Chipping · Drill
Control Chip Distance With Swing Length
Part of our chipping programs for distance control. Build a program with it
Don't change effort to change distance. That speeds up or slows down your stroke at random. Keep the rhythm steady. Change only how long your swing is. Lay a towel as a landing spot. Hit a few with a short swing. See where they land and stop. Then try a slightly longer swing. Keep the same tempo every time. Move the towel and repeat. You'll build a feel for each distance.
The drill
- Set a towel as your landing spot.
- Hit short swings and watch the result.
- Try a slightly longer swing.
- Keep the same tempo.
- Move the towel and repeat.
Why it works
When you change effort to change distance, the clubhead speed at impact becomes hard to predict. A steady tempo keeps speed tied to swing length, so a longer swing gives a longer shot and a shorter swing gives a shorter one. This gives you one thing to change, and you can learn what each swing length produces.
Common mistakes
- You swing harder to hit the ball farther.Keep the same tempo and make the backswing and follow-through longer instead.
- You slow down on short swings and decelerate into the ball.Keep the same rhythm on every swing, so a short swing is smaller but not slower.
- You move the towel after every ball and never learn what a swing length does.Hit several balls to the same towel spot before you move it, and note where they land and stop.
How you'll know it's working
- Balls land within a club length or two of the towel on most swings.
- Contact feels the same on short and long swings, with no scooping or stabbing.
- The same swing length gives about the same landing spot each time.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Place the towel close to you and use only two swing lengths, a short one and a slightly longer one.
Harder: Move the towel to a new distance without warning, pick the swing length you need, and try to land the ball on it with your first shot.
Common questions
How do I control distance when chipping?
Keep your tempo steady and change the length of your swing. A longer swing sends the ball farther and a shorter swing sends it less far.
Why do my chips go too far or come up short?
Usually your effort changes from shot to shot, so your clubhead speed changes too. Hold the same tempo and let swing length set the distance.
