You hit a perfect drive, splitting the fairway. You follow it with a solid iron shot that lands just short of the green. You're left with a simple 20-yard chip. This should be an easy up-and-down. But then it happens.
Your club digs into the turf an inch behind the ball, and it chunks forward five feet. Or you catch it thin, and it screams across the green into the back bunker.
Sound familiar?
These are the most frustrating strokes in golf. They turn easy pars into bogeys and birdies into pars, completely derailing an otherwise solid round.
What if you could virtually eliminate those fat and thin shots from your game?
The secret has less to do with your swing and everything to do with the 10 seconds before you pull the club back.
Short game consistency isn't magic. It's science. In this guide, we'll break down the simple physics of crisp contact and show you how to build a foolproof setup that will save you strokes immediately.
The Short Game Setup Blueprint
-
Your Setup is the Problem: Inconsistency around the greens isn't a flawed swing—it's an inconsistent setup that causes fat and thin shots.
-
Master Your Low Point: Crisp contact comes from controlling where the bottom of your swing arc occurs—just in front of the ball.
-
Two Paths to Success: Elite instructors debate steep vs. shallow angles of attack. Both work, but require precision in setup.
-
The "Golden Triangle" is Universal: Ball position, weight distribution, and shaft lean form the foundation for any technique.
-
A Precision Station is Key: Systematic training aids that provide objective feedback eliminate guesswork and accelerate mastery.
The Root of Inconsistency: Why You Hit Chips Fat and Thin
Amateur golfers love to blame their "swing" when a chip goes wrong. They try to change their wrist action, their tempo, their backswing length. But in reality, a chipping motion is one of the simplest in golf.
The Truth:
The errors and inconsistency almost always stem from a faulty and, more importantly, variable setup.
The Myth of the "Perfect Swing"
Your short game stroke doesn't need to be perfect. It just needs to be repeatable. The reason you can hit ten perfect chips in a row on the practice green and then chunk one on the course is because your setup on the course was subtly different from the one that was working in practice.
Understanding Low Point Control
The secret to crisp, ball-first contact is low point control. The low point is the very bottom of your swing's arc.
Fat Shots
Occur when the low point of your swing is behind the golf ball. Your club hits the ground first, loses energy, and digs.
Thin Shots
Occur when the low point is too far in front of the ball, or your swing arc is too high. Your club catches the ball on the upswing, hitting its equator.
A consistent setup ensures your low point is in the same, predictable spot on every swing—just in front of the ball.
A consistent setup ensures your low point is in the same, predictable spot on every swing—just in front of the ball—guaranteeing a clean, downward strike.
Steep vs. Shallow: Two Paths to Crisp Contact
While a consistent low point is the goal, top instructors have long debated the best way to achieve it. This debate centers on the club's angle of attack.
The Steep Angle of Attack
The "Hinge-and-Hold" Method
Popularized By:
Phil Mickelson and other short-game wizards
The Theory:
By using more wrist hinge on the backswing and "holding" that angle through impact, the club attacks the ball on a steep downward blow. This uses the club's leading edge to ensure ball-first contact, which can be highly effective for popping the ball up quickly, especially from heavy rough.
The Downside:
This method has a smaller margin for error. Because the leading edge is more involved, if your low point is even slightly behind the ball, the club will dig, leading to a significant chunk.
The Shallow Angle of Attack
The "Body-Driven" Method
Popularized By:
Steve Stricker and metronomic ball-strikers
The Theory:
By using minimal wrist hinge and rotating the chest and shoulders as the engine, the club sweeps through the impact zone on a wider, shallower arc. This method is designed to use the bounce (the rounded sole of the club), allowing it to "thump" or glide along the turf rather than dig into it.
The Downside:
This technique can be less effective from deep rough where the club needs to get down to the ball. It is also highly dependent on continuous body rotation; if the body stalls, it can lead to thin shots.
The "Golden Triangle"
The Universal Setup for Crisp Contact
Whether you prefer a steep or shallow attack, both methods rely on a fundamentally sound and repeatable setup.
Ball Position
The Low Point's Location
For a standard chip, the ball should be positioned farther back in your stance.
The Rule: Place the ball in line with the inside of your trail foot (your right foot for a right-handed player).
Weight Distribution
The Angle of Attack
To ensure you strike down on the ball, your weight must favor your front side.
The Rule: Set up so that 60-70% of your weight is on your lead foot (your left foot for a righty).
Shaft Lean
Ensuring Ball-First Contact
Your hands must lead the clubhead into the ball.
The Rule: At address, press your hands slightly forward toward the target until they are ahead of the golf ball.
Building Your Station: A Tool for Any Technique
You cannot master a consistent setup or a specific angle of attack by relying on "feel." You need a practice station that provides objective, visual feedback.
For the Shallow-Attack Player
A Precision Grid
The body-driven, shallow method is entirely dependent on a perfect setup. The Pathpal's ground-level tunnels and center line allow you to build a precision grid on the ground. By creating a "T" shape with alignment sticks, you can guarantee your ball position is in the exact same spot every time, allowing you to perfect the rotational movement that makes this technique so effective.
For the Steep-Attack Player
A Swing Plane Guide
The "hinge-and-hold" method requires maintaining a consistent, steep plane. The Pathpal's multiple angled slots are perfect for this. By placing an alignment stick in one of the steeper slots (e.g., 60 or 70 degrees), you can create a physical guide for your shaft to travel on during your backswing and downswing. This provides instant, tactile feedback, training you to maintain the V-shape that this technique requires.
The Pathpal system adapts to your preferred technique, providing precision feedback for any chipping method.
Frequently Asked Questions
Consistency Starts With Your Setup
Stop wasting strokes with an inconsistent short game. Whether you choose steep or shallow, success is built on perfect ball position, weight distribution, and shaft lean—every single time.
Build My Short Game StationWhich chipping method do you prefer—steep or shallow?
Share your choice in the comments below!
