If you’re spraying approach shots all over the place, you’d better be adept at getting up and down. Otherwise, you’ll pile up a ton of bogeys and double bogeys. Getting up and down after missing an approach shot often means leaving chips a foot or so from the pin, giving you highly makeable putts. Unfortunately, many weekend golfers are poor chippers, hurting their ability to get up and down. The claw grip described below can improve chipping accuracy and make getting up and down automatic
Below are five keys to this shot:
- Grip the club with the right hand
- Wrap the left hand around right
- Place the right thumb over the left
- Take your normal address for chipping
- Make your normal chipping stroke
While sticking approach shots is the key to carding more pars and birdies, hitting chips close to the pin also helps. The claw grip can help increase chipping accuracy.
Start by gripping your club with your left hand (right hand, if you’re left-handed) in the middle. But instead of placing your right hand (left hand, if you’re left-handed) below your left hand on the club, wrap it around your other hand. Make sure your right thumb is directly over your left thumb and that no part of your right hand touches the club.
Take your normal chipping address, with the ball positioned off your back ankle. Make your normal chipping swing. Focus on making ball first contact.
The claw grip removes your right hand from the action. Instead, it makes your swing left-handed dominated. This is key because with a good chip your left hand never stops moving through the shot. If it does, you’ll flip your clubhead past your hands and hit the ball fat or thin, the last thing you need to do here.