It has been a great idea to separate the swing into individual parts. The swing is divided into 8 segments. Each of the segments brings another power producer to it. One is the first, which is how the hands help release the club. Two are the uses of elbows, and the third (the 3/4 shot) the positioning of the #7 left arm. (Where the left-hand crosses the chest), combined with the turning of the hips when the pivot returns the right arm. When the hips pivot to return the left hand, the club does not swing inward. The 4th component, the 1/2 shot, adds weight shifting and 1/8 more power.
This quick overview explains what each part does and its relationship to the others. The wedges and the short irons add 1/8th of the distance a club can travel with a full swing. The shot would be 12.5 yards longer if each one-eighth of the distance you’d hit with your sand wedge was 100 yards. The distance between your hands is only 11.25 yards. Your elbows are 25 yards. You can also use your elbows to reach the elbows. You can use this with any iron club. A 1/2 shot (fourth component) will go 100 yards. With a full swing, it would reach 200 yards.
This method allows you to quickly understand the mechanics of the swing and gives you the ability to feel the stroke and determine which shot is best for you.
It is easier to master the whole swing by wailing with the driver than it is to try to learn the car driving in a Formula 1 car. It is suicide to learn to drive this way, and it is just as suicide to try to improve your golf swing by hitting full-force shots.
Learning to play shorter shots will help you improve both your swing and game. When you are confident with the parts of the 1/2 shot, then you can increase your back swing and follow through for longer shots. The actions of the whole body are well-understood once the 1/2 sand wedge has been mastered. To perfect your full swing, you just need to move further back and continue to follow through after each impact.
You can use the half sand wedge as a driver swing portion, and the actions of all the components are identical. The sand wedge can be mastered and the golf swing will become effortless. All clubs must be swung the exact same way.
Dan Shauger