Our Verdict
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.
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.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use a 7-iron or wedge for chipping?
Why do I keep chunking chips?
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