Few shots in golf are as frustrating as a chunked chip or a skulled one that rockets over the green. You’re standing just off the putting surface, in perfect position to save par, and suddenly, one poor strike ruins your hole. The good news? Mishits around the green are not random accidents—they’re the result of small mechanical issues that can be fixed with the right approach.
If you want to turn your short game from shaky to reliable, these chipping drills for mishits will help you develop the consistency, touch, and control needed to get up and down more often.
Why Mishits Happen Around the Green
Before diving into the drills, it’s important to understand why mishits occur. Every golfer has chunked a chip or bladed one across the green, but both errors stem from the same core issue—poor low-point control.
In simpler terms, the “low point” of your swing arc—the spot where the club reaches its lowest point—should always happen slightly after the ball. If your low point is behind the ball, the club digs early (chunk). If it’s too far ahead, you hit the ball thin (skull).
Here are the most common reasons for inconsistent low points:
- Leaning back and trying to lift the ball.
- Flipping the wrists through impact.
- Poor weight distribution.
- Rushing or decelerating the stroke.
- Lack of rhythm or commitment.
By working on balance, tempo, and contact awareness, you can start controlling the low point—and that’s when chipping becomes predictable and stress-free.
The Setup Fix: Start with Proper Foundation
Every great chip starts with a solid setup. If your setup is inconsistent, your strike will be too. Follow this simple formula:
- Ball position: Slightly back of center.
- Weight: 60–70% on your lead foot.
- Hands: Slightly ahead of the ball.
- Stance: Narrow, feet close together.
- Clubface: Slightly open for loft and forgiveness.
This setup promotes a downward strike and ensures clean contact. Before practicing drills, take five minutes just to rehearse your setup and feel comfortable in it. The more automatic your setup becomes, the easier it will be to repeat under pressure.
Drill 1: The Lead Arm Control Drill
This drill helps eliminate wrist flipping and promotes solid contact by focusing on the lead arm.
How to do it:
- Grab a wedge and take your chipping stance.
- Place your trail hand behind your back.
- Hit small chips using only your lead hand.
You’ll quickly notice how difficult it is to control distance without flipping your wrist. Keeping the lead arm firm teaches you to rotate your body through the shot. After 10–15 reps, add your trail hand back in while maintaining that firm lead-arm sensation.
Why it works:
This drill improves the strike by training your lead arm and body to control the motion, not your hands. It’s especially helpful for players who scoop or decelerate through the ball.
Drill 2: The Coin Contact Drill
This is one of the simplest and most effective chipping drills for mishits, especially if you tend to hit behind the ball.
How to do it:
- Place a coin (or small marker) directly behind a ball on short grass.
- Set up as if to hit a normal chip shot.
- Try to strike the ball cleanly without hitting the coin.
If you hit the coin first, your low point is too far back. With repetition, your body learns to shift weight correctly and make ball-first contact.
Why it works:
The instant feedback helps you adjust quickly. This drill trains your brain to control the low point and make clean contact consistently.
Drill 3: The Towel Underarms Drill
One of the most common causes of mishits is excessive hand and wrist movement without proper body rotation. The towel drill encourages your arms and body to move together as a single unit.
How to do it:
- Place a small towel under both armpits.
- Take your normal chipping setup.
- Make small swings without letting the towel drop.
Focus on turning your chest back and through while keeping your arms connected. The motion should feel compact and controlled.
Why it works:
This teaches synchronized motion between your upper body and arms, preventing scooping or flipping. When the arms and torso move together, your strike becomes much more reliable.
Drill 4: The One-Hand Trail Arm Drill
If you tend to chunk shots because you decelerate, this drill will help you feel a smoother rhythm and better acceleration through impact.
How to do it:
- Take your normal chipping setup, but hold the club with only your trail hand.
- Make small, rhythmic swings, brushing the grass as you go.
- Focus on letting your arm and clubhead swing naturally without forcing it.
Once you can strike the ball cleanly, switch back to two hands. You’ll notice your tempo is much more consistent.
Why it works:
This drill improves rhythm and helps eliminate tension. You learn to let gravity and momentum control the swing, not muscle effort.
Drill 5: The Alignment Stick Low-Point Drill
To eliminate chunks and skulls permanently, you need to master low-point control. The alignment stick drill gives you visual feedback on where your club is bottoming out.
How to do it:
- Place an alignment stick 1–2 inches behind the ball.
- Take your normal setup and chip shots without striking the stick.
- Focus on hitting down slightly and brushing the turf after the ball.
