Throughout a game of golf, the golfer is presented with choices on every shot.

These can vary wildly with examples being club selection, how much to allow for wind or the choice of playing different shots. Some of these decisions are based on feel. One such decision is to hit a 'three quarter shot' rather than take a big full swing. Find out why and how with this golf tip.

A 'three quarter shot' is a shot that is best described when the golfer is faced with a certain distance for the ball to be hit (for example 140 yards = an 8 Iron). For whatever reason (maybe the golfer is not confident or conditions dictate that it may not be the best decision to hit a full shot), the golfer may decide not to swing fully at the ball but instead take a longer club and swing the club back less – to approximately three quarters the length of a normal swing. It is usually the golfer's choice to play a shot such as this but sometimes, depending on fitness, a golfer may need to ease up on the swing to finish the round efficiently and effectively if he or she is beginning to tire.

To correctly hit a three quarter length shot there are some considerations a golfer needs to make.

1. The golfer will lose distance with a three quarter swing as there will be less power through the shot due to less backswing. Therefore, the golfer needs to take an extra club. This gives back the distance lost through not swinging back fully in the backswing movement.

2. The golfer should hold the golf club lower down (approximately an inch) on the golf grip. As the golfer has changed to a longer golf club than normal for the shot this provides a little more control to make sure of the correct strike of the golf ball.

3. Focus on the rhythm of the swing. As the swing is shorter it is easy to snatch down and into the ball in the downswing which will lead to a poor connection with the golf ball. Keep the rhythm of the swing easy and free flowing, even count it out quietly “1 and 2” to keep the swing balanced.

4. Do not finish the swing as normal. Turn through the shot with the body and feet to their normal finish position but keep the club low and in front of the chest. This keeps the whole motion connected even though there is less momentum in the swing. The problem with swinging less than full power is that the arms can take over to hit at the ball rather than relying on the turning motion of the shoulders to swing through. Hold this abbreviated finish position.

5. Finally, be aware that the ball will travel the correct distance using this technique but it will fly a little lower and roll further than normal due to the longer and less lofted golf club used. Make sure that there is room before the hole or green for the ball to run along the floor.

Use these tips to match the correct shot to the correct conditions and maximize your scoring potential.