Drills to Stop Chunking and Thinning Chips: Master Your Short Game

There’s nothing quite as frustrating as standing over a chip shot, envisioning the ball landing softly and rolling to the hole, only to chunk it a few feet or blade it screaming across the green. These inconsistent chip shots – the dreaded chunks and thins – plague golfers of all levels. But fear not! These issues are often symptoms of underlying technique flaws that can be addressed with targeted drills. In this guide, we'll explore specific drills to help you eliminate those frustrating chunked and thinned chip shots, leading to more confidence and lower scores around the greens.

Understanding Chunking and Thinning

Before diving into the drills, it's essential to understand what causes these undesirable shots. Chunking occurs when the club strikes the ground before the ball, resulting in a fat shot that travels a short distance. Thinning happens when the club strikes the ball above its equator, causing a low, running shot that often flies too far.

Common Causes of Chunking:

• Weight too far back: This causes the club to bottom out prematurely.
• Reaching at the ball: This can cause you to pull the club up and hit behind the ball.
• Excessive wrist hinge: Overusing the wrists can lead to inconsistent contact.
• Lack of lower body rotation: Failing to rotate the lower body can cause the arms to swing independently, often leading to a chunk.

Common Causes of Thinning:

• Weight too far forward: This can cause you to blade the ball.
• Lifting the body: Rising up during the swing causes the club to strike the ball high on its face.
• Flipping the wrists: An early wrist flip can thin the ball due to inconsistent low point control.
• Poor posture: Slouching or incorrect spine angle affects the swing plane and low point.

Drills to Eliminate Chunking

These drills focus on improving your low point control and ensuring a more consistent strike.

1. The Towel Drill

This drill encourages hitting the ball first by preventing you from hitting the ground prematurely.

1. Place a small towel a few inches behind the ball.
2. Set up to the ball as you normally would for a chip.
3. Focus on striking the ball cleanly without hitting the towel.
4. If you hit the towel, you’re hitting behind the ball. Adjust your technique until you consistently avoid the towel.

Key Focus: Crisp contact, hitting the ball first.

2. The Impact Bag Drill

This drill helps you feel the proper impact position and encourages forward shaft lean.

1. Place an impact bag where the ball would normally be.
2. Set up to the bag with your weight slightly forward.
3. Make a chipping motion, focusing on compressing the bag with forward shaft lean. This means your hands should be slightly ahead of the clubhead at impact.
4. Feel the pressure in your lead leg.

Key Focus: Forward shaft lean, weight shift.

3. The L to L Drill

This drill promotes a proper chipping motion with minimal wrist action. It emphasizes arm and shoulder rotation.

1. Set up in your chipping stance.
2. Make a backswing, stopping when your lead arm is parallel to the ground and your club forms an L shape with your arm.
3. Swing through to the finish, stopping when your trail arm is parallel to the ground and forms an L shape in the opposite direction.
4. Focus on maintaining a stable wrist throughout the motion. The power should come from your arms and shoulders, not your wrists.

Key Focus: Smooth, controlled swing, minimal wrist action.

4. The Alignment Stick Drill

This drill helps maintain a consistent swing path and prevents swinging too far from the inside, which can lead to chunking. The stick gives you instant feedback on your swing plane.

1. Place an alignment stick on the ground, parallel to your target line.
2. Set up so the stick is just outside of your feet.
3. As you chip, focus on swinging the clubhead along the alignment stick. Avoid swinging too far inside or outside the line.

Key Focus: On-plane swing, consistent swing path.

Drills to Eliminate Thinning

These drills address posture, balance, and swing mechanics to prevent hitting the ball high on the clubface.

1. The Headcover Drill

A simple drill that checks your low point during your motion. You will understand the importance of consistent height throughout your arc.

1. Set up in your normal chipping position.
2. Place your clubhead down at address where you want to strike the ball.
3. Place a headcover directly behind the golf ball.
4. If you hit the headcover during your backswing or follow through then you have dipped and your low point is moving around too much.

Key Focus: Stable head, staying down through impact.

2. The Coin Drill

This drill trains you to maintain your spine angle and avoid standing up during the swing.

1. Place a coin on the ground a few inches behind the ball.
2. Address the ball in your normal chipping stance.
3. As you swing, focus on keeping your chest pointing towards the coin. This will help you maintain your spine angle.
4. If you stand up during the swing, you'll lose sight of the coin.

Key Focus: Maintaining spine angle, avoiding standing up.

3. The Forward Press Drill

This drill encourages a slight forward press at address, which helps to pre-set your weight forward and promotes a downward strike.

1. Address the ball in your normal chipping stance.
2. Before starting your swing, gently press your hands forward towards the target, effectively leaning the shaft slightly forward.
3. Maintain this forward press throughout your chipping motion.

Key Focus: Forward press, downward strike.

4. The Feet Together Drill

This reduces lower body movement, which is a common key to thinning the ball. It encourages you to use your arms and core to control the swing, enhancing stability and balance.

1. Set up with your feet close together, almost touching.
2. Make your normal chipping motion, focusing on using your arms and core to control the swing.
3. The narrow stance limits lower body movement, which will help you maintain your balance and prevent topping the ball.

Key Focus: Balance, upper body control.

Beyond the Drills: Key Chipping Fundamentals

While drills are essential, mastering the fundamentals will provide a solid foundation for your chipping game.

• Grip: Use a light grip pressure. Gripping too tightly restricts your wrist hinge and can lead to tension.
• Stance: A narrow stance allows you to move easier.
• Ball Position: Ball position dictates launch angle of the ball.
• Weight Distribution: Slightly favor your lead leg (60/40 split). This encourages a downward strike.
• Swing Path: Focus on a smooth, pendulum-like motion. Avoid jerky movements.
• Club Selection: Choose the right club for the shot. Consider the distance to the hole, the amount of green you have to work with, and the lie of the ball.

Integrating the Drills into Your Practice Routine

Consistency is key to improving your chipping game. Here's how to effectively incorporate these drills into your practice:

1. Start Slow: Begin with slow, deliberate swings, focusing on the feel of the drill.
2. Gradual Progression: Gradually increase your swing speed as you become more comfortable.
3. Regular Practice: Practice these drills regularly, even if it's just for 15-20 minutes each session.
4. Transfer to the Course: Once you feel confident on the practice green, try incorporating the changes into your on-course play.
5. Seek Professional Guidance: Consider taking a lesson from a qualified golf instructor. They can identify specific areas for improvement and provide personalized guidance.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with dedicated practice, you may still encounter occasional chunked or thinned chip shots. Here's how to troubleshoot:

Issue	Possible Cause	Solution
Consistent Chunking	Weight too far back, excessive wrist hinge	Focus on weight forward, minimize wrist action. Implement the Towel Drill.
Consistent Thinning	Standing up, weight too far forward	Maintain spine angle, adjust weight distribution. Implement the Coin Drill.
Inconsistent Contact	Tension, poor balance	Relax your grip, focus on smooth swing. Implement the Feet Together Drill.

Conclusion

Eliminating chunked and thinned chip shots requires understanding the underlying causes and implementing targeted drills. By consistently practicing these drills and focusing on the fundamentals, you can develop a more reliable chipping technique, gain confidence around the greens, and ultimately lower your scores. Remember to be patient, persistent, and enjoy the process of improving your short game. Now go out there and start chipping like a pro!