If you hit the stick, you’re still bottoming out too early. Adjust your weight and feel your chest rotating through impact.
Why it works:
This drill teaches proper shaft lean and forward motion. Over time, your contact becomes cleaner, your trajectory more predictable, and your confidence skyrockets.
Drill 6: The Ladder Distance Drill
Mishits often happen when you’re tense or uncertain about distance. This drill develops distance control while reinforcing consistent contact.
How to do it:
- Set up 3–5 targets at increasing distances (e.g., 10, 20, 30, 40 feet).
- Chip one ball to each target in sequence.
- Focus on landing each shot progressively farther.
Repeat the ladder forward and backward until your distance control feels natural.
Why it works:
This drill improves both contact and rhythm. It forces you to focus on feel rather than mechanics, helping your body develop instinctive touch around the green.
Drill 7: The Impact Brush Drill
If you’re struggling to make solid contact, this is a must-try. The goal is to build awareness of how the club interacts with the turf.
How to do it:
- Set up without a ball.
- Make short chipping swings, brushing the grass with the clubhead each time.
- The brush sound should happen slightly after where the ball would sit.
Add a ball once you can control the contact point consistently.
Why it works:
This drill improves your ability to control the club’s low point, builds confidence, and promotes a crisp, descending strike.
Drill 8: The Trail Foot Up Drill
If you tend to hang back on your trail foot, causing chunks or thin shots, this drill helps you feel proper weight shift.
How to do it:
- Set up normally but raise your trail heel slightly off the ground.
- Hit small chips while keeping your heel lifted.
- Focus on finishing with your weight fully on your lead foot.
Why it works:
Keeping your trail foot light encourages forward momentum. It trains your body to stay centered and strike the ball cleanly every time.
Drill 9: The Landing Spot Focus Drill
Sometimes mishits happen not because of bad technique, but because of poor focus. This simple visual drill improves precision and consistency.
How to do it:
- Pick a small landing spot on the green—no bigger than a coin.
- Focus your eyes on that exact spot as you make your chipping swing.
- Visualize the ball landing there and rolling out to the hole.
Why it works:
By shifting your attention to a landing point, your body instinctively adjusts to produce cleaner contact. It’s a great drill to use before every round to sharpen your feel.
How to Build a Reliable Chipping Routine
Drills alone won’t fix mishits unless you commit to a consistent practice routine. Here’s a simple structure that works:
- Warm up with brush swings (Drill 7) to feel contact.
- Hit 10 coin drill reps to refine low-point control.
- Do 10 towel-underarm chips to synchronize body rotation.
- Finish with 15 ladder drill shots to improve feel.
Spend just 20–30 minutes a few times a week on this routine, and you’ll start to see a transformation in your short game.
Consistency breeds confidence—and confidence eliminates fear around the greens.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Practicing
Even with good drills, small errors can sneak back into your motion. Keep these reminders in mind:
- Don’t rush. Slow, deliberate practice builds real improvement.
- Avoid hitting ball after ball mindlessly. Focus on feedback.
- Don’t lean back or try to “lift” the ball. Let loft do the work.
- Never decelerate. Commit to a smooth, accelerating stroke.
- Don’t grip too tightly. Light hands promote natural release.
By practicing mindfully, you’ll ingrain correct habits that hold up under pressure.
Conclusion
Solid chipping isn’t about magic—it’s about precision, awareness, and repetition. The best players control their low point, keep their body in rhythm, and practice drills that build muscle memory.
These chipping drills for mishits will help you eliminate chunks and skulls while bringing consistency back to your short game. With better control and confidence, you’ll save strokes, shoot lower scores, and finally enjoy those short shots that used to make you nervous.
The next time you miss a green, you’ll know exactly what to do—and how to get up and down like a pro.
FAQ
1. What causes most chipping mishits?
Mishits usually happen when the low point of your swing is behind the ball due to poor weight shift or wrist flipping.
2. How can I stop chunking chips?
Keep your weight forward, rotate through impact, and practice low-point control drills like the coin or alignment stick drill.
3. Why do I skull chips over the green?
You’re likely leaning back or trying to scoop the ball. Focus on hitting down slightly and letting the loft lift the ball.
4. How often should I practice chipping drills?
Even 20 minutes two to three times a week can produce noticeable improvement in your short game.
5. What’s the best club for chipping around the green?
It depends on the shot. Use a pitching wedge for bump-and-runs, a sand wedge for lofted shots, and a lob wedge for high, soft landings.