full or 3/4 irons

[jdchelsea]

hello was reading something the other day about hitting 3/4 swings with iron approaches to greens. Similar to a 9 o'clock swing with a wedge i.e. left arm parralel to ground pointing away from you. It suggested it's an easier way to hit more accurate approach shots. I had always been told to hit full irons so that I knew my yardages precisely.

So my questions are:

do any of you routinely hit 3/4 iron approach shots and how does it work for you?

is it a case of learning yardages for these shots as well or is there a simple calculation I could use to begin with?

or am I better with hitting full iron approaches?

many thanks

 

[J5MBF]

People always have theories & ideas about various shots. In my opinion, play what your comfortable with.

Go down the range and try some 3/4 swings, see how you get on. Personally, i'd rather hit a full iron, I tend to duff a shot if I'm only 3/4 swinging, no idea why!!

 

[One Planer]

I would say it depends on the kind of shot you are looking to play as well as other factors such as distance, lie, ground conditions, wind etc etc.

With all the factors taken into consideration, I play the shot that gives me the highest percentage of success.

 

[jdchelsea]

cheers J5MBF. I'll definitely give it a try because i do tend to hit my 3/4 wedges more accurately but was just curious if this was something many players did and if i'd missed a trick only hitting full irons. I'd love to hear from someone who does hit 3/4 irons still.

 

[jdchelsea]

Gareth

All things being equal though (no wind, decent lie, middle of the green pin position, flat green etc etc) would you hit the full or 3/4 approach? which do you feel you would/could be more accurate with?

 

[One Planer]

I understand what you're saying but there is more than one way to play the shot.

If clubbing up and hitting a 3/4 shot gets it done then play the shot.

You could argue you'd get a similar result by gripping down the shaft a little. The flight of the shot will be different but may give the same result.

I've started gripping down alot lately on different shots just to see how it affects them. The bonus this has it it makes one club alot more versitile and gives me plenty more options other than the length of my back swing.

 

[jdchelsea]

gareth

I understand what you mean but was just curious what your preference was. From your answer I assume you're a full shot iron player.

furthermore my question about playing 3/4 irons is not necessarily about yardages or ball flight etc but to gain extra control over the shot from playing a less than full swing i.e. if I had a choice between a full 9 iron and 3/4 8 iron which would be more accurate. I'm more accuarate with 3/4 wedges than full wedges so perhaps the same would apply to my irons. I'll give it a go anyway.

Thanks

 

[One Planer]

I understand what you mean but was just curious what your preference was

My preferance is a full shot, but that's just down to what I prefer.

If a 3/4 swing suits you, then use it. That's the beauty of this game.

 

[G_Mulligan]

just to point out that a 3/4 swing is not the 9 oclock wedge swing it is the 10:30.

9 oclock would be a half swing

 

[lee_leggett]

Just smash the SH*T out of it....

 

[funkyfred]

Playing with a strong wind behind us last sunday, i left myself a 133 yard shot into the centre of the green on the 18th.
This normally would be an 9i shot for me, but with the wind I decided to take a full pw. Up it goes and my playing partner says great shot whilst the ball is in flight
there I am waiting for it to bounce next to the pin, when the ball goes out of sight Were did it go, I ask my partner, i think it hit the slope at the back of the green and popped over the back.
As we get there I notice a ball on the concrete near the club house which is through the green and the putting green and OOB a full 30 yards behind the green.
Therefore I have to walk all the way back to where i hit the shot and drop another ball, then realise that I still have my pw with me (trolley by the green), so I try and hit a 3/4 shot, off it fly's again, slightly right this time and just about stays in bounds
What a wally, I fluff the chip, take a seven and go up .1 with a score of 33 stableford points (CSS 38) and now play off 24.5. Not amused