
Chili dip is a slang term in golf referring to a type of mishit chip shot. It occurs when the golf club strikes the ground behind the ball, resulting in little to no contact with the ball. This can be caused by factors such as too much wrist action, ball position, and head movement. Additionally, mental and technical aspects, such as tentativeness and poor setup position, can contribute to the issue. To correct a chili dip, golfers can focus on accelerating the clubhead through impact and maintaining proper body positioning during the swing.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | A slang term for a type of mis-hit chip shot |
| Cause | The golfer's swing bottoms out before the clubhead reaches the golf ball |
| Too much wrist action | |
| Poor ball position | |
| Bobblehead action | |
| Floating trail arm | |
| Knees buckle | |
| Golfer shifts backward during the swing | |
| Golfer leans back during the setup | |
| Mental and technical |
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What You'll Learn

Too much wrist action
"Chili dip" is a slang term in golf that refers to a type of mishit. When a golfer chili-dips, their club strikes the ground behind the ball, resulting in little to no contact with the ball. This often happens when golfers use too much wrist action in an attempt to get the ball in the air. As a result, they end up hitting the ground behind the ball, causing an errant shot. This is especially common among amateurs, leading to increased frustration as their scores suffer.
To avoid chili-dipping due to excessive wrist action, golfers can try locking their lead wrist and keeping it slightly ahead of the ball at the point of contact. This simple adjustment ensures crisp and solid contact with the ball, preventing the club from digging into the turf behind it. It is important to maintain the correct wrist position throughout the shot to achieve consistent results.
Another contributing factor to chili-dipping is the position of the ball relative to the golfer's stance. If the ball is too far forward, the golfer is more likely to make contact with the ground behind the ball. Adjusting the ball position slightly back can help mitigate this issue. Practicing without the ball can help golfers identify the ideal contact point and correct their stance accordingly.
In addition to wrist action and ball position, golfers should also pay attention to their head movement. Moving the head too quickly during the swing can disrupt the body's alignment, increasing the likelihood of a chili dip. To maintain proper body positioning, golfers are advised to watch the club make contact with the ball and then count to one before following its flight path. This technique allows them to enjoy the action without compromising their swing.
Chili-dipping can be a frustrating experience for golfers, but it is a common issue that can be effectively addressed. By making adjustments to wrist action, ball position, and head movement, golfers can significantly reduce the occurrence of chili dips and improve their performance, especially around the green. With practice and patience, these simple corrections can help golfers at all levels overcome this challenge and enhance their enjoyment of the game.
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Incorrect ball position
The "chili dip" is a slang term in golf that refers to a type of mishit chip shot. When a golfer chili-dips, their club strikes the ground behind the ball, resulting in little to no contact with the ball. The result is a golf ball that doesn't travel very far, often moving only a few feet or barely moving at all.
To correct this, it is recommended to move the ball back slightly to where the club first makes contact with the ground. To find this position, try a few practice swings without the ball in your sightline. Place the ball where the club touches the ground. Additionally, a common default ball position for a driver is just forward of the center in the stance, while for a mid-iron, it is in the center of the stance. For a short iron or wedge, the default position is just behind the center of the stance.
It is important to note that incorrect ball positioning is not the only cause of chili dips. Other factors include too much wrist action, shifting backward during the swing, and head movement.
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Poor setup position
A "chili dip" is a slang term in golf that refers to a type of mishit. When a golfer chili-dips, their club strikes the ground behind the ball, resulting in little to no contact with the ball. This can be caused by a poor setup position, which can be a "silent swing killer".
A poor setup position can be caused by bad angles and/or creating too many of them. Bad angles occur when something in your setup is pointing in the opposite direction it should be. For example, your shoulders may be tilting down in front of the ball instead of up and away from the target. This can pull your head ahead of the ball and point your body in the wrong direction.
Another common issue with setup position is having too much knee flex. When you have too much flex in your knees, the pressure at setup moves too far into the heels, limiting the body's ability to turn and forcing the arms to control the swing too much.
The ball position can also cause a chili dip. If the ball is too far forward in your stance, you may consistently hit it fat, causing chili dips.
Finally, moving your head too much during the swing can cause a chili dip. Keeping your head still is important to keep the rest of your body in the right position.
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Floating trail arm
The trail arm, or the right arm for right-handed golfers, plays a crucial role in the golf swing. When something goes wrong in a golfer's downswing, it is often due to issues with the trail arm. A common problem is the "chili dip", a slang term in golf that refers to a type of mis-hit where the club strikes the ground behind the ball, resulting in little to no contact with the ball. One of the two main causes of the "chili dip" is the floating trail arm, where the arm extends too far from the body on the takeaway.
To correct the issue of a floating trail arm, it is important to focus on the positioning and flex of the trail arm. At setup, the trail arm should be slightly bent and close to the body, with the upper arm rotated outward and the elbow pointing towards the hip. As the swing progresses, the trail arm should remain slightly bent and start to straighten and extend on the downswing. It is important to note that the trail arm should not reach full extension until slightly after impact.
To achieve the correct positioning and flex of the trail arm, golfers can incorporate specific drills into their practice routines. One such drill involves using a resistance band to maintain the width and stretch of the trail arm. Another drill, the Adam Bazalegette right elbow drill, can help train the downswing and improve the overall effectiveness of the swing.
By mastering the trail arm's role in the golf swing, golfers can improve the consistency and power of their shots. A correct trail arm movement can help prevent issues such as the "chili dip" and lead to more accurate and powerful shots.
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Buckling front knee
"Chili dip" is a slang term in golf that refers to a type of mishit. When a golfer chili-dips, their club hits the ground behind the ball, resulting in little to no contact with the ball. This can cause the ball to travel only a few feet or not at all.
One of the main causes of a chili dip is the buckling of the front knee as the golfer comes into the ball. This can be due to an incorrect setup, such as locking the right knee during the backswing or bending the knees too much, which can cause the knees to buckle and the club to dip.
To prevent buckling the front knee, it is important to maintain proper knee flex throughout the swing. Golfers should start with their knees in a reasonable flex position, with a slight bend, and maintain this flex until impact with the ball. This helps to prevent the knees from moving laterally and changing the angle and direction of the hips.
To correct this issue, golfers can try to keep their front knee straight when coming into the ball. This allows the body to continue rotating and moves the low point of the swing forward, preventing a chili dip. Another tip is to imagine a string attached to the right knee, pulling the knee towards the ball or tee during the backswing. This helps to maintain the correct knee flex and prevent buckling.
Additionally, golfers can focus on distributing their weight correctly, with around 60% of their weight forward, to prevent excessive pressure on the front knee.
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Frequently asked questions
"Chilli dip" is a slang term in golf that refers to a type of mishit chip shot. When a golfer chilli-dips, it means that the golf club struck the ground behind the ball, resulting in little to no contact with the ball.
Chilli dip can be caused by a few things. The first is too much wrist action, where players try to help the ball get in the air. The second is ball position—the ball is usually too far forward in the player's stance. The third is moving your head too quickly, which puts the rest of your body out of position during the swing.
To stop chilli dip, you can try to correct your wrist action, ball position, and head movement. For wrist action, make sure you accelerate the clubhead through impact. For ball position, move the ball back slightly to where the club first makes contact with the ground. For head movement, watch your club make contact with the ball, then count to one before you follow your ball.











































