Struggling with Duffed or Thinned Chip Shots? Here’s Why – and How to Fix It
If you’re constantly hitting behind the ball (duffing) or the leading edge strikes the top of the ball (thin) you’re not alone. These common short-game mistakes usually come down to one key issue: poor control of your low point and swing depth.
Let’s take a closer look at why this happens—and more importantly, how you can correct it to sharpen your chipping and save strokes around the green.
Low Point Control What is it?
The low point refers to the lowest part of the club’s swing arc. For effective chipping, the low point should ideally be slightly in front of the golf ball, allowing you to strike the ball first and then brush the ground.
What happens when it’s off?
Duffed Chips (Fat Shots):
This happens when your low point is often too far behind the ball. Instead of contacting the ball cleanly, the club strikes the ground first. However, you can still get away with chips that strike the ground first, the problem arises when the depth of the arc becomes too low, before the ball.
Thin Chips:
On the other hand, when your low point is too far ahead of the ball this can lead to thin shots and is also related to the arc of the wedge being too high and not bruising the turf.
Depth Control What is it?
Depth control refers to how deep your swing arc is. Ideally, to strike the ball well, we want the sole of the club to be bruising the turf when making contact with the ball.
What happens when it’s off?
Duffed Chips:
When your arc is too deep you dig the club into the turf, often resulting in fat shots. This often happens when the clubhead returns lower than where it started, striking too much ground.
Thin Chips:
If your arc is too high, the club stays too high through impact, and you catch the ball with the leading edge, leading to thin or bladed shots.
Try This Drill to Improve Your Chipping Consistency
One of the most effective ways to refine your strike is by using a simple chalk line drill. Start by drawing a white chalk line on the ground, positioned in the center of your stance. Focus on making contact with the ground just on the target side of the line—this helps train you to land the club slightly ahead of center, promoting clean, crisp contact.
Once you’re consistently striking the ground in the right spot, place a ball just in front of the line and continue practicing. You’ll quickly notice improvements in your ball striking and overall consistency.
Hope everyone has a great week!
-Coach Tim
Leave a Reply