Top Chipping Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Chipping looks easy until it’s your ball sitting awkwardly off the green, and suddenly your hands are sweating like you’re putting for a major.

We’ve all been there — standing over a simple chip shot and somehow managing to either skull it 30 yards past the pin or dig a crater two feet behind the ball.

Good news? You’re not alone. And better news? Most of the common mistakes are easier to fix than you think — once you know what’s actually going wrong.

Let’s dive straight into it, because shaving a few strokes off your short game might be the easiest win you’ll get all year.

The Hand Flip That Wrecks Everything

“If your chips are hit-or-miss — some thin, some fat — it’s probably because you’re doing what a lot of golfers do: flipping at the ball with your wrists,” said a recent analysis from The Golf Collective.

Research from HackMotion confirms it’s one of the biggest short game killers in 2025, especially under pressure.

And man, is that relatable.

When you get nervous (or just a little too eager), it’s natural to want to help the ball into the air with a flick of the wrists. Problem is, this last-second “flip” destroys your contact.

Instead of brushing the grass and clipping the ball cleanly, you either chunk it or blade it across the green.

The Fix:
Quiet those hands down. Feel like you’re moving your upper body and arms together, like a mini swing — not a desperate wrist-flick at the bottom. Pretend you’re just brushing the grass under the ball, not trying to lift it.

Weight Shift = Disaster (When It’s Wrong)

Another biggie? Bad weight distribution.

As one April 2025 instructional video bluntly put it: “If you have poor contact when you’re chipping, you’re not going to be a good chipper.” Ouch, but fair.

If your weight drifts back during the swing, even just a little, the low point of your swing shifts too — and suddenly you’re either chunking behind the ball or catching it thin.

The Fix:
At setup, lean your sternum slightly ahead of the ball, with about 70–80% of your weight on your lead foot. Feel that pressure stay forward all the way through. It’s like your front foot is the anchor holding everything steady.

Locking Up Your Body (AKA The Statue Chip)

You know that feeling when you get so focused on your hands that your whole body just… freezes? Yeah, that’s a thing. And it’s killing your chipping.

A 2025 HackMotion study found that a lot of amateurs chip only with their arms and hands, while their lower body stays stuck. No turn, no flow — just a panicked slap at the ball.

The Fix:
Let your body move a little! It doesn’t have to be a big turn like a full swing, but your chest should rotate slightly toward the target through impact. Imagine your chest and the clubhead finishing together, pointing at the flag.

Using the Wrong Club for the Shot

Raise your hand if your “chipping club” is always your 60° wedge.
(Raises hand sheepishly.)

Dan Grieve called this out big time in 2025: “A lot of club golfers take out their favorite club in this scenario — 58° or 60° wedge. If you do that, the loft of the club combined with the upslope will send the ball straight up in the air.”

Translation? You’re making the shot way harder than it needs to be.

The Fix:
Choose your club based on the shot you want, not your comfort blanket. Need more roll? Grab an 8-iron or 9-iron. Need to get it high and stop it quick? Sure, then go with the lob wedge. But make it a conscious choice, not autopilot.

Setup Tweaks That Actually Matter

Setup isn’t sexy, but it’s everything in chipping.

The latest advice from top PGA instructors in 2025? Nail these basics:

• Sternum Ahead of the Ball: Your chest should feel slightly in front of the ball at address.
• Weight Forward: 70–80% on your lead foot.
• Stance Narrower Than a Full Swing: Feet closer together helps promote a cleaner strike.
• Shaft Slightly Vertical: Not super leaned forward — more neutral.
• Grip Pressure Light: Like holding a tube of toothpaste without squeezing it.

Small changes, massive difference.

(Helpful Tip: Trent Wearner even recommends practicing your setup on a hardwood floor at home to get a feel for the shaft angle.)

New Techniques You’ll See More of in 2025

Chipping isn’t standing still. Some fresh techniques are gaining serious traction:

• Upright Shaft Secret: Keep the shaft more vertical and use your body, not your hands, to swing.
• Modern Forward-Shift Technique: Start moving slightly toward the target during the backswing for crisp contact and big spin.
• Chip-Putting Method: Copy your putting stroke when using wedges or even mid-irons around the green. Think low flight, easy control.

These approaches aren’t magic tricks, but they simplify your motion and make clean contact feel automatic.

Two Easy Drills That Can Save Your Short Game

1. Chipping Zone Challenge

Set up 10 balls, 10 yards from the hole:

• 4 points if you hole it
• 2 points inside 3 feet
• 1 point inside 6 feet

Benchmark:

• 8 points = beginner
• 16 points = mid-handicap
• 24 points = scratch level

It’s simple. It’s addictive. And it makes practice actually feel like a game.

2. Left Arm Only Drill

Chip using only your lead arm. It’ll feel weird — and that’s good.
This drill teaches you the feel of a stable wrist and proper clubface control, without your trail hand getting all flippy and weird.

A Quick Word on the Mental Game

Sometimes, the yips creep in. (We don’t talk about it. But we know.)

Dan Grieve nailed it: “The yips are 99% mental.”

If you’re tensing up over a simple chip, try thinking about making solid contact instead of “trying to hit it perfect.” Simplicity wins under pressure.

Final Thought

The gap between pros and amateurs in chipping isn’t talent — it’s understanding what matters. Fix the hand action, fix the weight shift, pick smarter clubs, trust the simple setup tweaks.

And most importantly? Practice the stuff that feels boring. That’s where the real magic happens.

Because honestly, hitting a crisp chip that lands soft, checks once, and cozies up to the hole?
There’s nothing boring about that.