muscules is a night and day difference.

Yep the more control you have the better the chance of a center face hit. I'll take what I *think* is a 3/4 swing and its really 1.25 swing (where my full swing is like 1.5). It's entirely mental and if you have a coach stop someone's backswing where it really is a "full" most people are SHOCKED. Because it seems like the swing is so short.

For me it's just tough :) I'm always trying to hit it a mile!

I've started clubbing up and taking a 3/4 swing in the back of my stance to hit a lower ball flight and take a bigger divot. I love it. I've always been a picker of the golf ball but when I catch it just behind the ball it flies low, straight, and has a ton of spin... I just lose about 10 yards of distance.

I'm always shocked when I hit the ball correctly. Lol with that said I actually went 3 times a week with my 4 highest lofted clubs to the range and hit only 3/4 swing shots for 1 month just to get that feel. I still catch one pure and it sails further than I thought it should, but I just smile knowing I caught it flush and try to get up & down.

Recently went to an executive course to do just that, primarily to see how much shorter my 3/4 wedge shots are compared to full. I found that I average about 5 yards shorter, with a lower trajectory. Might have to go exclusively 3/4 swing . . . .

I made the change 3-4 years ago of a full swing to a 3 quarter swing and the results have been dramatic. Scores got much lower no more loose shots and much more command of my swing I would never go back to a full swing

My 3/4 greenside bunker swing goes about 100 yards half the time! Lol Seriously though, I started taking more club and making a smoother, shorter, and more controlled swing and the results have been better than expected. Play well Guys!

Chris,

As the great golf coach Bob Toski once said, "The golf swing is “effortless power,” not “powerless effort.” (It is) Not a game of brute force, but controlled force through a “swinging effort.” Many of the old PGA pros reguarly used a drill where they would hit a club progressively applying more effort starting from a very small swing. Former golf great Sam Snead routinely used his driver swing to go from 100 yards to his max distance in 25 yard increments. He was known as a long driver in his day. Tiger Woods routinely use his 7 iron to hit 100 yards shots and progressly hit further and further until he was hitting 210 yards. The former 1992 long drive distance champion Monte Scheinblum, who currently teaches golf, is a big believer in swing efficency over max effort in the golf swing coupled with centerness of hits. If you look at Monte' swing, which can be found on YouTube, you will see a swing as smooth as Freddie Couple's swing but Monte has a driver clubhead swing over 130 MPH. There is a lot that can be learned from these master's of the golf swing. Max effort does not get it done. Having an efficient swing that makes consistent and centered hits and is very much in control will produce the best results. I think there is much wisdom in the words of past masters.

DV

Worked at the Western Am recently and this is what struck me the most. All these guys were pounding it 300 yds and more in the fairway with 3/4 swings. I can't recall seeing ANYONE going to parallel.
It is definitely something that I want to work on. Efficiency, control, and tempo trumps brute power. Especially good if you want to find your ball.

Yes, it is quite strange. When you (think you) swing 3/4, you acually eventually swing about 95%. When you (think you) swing 100%, you go crazy on an overswing.

This thread is so timely for me. I've been working with my wife who is my mental coach, she's a certified marriage and family therapist, but she uses her therapist magic on my golf game too! I find that when I try to swing with all my might it usually goes south. So when she watched me for 2 hours hitting balls, she mentioned that I try to just swing like I'm trying to hit it 100 yards regardless of the club. I was shocked at how much more relaxed I felt and how effortlessly my arms dropped into the slot and then just slung the club through impact. Beautiful shots with a tiny draw and the end.

Stoked for the 2021 golf season to get underway!!

I agree with you, Chris. I'm adding some arsenals to my bag this year. I want at minimum 3 clubs for 1 distance inside of 180 yards. Also going to do the same with the short game. 3 different swings with my 3 wedges should give me many different yardages and spin rates

I had been hitting my 3 wood well with a 3/4 quarter swing. I will have to try and be ore focused on committing to using one with my driver so that I can let the club do the work rather than as you guys have said over working the body and arms to launch the ball out there

I went to 3/4 swings for every club; minus a very small loss in distance, I'm playing better than ever. I'm making better contact and am much more accurate.

The number on the bottom of the club is just a reference. I tihnk too many amateurs get caught up with the number and distance. I had my own cousin ask me how far I can hit a 6 iron... playfully I told him "how far do yo want me to hit it?" Back in my tennis playing days, I overheard a coach friend of mine say to a student "at some swing speed you can't miss..." Basically as it has been said in this thread, each person will swing 3/4 to their own feel and speed. That speed is different but at that speed you can't miss the center of the face. Canter face contact will go about your normal distance even at 75% effort.

I pursue longevity as a golfer therefore a 3/4 swing is the way to go.

I think this is particularly important for shots within 130 yards. You don't need to go all out when trying to score. Now putting that practice into play...thats that tough one ;)

SNorton.
So true.
Regarding your last statement....Someone once told me, "It's a long way from the practice range to the 1st tee."