Benefits of Choking Down on Golf Club

By dj-admin •  Updated: 07/14/23 •  6 min read

Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links. If you buy anything through these links I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Choking down on golf club is a technique that allows you to make more solid contact and get through the ball with more power. It’s very effective, but it’ll take a little time to learn how to do it well. You could choke down or grip down with your hands so that they are lower on the butt end of the club than they typically would be. 

What is Choking Down on Golf Club?

Choking down makes the swing feel easier because you have greater control over both the shaft and ball with your hands closer to the clubhead. It’s best used for shots when accuracy is more important than power, like near-the-green shots where you need to fly the ball close to a flag or hole.

The key to choking down is to get your hands lower on the grip. To do this, you can either loosen or remove some of the tapes on your handle. If you’re using a club with a fixed-length shaft and extra-stiff flex, you’ll be able to choke down without having to alter your grips at all. 

If not, you might have to remove some grip from the butt end of the club so that it doesn’t hit your chin while lowering it into position before taking a swing.

That’s pretty much all there is to it — just remember that if people are watching, even in practice rounds when no one’s keeping score or anything, they might make fun of you for looking like a dork with half a golf club up to your chin. 

But in the end, choking down will make you a better golfer and help you play better rounds that are more satisfying for everyone involved.

6 Benefits of Choking Down on Golf Club

1. A higher ball flight in the air

Choking down allows for a higher ball flight into the air, which is helpful when it’s windy so that the ball doesn’t get blown off-course by the wind as easily or before it gets to where you want it to go. 

The lower position of your hands also decreases the amount of time between when they hit the ball and when they exit; this can increase power if swing speed isn’t biased toward too slow a tempo.

2. Accuracy

Mastering this technique takes time, but it’s very beneficial to do so and isn’t all that difficult. First, work on your swing speed. Then learn the proper way to grip down on the club, which is to choke down more than you normally would so that your hands are lower on the butt end of the shaft when they’re in their standard position at the address [draw a picture]. 

When you can get this part right consistently, then focus on making good shots using this technique. It’ll help give you more accuracy for those times when control is far more important than power; chokes are used for shots closer to the green or sometimes when there are hazards between where you’re standing and where you want your ball to go.

3. Better score

As an added benefit, this technique can also help lower your scores by making it easier to fly the ball straight at flags or holes of any kind. It’s not strictly necessary for a good golf swing, but some players prefer it because they like to have as much control over every aspect of their games as possible and don’t want to rely too heavily on luck. 

The more consistent you are, the better off your score will be, so try learning how to choke down on your club if you haven’t already.

4. Better control

Choking down allows for more control over every aspect of your play because your hands are in a stronger position when they’re on the club, which is key in windy conditions. If all other things remain equal between two shots — such as swing speed, tempo, clubhead speed, etc. 

Then a choke would be preferable for most people over an out-to-in or an inside-to-square shot because there’s less chance it’ll be affected by the wind when this happens.

5. Testing your shots

Learn how to choke down effectively. Use your normal grip as a reference point and try not to let your hands slip or slide up on the club during play; if they do, you might accidentally hit someone with the butt end of your club!

This can happen accidentally, so just make sure that you keep firmly in place while trying to learn how to use chokes for golf shots. 

Then, once you’re very comfortable using this technique, then attempt longer shots in order to see where it has improved your game and where there’s still improvement needed.

 You can work on these parts over time and refine your skills further, which will help you have the most number of options available when it comes to your game.

6. Become a more versatile player

Chokes should be something every player knows how to do, but whether or not they’re used consistently is an entirely different matter. 

If you can master this technique and use it during games, then you’ll be a more versatile player with a lot more ways to control your shots than if you never bothered learning in the first place. Focus on making sure your grip is stable before swinging; then go for it!

Choking Down on Golf Club – Conclusion

We hope this article has been helpful to you in understanding the importance of choking down on a golf club. The more control you have over your shots, the better chance that luck will be on your side and not against you! 

Choking down is easier than it sounds, so if it’s something that interests you or feels like an area where improvement could make a difference for your game, try these tips out today. 

Which other areas do you think would benefit from choking down? Let us know what else we should cover next time!