Shorter, more compact is okay

Many golfers assume that a full swing is one in which the clubshaft reaches a position parallel to the ground at the completion of the backswing. This is inaccurate and can be especially harmful to seniors, who may have lost flexibility. There is no such thing as a “perfect” length of backswing. Your length of backswing should be the maximum move you can make while turning your body fully, staying in balance and maintaining control of the club. If you do these things and your clubshaft comes up short of parallel, that’s fine – you will still hit excellent shots and get ample distance even with a slightly shorter backswing.