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.
1Weight favoring the right foot
This shifts the stroke's low point backward, into the ground behind the ball.
2Trying to lift the ball with the wrists
Active wrist use to "help" the ball up moves the low point earlier and behind the ball.
3Ball positioned too far forward
For most chips, playing the ball too far forward in the stance encourages hitting the ground first.
4Flipping the club with the right hand
Letting the right hand take over and release early causes the club to bottom out before the ball.
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.