Chunk / Fat Chip
The club hits the ground behind the ball, and the shot comes up well short of the target.
Why it happens
A chunked chip happens when the stroke's low point arrives before the ball instead of after it, so the ground takes the club's energy first. It shows up more easily on short shots since there's so little margin for error in exactly where that low point lands.
Possible causes in your swing, and how to fix each one
Tap any cause to see its fix. Work through them one at a time, usually one or two are the real culprit.
01
Hanging back on your right foot
This shifts the stroke's low point backward, into the ground behind the ball.
Set up with roughly 60–70% of your weight on your left foot, and keep it there throughout the stroke.
02
Trying to lift the ball with the wrists
Active wrist use to "help" the ball up moves the low point earlier and behind the ball.
Keep the wrists quiet and let a simple shoulder-driven, pendulum-style motion do the work.
03
Ball positioned too far forward
For most chips, playing the ball too far forward in the stance encourages hitting the ground first.
Position the ball slightly back of center in your stance for a descending, ball-first strike.
04
Flipping the club with the right hand
Letting the right hand take over and release early causes the club to bottom out before the ball.
Practice keeping the grip handle ahead of the clubhead all the way through impact, an "hands lead the way" feel.
05
Looking up too early ("peeking")
Trying to see the result before the stroke is finished often pulls the club up and out of the ground early, contributing to poor contact.
Keep your eyes on the spot where the ball was until well after you feel contact.
Recommended video
Stop Chunking Your Wedges: Dan Grieve's Short Game Secrets
TaylorMade Golf
How do you compare to the pros?
Scrambling (up-and-down rate after missing the green)
A Chunk / Fat Chip is exactly the kind of miss that turns a routine up-and-down into a bogey or worse.
Sources: PGA Tour scrambling stats, 2022-23 season (about 59%); amateur short-game data aggregates, mid-handicap band (about 38 to 40%).
When to stop self-diagnosing
If you've genuinely worked through two or three of these causes over several range sessions and the miss keeps showing up, that's not a failure since it usually means the real cause is something you can't feel or see in your own swing. A single 30-minute lesson with a certified instructor, who can watch you hit balls, will find it faster than any website. Bring this page along and tell them what you've already ruled out; it'll save you both time.