Many players immediately grip the club and choke down so their
hands are at the end of the rubber and sometimes touching the metal
of the shaft.
Many players immediately grip the club and choke down so their hands are at the end of the rubber and sometimes touching the metal of the shaft. I know you have been told to choke down for control and around the greens control is a must. However, other factors outweigh the need of choking down so low.
By choking down you are decreasing the leverage you have in your swing. Leverage allows the shot to travel higher and farther with minimal effort. Lack of leverage means you must swing harder at a chip shot and that’s the last thing you want to do. The closer your hands are to the clubhead the shorter the club is. The shorter the club the lower the ball will travel. If your shot travels too low then you can’t get the ball to stop where you want it.
By gripping up the shaft towards the end of the grip you have the leverage you need so you can have a nice long and slow chipping motion. This gets your chip shots in the air and they will stop on the greens easier. This also allows you to chip with lower lofted clubs because now even those will get in the air for you.
Remember when all else fails take a lesson. You’ll be surprised how much we can help.
To schedule a lesson with PGA-certified instructor Don DeLorenzo, call Gilroy GC at 848-0490.
