As you can tell, choking up on the golf club is a secret weapon that a lot of golfers don't take advantage of enough. Sure, you will lose some distance by choking up but in general, it's almost always worth it. This is a great way to add new shots in your bag and save yourself when you're hitting it poorly.
What happens when you choke up on a golf club?
Lower launch. Most golfers will find that the ball comes out lower when they are choking up on the club. This is mostly to do with the reduced swing speed that you will experience, but it can also be a side effect of making a slightly shorter swing.
How far can you choke up on a golf club?
The further your grip down the club, the lighter it will feel, and the easier it will be to control. Most golfers will grip the club about ½ inch from the top. When you want to choke down on the club a bit, you can go about an inch or maybe even a little more than an inch from the top of the golf club.
Should I choke up on my long irons?
Also, if you're struggling with hitting long irons straight, I also recommend choking up one inch on the club, especially if you're playing in windy conditions. By choking up, you make the club slightly shorter and easier to control which is crucial if you're hitting into the wind.
Should I choke down on my driver?
When a shot comes up that requires the best of your accuracy, but you still want to hit your driver, consider choking down on the grip of the club. Even moving down the grip by just an inch or two can go a long way toward improving your accuracy.
28 related questions foundHow does choking down on golf club help?
Choking down will reduce swing speed, increase control over the club head at impact, and reduce your shot distance. Choking down on your driver can also help if you need to hit a tee shot into the wind. Your swing speed will decline by choking down and you will put less spin on the ball.
How far should I choke down on my driver?
To hit a more conservative tee ball, I always choke down on the grip a full two inches (No. 1) and narrow my stance so my feet are only slightly wider than my shoulders (No. 2). I tee the ball lower and farther back, maybe three inches inside my left instep.
Should I choke down chipping?
As for your body, remember as you choke down: Don't hunch your upper body. Instead, choke down with your hands, and get your body lower by adding more flex in the knees, as opposed to hunching over.
Should I shorten my long irons?
A shorter club technically should improve control and accuracy. A longer club technically should increase distance. A club that is properly fitted in terms of the length of the shaft will maximize accuracy and distance.
What happens if irons are too long?
What Happens When Golf Clubs Are Too Long? For most golfers, having clubs that are too long will result in the most inconsistent shots. Clubs that are too long will make you stand too upright, which can cause both heel and toe shots as well as a tendency to pull the ball.
How do I know if I need shorter golf clubs?
If a player has clubs that are too short, they will usually bend over too much from the waist in their address position. Conversely, clubs that are too long will require the player to stand too erect. Both of these subconscious adjustments could potentially make their swing motion less effective than it should be.
How do I know if my golf clubs are too long?
5 Signs Your Golf Clubs are Too Long
You need to stand up almost completely straight while holding the club. You can't move your lower body while swinging the golf club. You keep hitting the ball with the golf club's toe. The ball tends to veer off to the left or too high when hit by the club.
How far down should a golf club shaft be?
The amount that you choke down on the grip of the club is a matter of personal preference, but you will probably want to come down at least an inch or two from the top. However, be careful not to come down too far as the club will start to feel lighter as you keep moving down the grip.
Why do golf clubs have a grip down?
If you need to take a few yards off the typical distance that you would get from a given club, you can choke down. For example, if you usually hit your 7-iron 150-yards, but you need to hit a 145-yard shot, you could choke down an inch or two and make a comfortable swing.
What happens if irons are too short?
If your golf club is too short for you, then your stance will be too bent over. Your stance will be this way because you are reaching down for the golf ball. The problem with a poor posture like this is that it will ruin your spine angle. Once your spine angle is off, you may have trouble rotating correctly.
Does golf club length matter?
When it comes to golf clubs, size does matter. While correct golf club size can help you become a better golfer and make the game more enjoyable, inaccurate club length will have the exact opposite effect.
What happens when you shorten a golf club?
The more shaft you cut off, the lighter, more stiff, and effectively flatter the club becomes. For every 1/2 inch you remove, you will lose approximately three swingweight points. You can readjust the swingweight by adding lead tape to the head of the club. Any amount of cutting will slightly stiffen the club.
How do you shorten a golf club?
When shortening a golf club, you must remove the grip and cut the wide end of the shaft so the club can still flex properly.
- Insert the golf club into a shaft clamp and tighten the clamp to keep the club from moving around while you work on the grip.
- Use a utility knife to cut the side of the existing grip.
Is it OK to shorten a driver shaft?
Shortening the shaft will make the club shorter but it will also make the shaft stiffer and adjust the swing weight as well. Plus, the more length you remove, the less flex your club will have. Depending on how much you cut it down, it could move a regular flex to a stiff or a stiff to an extra stiff.
Can you change the length of golf clubs?
You can buy extension pieces or cut one yourself from an old shaft, using the same cutting techniques that you did for trimming a shaft from the butt end. Use sandpaper to lightly abrade the edge of the extension piece that will attach to the new shaft, then apply epoxy glue to fasten the piece to the shaft.