Mastering the art of chipping: Locking your hands for better control

Locking your hands during short shots in golf, particularly chipping, is a technique used to maintain control and consistency. This method is effective in reducing wrist movement, which can lead to unpredictable strikes and inconsistent results.

By locking your hands, you minimise unwanted wrist motion, ensuring a more predictable strike. This, in turn, leads to greater accuracy and control over the direction of your chip shots. Additionally, locking your hands helps maintain a consistent swing length, resulting in more predictable distances.

To lock your hands, set your grip with neutral grip pressure, positioning your hands equally on the club. Maintain a firm wrist, but not rigid, to prevent excessive movement. Then, focus on making a smooth, controlled swing, using your arms and shoulders to generate motion.

Practicing with shorter swings can help you develop control and consistency. It's also essential to focus on ball position to ensure you're striking the ball cleanly. Developing a consistent pre-shot routine can help you stay focused and maintain control.

Here's a drill to help you maintain locked hands during a chip shot:

Place a towel around the grip of your wedge, with the towel's ends hanging evenly below the grip. Hold the club with both hands, keeping the towel in place. Now, practice your chipping motion, focusing on maintaining a smooth, controlled swing.

As you swing, pay attention to the towel. If your hands or wrists move excessively, the towel will likely fall off or become dislodged. This indicates that you're not maintaining locked hands.

Repeat this drill several times, adjusting your grip pressure and swing motion until the towel remains secure throughout the swing. This will help you develop the necessary control and consistency to keep your hands locked during chip shots.

By incorporating hand locking into your chipping technique, you'll be able to develop greater control and accuracy, leading to improved performance on the course. This technique can help you build confidence in your short game, allowing you to tackle challenging chip shots with greater ease. Catch you on the fairways!

-Sewgolum is PGA AA golf professional and a golf pro for Saudi Aramco. He was voted in the Top 5 of the International Golf PGA Pro 2022.