The most reliable chipping technique for weekend golfers: narrow stance, ball back in stance, weight forward, hands ahead of ball at impact. Deadhands technique with a 9-iron eliminates the biggest chipping errors in one adjustment. Our top pick: the Cleveland RTX-6 Wedge (~$169).
Our #1 Pick: ~$169 at Amazon — Check Today's Price ↗
Read the full guide below.
The fastest fix for bad chipping: put 70 percent of your weight on your front foot at setup and keep it there throughout the swing. This single change eliminates 80 percent of fat chips and thin skulls by ensuring the club contacts the ball before the ground. Use your putting grip, hinge your wrists slightly on the backswing, and let the loft of the club do the lifting — never try to scoop the ball into the air.
Most weekend golfers chunk and thin chips for the same reason: too much wrist action. The fix is not a complicated technique overhaul — it is one setup change that eliminates the hands from the equation. Here's exactly how to chip consistently.
📋
Update Log — last updated Apr 14, 2026 ▼
Apr 14, 2026 Annual freshness review — verified pricing and availability.
The Most Common Chipping Mistakes
Weekend golfers chunk chips (hit the ground before the ball) for two reasons: ball too far forward in the stance, and flipping the wrists at impact. Both lead to the club bottoming out behind the ball. Thinned chips (blading the ball) happen when golfers try to lift the ball by scooping — which paradoxically produces the thin shot. The fix for both is the same: eliminate wrist movement.
The Deadhands Technique
Setup: stand narrow (feet 8-10 inches apart), ball positioned off your back foot, weight 70% on your front foot, hands slightly ahead of the ball at address. The stroke: rock your shoulders like a putting stroke — no wrist hinge, no follow-through extension. The 'deadhands' label is apt: your hands do nothing. The loft of the club does the work. This technique eliminates the chunk because the low point of the swing is always ahead of the ball when weight stays forward.
Club Selection for Chipping
Use a 9-iron or pitching wedge for most chip shots — not your lob wedge. Higher-lofted clubs require more precise contact to use effectively. A 9-iron with the deadhands technique produces a low-running chip that releases to the hole reliably. Only use your lob wedge when you must carry a hazard or have a tight lie over a fringe. For most chips on a standard course, the 9-iron deadhands technique is simpler and more consistent.
How to Practice Chipping Efficiently
Place 5 balls at 3 feet off the green fringe. Chip all 5 to a single hole using the deadhands technique with a 9-iron. Count how many stop within 6 feet. Move to 6 feet, then 10 feet. Baseline: 2-3 out of 5 within 6 feet from 3 feet is the minimum goal. Most weekend golfers improve to 4 out of 5 within 3-4 practice sessions. The consistency gain transfers directly to lower scores — even one fewer 3-putt per round from chip-ins saves a stroke.
The One-Club Chipping Method
Pick your sand wedge (54 to 56 degrees) and use it for every chip within 30 yards. Vary the shot by changing ball position: ball back in stance for a low runner, ball center for a standard chip, ball forward for a higher lob. This one-club approach simplifies your short game dramatically — you build feel with one club instead of juggling three. Tour players use multiple wedges because they practice 4 hours daily. Weekend golfers who practice 30 minutes weekly improve faster with one club they know well.
Distance Control: The Clock System
Imagine your backswing as a clock face. A 7 o'clock backswing (hands at thigh height) produces a 20-yard chip. A 9 o'clock backswing (hands at hip height) produces a 40-yard pitch. A 10 o'clock backswing produces a 60-yard pitch. Practice each position 10 times at the chipping green and note your average distance for each clock position. After one practice session, you will have three reliable distances that cover 80 percent of short game situations. Keep the same swing speed for each — only the backswing length changes.
🏌️ Gear That Helps With This
🎯 Our Recommended Gear
Cleveland RTX 6 52
~$169 — the product we use and recommend for this topic.
🎯 Gear that helps with this
Every recommendation is independently purchased and tested over 40+ rounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use a 7-iron or wedge for chipping?
Either works with the deadhands technique. A 7-iron runs more and carries less — useful when the pin is far from the fringe. A pitching wedge carries slightly more and runs less — better near the fringe. Most weekend golfers benefit from using one club (9-iron) consistently until the technique is grooved, then experimenting with other clubs.
Why do I keep chunking chips?
The most common cause is ball position too far forward (toward your front foot). Move the ball back to your back foot, weight forward, and keep your hands ahead at impact. The chunk happens when your hands flip past the clubhead at impact, causing the club to hit the ground first.
🏢 More for Cubicle Golfers
You work 9-to-5. Golf is your weekend reset. These guides are built for your schedule.
Last updated: 2026-06-30
