Basic Adjustments For Non Full Golf Shots (Video) - by Pete Styles
Basic Adjustments For Non Full Golf Shots (Video) - by Pete Styles

So if we now explore the fundamentals of how we can hit a non-full-powered golf shot, it isn't a simple case of just trying less hard. And sometimes it's not even a case of just swinging shorter. A lot of golfers presume that if they take their normal stance and normal setup and then just swing shorter, that will work, but for a lot of golfers they lose a bit of control, they lack the control that they should have if they make the correct changes. So the correct changes I would like you to implement if you are trying to hit non-full shots with a given club is actually just to drop the ball a little bit further back in your stance. That should encourage a really good accurate ball strike and it should encourage you to not drive your bodyweight too much, which is creating power. We want to create a little bit less power.

Also another great tip is choking down on the golf club. If you hold down a couple of inches less than the top of the golf club, you’ll actually feel from that position you get a lot more control of the club head and actually the club head is going to be swinging more slowly. Holding it at the top creates loads of power; holding it lower down, a bit less power and therefore shorter golf shots. So I position the ball a little bit further back in my stance and I grip down on the golf club a little bit. Now, because I’m gripping down, I also might feel like I want to stand closer, this part of the club would normally let me stand further back if I’ve gripped down. Just a little shuffle closer, ball in the back of the stance. Now, immediately here in set up I feel like I’ve got less power. I can therefore go ahead make a decent committed swing, nearly a full swing, certainly with lots of commitment on the downswing and that will help me hit the ball a shorter distance. So, the ball in the back, down on the grip, a little bit near to it; I can still commit to my full shot, but I now know that won't go full distance because the changes I made to my set up would start to reduce the distance I hit the shot. So go ahead and experiment by hitting some full wedges and then hitting some sort of choked down, ball back, nearer to the ball wedges. And just see how you can affect your distance with those non-full swings.
2016-05-12

So if we now explore the fundamentals of how we can hit a non-full-powered golf shot, it isn't a simple case of just trying less hard. And sometimes it's not even a case of just swinging shorter. A lot of golfers presume that if they take their normal stance and normal setup and then just swing shorter, that will work, but for a lot of golfers they lose a bit of control, they lack the control that they should have if they make the correct changes. So the correct changes I would like you to implement if you are trying to hit non-full shots with a given club is actually just to drop the ball a little bit further back in your stance. That should encourage a really good accurate ball strike and it should encourage you to not drive your bodyweight too much, which is creating power. We want to create a little bit less power.

Also another great tip is choking down on the golf club. If you hold down a couple of inches less than the top of the golf club, you’ll actually feel from that position you get a lot more control of the club head and actually the club head is going to be swinging more slowly. Holding it at the top creates loads of power; holding it lower down, a bit less power and therefore shorter golf shots. So I position the ball a little bit further back in my stance and I grip down on the golf club a little bit. Now, because I’m gripping down, I also might feel like I want to stand closer, this part of the club would normally let me stand further back if I’ve gripped down. Just a little shuffle closer, ball in the back of the stance. Now, immediately here in set up I feel like I’ve got less power. I can therefore go ahead make a decent committed swing, nearly a full swing, certainly with lots of commitment on the downswing and that will help me hit the ball a shorter distance. So, the ball in the back, down on the grip, a little bit near to it; I can still commit to my full shot, but I now know that won't go full distance because the changes I made to my set up would start to reduce the distance I hit the shot. So go ahead and experiment by hitting some full wedges and then hitting some sort of choked down, ball back, nearer to the ball wedges. And just see how you can affect your distance with those non-full swings.