In order to stop scooping or flipping your chip shots, we have found an incredible training aid, the Chip Assist.

A topped shot and a chunked shot are the same thing, a topped shot is hitting the ball first and a chunked shot is hitting the ground first. But in both cases, the club is passing your hands at impact. When we try to get people to get their hands ahead of the ball, we usually use the impact bag. However, often people incorrectly swing at the impact bag and unintentionally drag the handle through impact. What we really want to happen, is we really want to get our hips out of the way of the club. It’s the same action as skipping a stone.

I often say to students, when we are learning to swing the club, we are trying to swing the club exactly like we would skip a stone. So we came across the Chip Assist tool that helps us achieve this. The Chip Assist also comes with an adapter for anyone with a smaller grip on their clubs such as juniors, ladies, or men with small hands.

When using the Chip Assist, you will set up with the tool resting on your lead hip or lead waist. When making a swing, if you tend to get scoopy or handsy, the device will correct this movement pattern by smacking you on the side.

The best way to use this tool is to accompany it with the impact bag to create both good impact position as well as getting those hips working toward the target. We want our club shaft to lead our club head. When your hip gets out of the way, you are probably going to get the hands ahead of the club face. To purchase yours: https://amzn.to/3rfggjN

Click the picture below to watch the full video.

There are a few ways to use an impact bag but I would like to talk about one of the ways I like to use it. First off, I want to talk about why we use the impact bag. The first impact bag was invented by a guy named Dr. Gary Wiren. Written on the first impact bag was the words “The Moment of Truth”. What this means is that when you are using the impact bag, the moment of truth is when we strike the ball, right at impact. We really like to use the bag mostly for those who tend to “scoop” the ball, both during little shots and full shots. This is usually what happens when golfers, sometimes unconsciously, try to lift the ball in the air by trying to get under it. What we actually want to happen is to strike the ball with our handle (and hands) leading the clubhead at impact. When you see pros hitting shots on the range and during a round, their club is still descending when they make contact with the ball which is why their divot is ahead of the ball.

One of the most important principles to adhere to while using the impact bag is to swing the club slow and intentional in order to get the correct impact position. I also would recommend aiming for the center of the impact bag with your club head.

Good Impact Position!!!

Poor impact position

There are 3 drills I would recommend to do while using the impact bag. Image and description of each drill below.

Lead hand on the club only with the wrist bowed or flexed.

2. Trail hand only drill where the trail wrist is cupped or extended.

3. Both hands on the club swinging slowly and intentionally to create good impact position and weight transfer.

Ultimately, the purpose of this drill is to get you transferring weight into your lead leg early and also get a feel for good impact position.

If you’d like to purchase an impact bag, click here.