John Daly’s Surprising Short Game Secret: The One-Armed Chipping Drill For Perfect Contact

July 25, 2025: John Daly is a name that will always be associated with powerful drives, a charming demeanor, and two major tournament wins: the 1991 PGA tournament and the 1995 Open Championship. He has made a lasting impression on the world of golf. Daly’s “grip-it-and-rip-it” style typically got all the attention, but his short game, which many people don’t realize was so important to his success, was also very important. The golf icon is now revealing one of his favorite drills. It’s a simple but efficient way to make clean contact around the greens that can help you swing better.

The Drill: Chipping with One Arm for Clean Contact
Daly’s favorite short game workout is to hit chip shots with just his lead arm (the left arm for a right-handed golfer). Daly says that this practice not only improves contact, but it is also a very useful diagnostic tool that helps golfers find their swing problems. When you swing with only one hand, any flaws with the swing become clear right away. This makes it easier to figure out which hand might be generating the troubles. Good contact means the club is moving the right way, whereas bad contact shows swing defects that are already there.

How to Do John Daly’s One-Armed Chipping Drill in Steps
Take your wedge: Pick a wedge that feels good to you, such a 52, 54, 56, or 60 degree one. Daly shows how to use a 52-degree wedge, which he says is his favorite club for warming up before a round or teeing off.

Normal Setup: Stand with your feet close together, the ball in the middle, and the shaft leaning slightly forward.

Take your right hand off the club completely if you are right-handed. You will only be swinging with your left arm.

Smooth Chipping Motion: Use only your lead arm to make a smooth backswing and follow-through. Let the clubhead “fall” naturally onto the ball.

Concentrate on making solid contact and following through: A clean strike shows that you’re on the correct track. If you “stub” (strike the ground before the ball) or “blade” (hit the top of the ball), it means that something is wrong with your body movement or your takeout.

Daly says that before a round, you should hit 10 to 20 balls with this drill. He says it helps him keep his rhythm and get his whole swing in tune.

Why This Drill Lasts
Daly says that this workout helps him keep his takeaway mechanics in good shape. He thinks that getting the backswing right is really important because it makes the remainder of the swing come into place more smoothly. The golf legend says that 90% of amateur golfers’ bad shots come from a bad backswing, whether it’s too far inside or outside the target line. This one-handed drill naturally makes golfers stay on plane, use their bodies correctly, and not move their hands too much.

This exercise is useful for more than just chipping; you can even use it on the putting green to improve your putting stroke and gain better control.

Last Thoughts
John Daly is known for his amazing power, but this deceptively simple chipping workout is a great reminder that understanding the basics is the key to hitting the ball well. This technique is easy to do and any golfer may add it to their practice regimen, which could lead to big improvements.

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