A golf chipping lesson...

It's all down to getting the touch right

Have you ever taken a golf chipping lesson?

I have given this particular lesson many times and there a few important basics that are often missed. Of all of them, two biggies stand out for me: Grip pressure and touch or feel.

On this page I am going to discuss grip pressure as I find it can smooth out any fault in a matter of minutes.

It shocks me when I ask my students how tight they are holding the club. Not just in the art of chipping but overall.

I use a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is the pressure used to hold a small bird in such a way that it can still breathe (and I mean during the entire swing, not just at address), and 10, the grip you would use to wring the last drop out of a damp cloth.

I often hear levels that average around a 5 to a 6 but at impact these almost always go up a couple of notches. It happens almost automatically with a normal tendency towards trying to hit at impact.

I have personally always fought against this and find that regulating my grip pressure gives instant feedback. If the pressure increases, I'm hitting and if it remains constant, I'm swinging.

Which works best for you?

For me it's definately swinging. The stroke is flowing and the ball always pops off my club face both softly and sweetly. I can feel the slightest jerk and any off-centre connections at impact.

The next time you are practicing, try out this golf chipping lesson and I'm sure your results will be quite surprising.

Do not get too involved with any of the other chipping mechanics, just spend some time regulating your grip pressure.

I would also advise that you alter the amount of constant pressure being used for each swing.

For example, what do you find is smoother, when you grip lightly or tightly?

How light can you go without tightening at impact?

I can manage a 0.5 when I practice but achieve between 1 to 2 on the course. I am rarely aware of this on the course but when the question is asked, I do shift my awareness to this for a few shots.

I love this drill, I love chipping and I love the results I get because of it.

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