The 'Potato Chip' Drill That Helps Golfers Beat Swing Tension

Tension is one of the toughest obstacles to a free-flowing golf swing, especially over a pressure shot, and PGA Tour instructor Brian Mogg says the fix might be sitting in your pantry.

Golfers under pressure often tighten their grip, lock up their shoulders and lose the fluid motion they built on the range. Mogg, who runs the Zone Golf Schools, said much of that tension starts with an unconscious habit: clenching the jaw.

What causes tension in the golf swing?

Standard fixes, like breathing, loosening the grip or taking a few practice swings, help, but Mogg learned a more direct diagnostic from performance coach Jim Fannin: the "potato chip" drill. Clenching the jaw under pressure often spreads tension into the shoulders, arms and hands, tightening the whole swing before the club ever moves.

How does the potato chip drill work?

Place a regular potato chip between your teeth before addressing the ball, then make a normal swing while trying not to break it. A broken chip signals a clenched jaw; an intact one means the jaw, and likely the rest of the body, stayed relaxed through impact. Zone Golf Schools uses the drill because it gives students immediate, physical feedback on how they respond to pressure rather than relying on a verbal cue alone. Mogg recommends starting with a thin, small chip and slow practice swings before trying it at full speed.

Can golfers use it on the course?

Carrying a bag of chips onto the course isn't the point. The drill is meant to teach golfers what a relaxed jaw feels like so they can recognize, and release, tension before it creeps into a swing during a real round. Before a pressure shot, Mogg suggests a breath, a softened jaw and relaxed hands, then a natural swing rather than a forced one.