You might hear a golf commentator talk about a pro choking down
on a club. This is a great way to adjust the height and distance a
ball will travel.
You might hear a golf commentator talk about a pro choking down on a club. This is a great way to adjust the height and distance a ball will travel. When you choke down on a club, you are actually making the club shorter. By doing this, you cut down the leverage that you put on the ball. Leverage equals length and height.
So, by choking down, you can hit a club lower and with a little less distance. You might ask, ‘Why would I want to hit it shorter?’
Well, to have better control for starters. It can also help keep the ball under wind. If you are “between” clubs, choking down will lessen your distance slightly so you can hit the longer of the two clubs with a good aggressive swing.
One word of advice, though: If you want loft – hitting over a tree or hitting over a bunker onto the green – never choke down. Grip the club at the very end and you will hit it higher than usual.
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Don DeLorenzo is a PGA-certified instructor at Gilroy Golf Course. To schedule a lesson with Don, call Gilroy GC at (408) 848-0490.
