Pencil Chipping Drill

Unlike the full swing, the wrists play a minimal role when it comes to most chip shots. Flop shot excluded, your chipping stroke should be controlled simply by the movement of your shoulders, much like a putt.This drastically simplifies the stroke and ultimately eliminates the possibility of hitting it thin or fat. The problem with …

Unlike the full swing, the wrists play a minimal role when it comes to most chip shots. Flop shot excluded, your chipping stroke should be controlled simply by the movement of your shoulders, much like a putt.This drastically simplifies the stroke and ultimately eliminates the possibility of hitting it thin or fat. The problem with the wrists is that there are extra moving parts and a higher variance when it comes to accelerating into the ball. Golf is hard enough as is, simplifying the motion is something we should all practice.

This drill will help you to eliminate a wristy follow-through more than anything, so if you have a habit of flipping your chips or if you tend to hit thin shots often, this drill is for you. I see this fault most commonly with the players who have the long backswing… short declarative stroke in attempts to control distance, followed by an abrupt follow-through. I think you know who I’m talking about…

You’ll need a pencil and a wristband, or any one of those rubber ‘livestrong’ type bracelets everyone wears to show their support for a charity or cause. Place the pencil in the wristband so the pencil covers the back of wrist from your lower forearm to the back of your hand. The yellow line in this image represents the pencil. Now, practice hitting some chips. If you flip after impact, the pencil will dig into the back of your hand. Instant feedback! If you’re really struggling with keeping your wrists out of the stroke, try sharpening the end of the pencil!

Pencil Chipping Drills Tips

The best mental image to keep in mind when chipping is that the clubhead never passes the wrists… ever.