The three-quarter shot is without question where most people have their biggest problems. After hitting two or three fairway shots, you will be left with a shot that is not a full swing; in other words, a full pitching wedge would hit the ball too far.
The sand wedge is not to be used for a full swing; the loft on the club makes the ball fly too high, making distance control very difficult.
Each golfer hits the ball different distances; therefore, I cannot tell you exactly when to play a three-quarter shot. For the purpose of this column, I will use my distances as an example. I hit a full pitching wedge 125 yards; this is the distance I feel I have most control. I use the sand wedge for 75 yards and less. Remember, with these clubs how far you hit the ball is completely irrelevant. We need to hit the ball in a way in which we have control over distance.
With these distances in mind, a shot of perhaps 90 yards would be a perfect example of a three-quarter shot for me. To play this shot with a pitching wedge, I would move the ball back in the stance, an inch or so from the normal position. To clarify, this would mean playing the ball in the center of the stance, or a fraction back of center. This subtle adjustment promotes a descending blow through impact and helps to ensure clean contact. A slight lean of the body to the front foot helps the striking motion. The striking motion through impact should feel as though the ball is being driven forward, not lifted up. The loft on the club provides the elevation; there is no need to help it.
The length of the swing controls distance. Practice swinging the club back and forth equal distance. Start out by swinging the hands to chest height both ways. As with all shots, the arms and the body must work in a cohesive fashion. To vary the length of the shot, simply vary the length of the swing on the backswing and forward swing.
-- Junior camp next week! July 18-20 from 4-6 p.m., $55 per person. Also, drop in lessons for juniors 4:30-6 p.m. Wednesdays, $7 per person. Junior camps and drop in lessons held at Eagle Valley Golf. For more information, call 885-8225 now.
Terry Gingell is a PGA Class A Professional and is the owner and operator of The Golf Learning Center, an indoor golf school specializing in video golf lessons and professionally custom fit golf clubs. Send golf questions and comments to Terry at appeal@swiftnews.com.
