Hitting a shot fat or thin is one of the worst feelings in golf. You know that you can make the shot but your body tenses up at times and you chunk the shot 5 feet or you blade it 30 feet over the green. Why is this happening when you feel so confident and you know that you can easily make the shot?
You may want to break your club in half after missing such an easy shot but choking down on a lower loft club is a much better idea. Hank Haney recently pointed out that choking down on a club will rob you of distance but he also pointed out that it will give you more accuracy and consistency.
Jean Van-de-Velde lost the 1999 Open by not playing it safe. Choke down and play the easy shot with a club that you trust. Save strokes.
If you are trying to run your shot up on a green because there are no traps in the way, a great plan is to choose a less lofted club and CHOKE DOWN ON IT. Directional accuracy and the feel for distance are so important when you want to get your shot close to the pin especially if you are under pressure and you want to avoid a chunked shot. A sweeping swing (like a putting swing) definitely gives you more control of your club for consistent impact with your ball. Keep your leading wrist flat and your leading elbow straight. Focus on distance and hitting the ball in the center of your club face.
Set Your Plan
1/ Use different clubs from your hybrid to your putter to learn your comfort level with each club.
2/ Sort out the clubs you like for chipping and hone in on 2 or 3 clubs where you feel you have your best control.
3/ Don’t forget to choke down on your longer clubs when you use them like a putter.
4/ You have to learn how much lift and run each of your favorite chipping clubs will give you.
5/ Practice with GOLFSTR+ to keep your leading wrist flat when hitting over short cut grass for hits up to 30 yards.
6/ For every shot you are faced with height, slope and surface changes (that will kick you ball one way or another), practice with your favorite chipping clubs to know what to expect.
GOLFSTR+ is a great Christmas Gift for any golfer. It gives them 6 Swing Fixes in 1 Training Aid. Now being shipped in a gift pack for all purchases through the end of 2016. Buy one today at www.golfstr.com
