Chunking and blading are the two most confidence-killing mishits in the short game. A chunk digs the club into the turf behind the ball, so it dribbles a few feet. A blade catches the ball's top half, so it screams across the green. Both come from the same handful of fixable faults: weight that hangs back, hands that flip at impact, and a low point that ends up behind the ball instead of in front of it.
This guide breaks down exactly why each mishit happens, the setup and swing fixes that stop them, and the two FinalPutt training aids built to ingrain those fixes: the Impact Stick (hands and contact) and the Strike Pad (weight transfer and stability).
At a Glance
|
Mishit |
What you see |
Root cause |
The fix |
Tool that trains it |
|
Chunk (fat) |
Club hits ground first, ball goes nowhere |
Low point behind the ball; weight hanging back; swaying off the ball |
Get and stay weight-forward; bottom out past the ball |
Strike Pad + Impact Stick |
|
Blade (thin) |
Club catches the ball's top half, shot races low |
Hands flipping; leaning back; trying to lift the ball |
Keep hands ahead of the clubhead through impact |
Impact Stick |
The Quick Fixes
If you only do five things, do these:
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Set 60-70% of your weight on your lead foot and keep it there through the strike.
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Narrow your stance and make a compact, controlled swing.
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Keep your hands ahead of the clubhead at impact so the shaft leans toward the target.
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Use the bounce of the wedge instead of digging the leading edge in.
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Keep your tempo smooth with a full follow-through. Deceleration is what produces both chunks and blades.
Why You Chunk Chip Shots
A chunk happens when the club bottoms out before it reaches the ball. The two usual culprits:
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Weight hanging on the back foot. If your weight slides away from the target (a sway) or never moves forward, your swing's low point drifts behind the ball and the leading edge digs into the turf.
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An unstable, off-balance turn. Losing your center during the backswing makes a consistent low point almost impossible.
The fix: start with about 60-70% of your weight on your lead foot, keep your center stable, and let your weight shift gently forward so the club bottoms out after the ball. This is exactly the move the Strike Pad is built to train.
Why You Blade Chip Shots
A blade (or thin) happens when the club catches the upper half of the ball, usually because the clubhead has passed your hands at impact.
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Flipping the hands. Trying to scoop or lift the ball flips the clubhead upward, raising the low point into the ball's equator.
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Leaning back. Hanging onto the back foot adds loft and encourages that same flip.
The fix: keep your hands ahead of the clubhead through impact and trust the loft of the wedge to get the ball up. The Impact Stick gives you instant feedback the moment your hands fall behind.
Setup and Swing Fundamentals
1. Weight distribution. Place around 60-70% of your weight on your front foot and keep it there. This sets a stable low point for a descending, ball-first strike.
2. Narrow stance, compact swing. A narrower stance and shorter, controlled motion remove the moving parts that cause mishits.
3. Use the bounce. Let the rounded sole (the bounce) glide along the turf rather than driving the sharp leading edge into the ground. Drill: place a tee just in front of the ball and try to clip both the ball and the tee for a controlled, descending strike.
4. Smooth tempo, full follow-through. Abrupt stops and deceleration are a primary cause of both chunks and blades. A controlled finish keeps your rhythm and low point consistent.
Tool 1: Impact Stick — Fixes Flipping and Bad Contact
The Impact Stick trains your hands to lead, not lag, so the clubhead stays behind your hands through impact. That single change is what stops both flipping (blades) and inconsistent contact on chips.
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What it fixes: hand flipping at impact, chunking and blading on chip shots, hands lagging behind the ball.
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How it works: it forces your hands to stay in front of the ball at contact, giving you tactile feedback the instant your technique breaks down so you can correct it on the spot.
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Drill: chip with the Impact Stick focusing on a complete follow-through. Start with short shots to build the feel, then extend to longer chips while holding the same tempo.
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Price: $34.95 (currently reduced from $58.25).
FinalPutt's own guidance suggests that practicing with the Impact Stick for about five minutes a day can produce noticeable chipping improvements within a week.
Tool 2: Strike Pad — Fixes Sway and Weight Transfer
Where the Impact Stick handles your hands, the Strike Pad handles your body. It trains a stable, centered turn and a proper forward weight shift, which is the antidote to fat shots caused by swaying or hanging back.
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What it fixes: swaying, poor weight transfer and balance, fat (chunked) shots, inconsistent ball striking across all clubs.
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How it works: it keeps your weight centered through the backswing and encourages a natural shift toward the target, so the club bottoms out after the ball instead of behind it.
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Why it helps chipping: a centered, forward-shifting body is what holds your low point in front of the ball, which is the single biggest defense against chunking.
"I've been chunking irons for years. This helped me stay centered and strike the ball first." — Chris D., Verified Buyer
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Price: $34.95 (currently reduced from $58.25).
A Simple Practice Routine
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Warm up with the Strike Pad to feel a centered, forward-weighted strike before you touch a wedge.
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Switch to the Impact Stick for short chips, focusing on hands leading and a full follow-through.
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Run a tracking challenge: chip to a target and aim to finish close 8 out of 10 times from varying distances. Log your success rate so you can see progress and spot weak distances.
A few minutes on each tool per session covers both halves of the fix: the body (Strike Pad) and the hands (Impact Stick).
Why FinalPutt
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30-day money-back guarantee on both tools, no questions asked.
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Free shipping on orders over $60, with worldwide delivery to 100+ countries.
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FinalPutt reports that 130K+ golfers have improved with its training aids, backed by verified-buyer reviews on every product page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes chunked chip shots?
A chunk happens when the club hits the ground before the ball. It is usually caused by your weight hanging back or swaying off the ball, which moves your low point behind the ball. Keep 60-70% of your weight forward and stay centered.
How can I avoid blading chip shots?
Blading happens when the club catches the ball's top half, normally from flipping your hands or leaning back. Keep your hands ahead of the clubhead through impact and let the wedge's loft lift the ball.
Why is weight distribution so important for chipping?
Your weight position controls where your swing bottoms out. With most of your weight forward and stable, the club strikes the ball first and the turf second, which is the recipe for clean contact.
Can a training aid actually help me stop chunking and blading?
Yes. The Impact Stick gives instant feedback when your hands fall behind, training ball-first contact, while the Strike Pad trains the centered, forward weight shift that keeps your low point ahead of the ball. Used together they target both the hand and body causes of mishits.
What is the fastest drill to improve contact?
Place a tee just in front of the ball and practice clipping the ball and then the tee. This trains a descending, ball-first strike and engages the bounce of the wedge for smoother contact.