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Putting a potato chip between your teeth while swinging a golf club will help you check the amount of tension there is your motion. If it breaks, you need to lighten up.
Putting a potato chip between your teeth while swinging a golf club will help you check the amount of tension there is your motion. If it breaks, you need to lighten up.
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Golfers often hit erratic shots because of tension in their hands, arms, shoulders and neck. When that happens, the flow of the swing is compromised and the path and clubface angle could be altered.

I use this “chip drill” as a way to help players monitor the tension they’re creating. Simply place a potato chip between your teeth and make some swings without breaking the chip. If you have too much tension, your jaw will tighten and the chip will break. But if you swing with maximum effort and don’t break the chip, your tension is under control, making this a great drill for instant feedback.

This drill is popular at my junior golf camps and clinics as the youngsters love to see how far they can hit the ball while maintaining a tension-free jaw, neck, shoulders, arms and hands. Plus, it serves as positive – and tasty – reinforcement after a successful shot!

Alison Curdt, PGA, is the 2016 SCPGA Teacher of the Year and director of golf instruction at Wood Ranch Country Club in Simi Valley. She can be reached at alison@alisoncurdtgolf.com.