The terms “Choking Up” or “Gripping Down” or even “Choking Down” on a golf club all refer to when a golfer moves their hands down the club shaft (away from the butt end and in the direction of the club head). This essentially shortens the length of the club. Almost all pros have used this tactic when on the golf course, but there are a few that choke down on their club much more consistently than others.
Below is a list of golfers who choke down on the club.
Pro Golfers Who Choke Down
- Tommy Fleetwood
- Sergio Garcia
- Anthony Kim
- Jim Furyk
- Ricky Fowler
- Brooke Henderson
Whether it is from the tee box or the fairway, you are much more likely to see these 6 pro golfers choking down on the club. In fact, golfer Tommy Fleetwood is one of the biggest advocates for choking down on the club as he says it gives him much more distance control, especially with his driver.
Why Do Pro Golfers Choke Down?
There are a few reasons why pros choke down on the club. Below are the most common benefits:
- Distance Control: The more you choke down on the club, the shorter the shot goes. Rather than clubbing down, some pros prefer to choke down on the club. It stiffens the shaft and the amount of distance the club has to travel, which means less swing speed, thus less distance.
- Straighter Shot: With less distance for the club to travel (by being shortened from the hand position), choking down on the club makes it a bit easier to hit a straight shot as the club face does not have to rotate as much. In other words, choking down keeps the club face straight.
Ball flight control: Choking down can help you modify the trajectory of your shots. For example, if you choke down on a long iron or fairway wood, you can reduce the trajectory, which may be helpful in windy conditions or when trying to keep the ball under branches.