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The "Chipper" I guess never truly caught on?

SuperStroke
rollin

rollin

"Just playin golf pally"
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I remembered when they where becoming more known (perhaps several years back). FF they do now have conforming ones as far as I know. But are we seeing many out there? And if not then why? I never played one and honestly I dont really know why. I guess I dont want to sacrifice one of my 14 clubs.
I can see how pros and real good players want spin but for most (far most) amateurs out there I kind of thought these may have eventually became a norm. I just dont see all that many at all as I play as a single with countless people. Only once in a while do I ever see someone with one. Id imagine with some practice most anyone might get pretty darn good with them (in the right scenario to use it).
But that said (including myself) I just dont see many at all with them.

Not too many even available but they are being made so some must be selling. Ping making the ChipR , I dont know if callaway/odessy stil making them, but there are just a few others fwiw.

The concept seemed to emerging some years back but since kind of never really took off.
 
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I have a couple of Ray Cook chippers, that are very good dust collectors. The do play well for me, but as already mentioned, having a chipper is not worth giving up my 8i. The reason is obvious. The 8i has many more uses than a chipper would have in my game.

As for the legality, last I knew chippers were legal if they were a certain length or shorter. I don't know what that length is. Maybe 7, or 8 iron length?
 
I think many have had success recently with Cleveland Smart Sole FF Chippers. So, I'd say there was a dead period for a while and now I think it is fairly cool to have a chipper. Years ago, most used them as a bump and run and now some claim success with much longer pitch and fuller shots.
 
I’ve got one currently in my bag as I had some top of bag gapping issues. I’ll likely sort that out next year but it’s fun to pull out.

It’s silly how much more I get up and down with it compared to any other club, even a 7 or 8 iron.
 
I was really close to adding a chipper to the bag over the winter after a month of terrible chipping. Found it and so I never pulled the trigger but absolutely not opposed to having one. Especially when I’m struggling.
 
WLG1952 said:
I have a couple of Ray Cook chippers, that are very good dust collectors. The do play well for me, but as already mentioned, having a chipper is not worth giving up my 8i. The reason is obvious. The 8i has many more uses than a chipper would have in my game.

As for the legality, last I knew chippers were legal if they were a certain length or shorter. I don't know what that length is. Maybe 7, or 8 iron length?
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The reason some chippers were illegal was because they had the same face on both sides ie could be used left and right handed.
 
I have the Odyssey chipper in my bag. Same stroke as a putter. Very useful. I dont really consider the Ping club a real chipper in the traditional sense of the word ie just like a putter but with like 6 iron loft or thereabouts. I had the Ping "chipper" in my hand recently and said to myself "this aint a chipper"
 
I went through several chippers the past 4 years or so, then discovered Dan Grieve and his three release method. Chippers RIP!
 
I have the Cleveland Smart Sole chipper and ❤️ it! So very easy for me to hit - from green side chips to 40 yds out. I even used it to “nip” one out of the sand one time. It’s a tool in my bag that I would hate to be without.
 
I own a Cleveland Smart Sole one. Doesn’t get much use but is fun to mess around with.
 
It works my buddy @Scooby45 has let me use his a couple years ago. It definitely simplifies things when you are just off the green. However, it’s such a specialty club that it’s hard to keep in the bag for only one type of shot.

Personally I think improving technique and getting a wedge with a grind that fits you and the conditions you play in is more of a functional solution.
 
I put mine in the bag for fall/spring golf. It is just flat out easier to use than a wedge for when you are just off the green. The into the grain and uphill shot with a stand wedge is an automatic chunk for me. With the chipper that shot is so much easier and saves me from a double chip 2 putt double more often than not.
 
I miss having a chipper in the bag, but the Smart Sole wedges took that spot over for me.
 
rollin said:
But are we seeing many out there? And if not then why?
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No we are not seeing many out there. Because you can learn to chip with a 8 or 9 iron and not lose a spot in the bag.
 
Had a Cleveland C made +2 up to 44 degrees. 35.5 inches so the same length as my putter. It’s a Par machine for me. With the exception of a high short sided type of shot there isn’t much inside 50 yards I can’t do with it. Close and green side it all but eliminates anything worse than a bogey for me. I’ve had one for going on 5 years now. Even longer if you include the old Niblick 42 it was designed after. Had that one for many years. It just won’t leave my bag. If I miss a green I walk up with confidence that I can get a Par more often than I don’t.
 
I have an Odyssey Chipper in my basement, used it a lot when I was getting back into golf.
I got real good with it, sometimes people would tell me I'm cheating with it because they didn't know what it was.

A playing partner has one in his bag all the time, he's very good with it from 100 yards and closer.
 
Still have my X-Act down in the storage room in an old bag. I let folks who are newer to the game borrow it - but it always returns back to the bag down there. Used it a ton when I was first getting into the game and it truly helped out in the early stages of playing.
 
I had the chipping/pitching yips so bad in late 2023 and early 2024 that I was going back and forth between the Ping ChipR and Cleveland Smart Sole.

Great clubs for what they are.

Then I started yipping those as well so I just quit playing for a while.

A long time friend finally cured me with the most simple advice I ever heard of.
 
leftybob said:
No we are not seeing many out there. Because you can learn to chip with a 8 or 9 iron and not lose a spot in the bag.
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I totally understand this line of thinking. But…modern 8,9 irons are around 37 and 41 degrees. Most PWs and even 9 irons are built for spin. This makes dialing in chipping distance much more difficult. 7,8s can easily be blasted past the pin. And 9,PWs can bite even on a short shot that will not allow the ball to run out. This is where chippers shine. It’s still my belief that the right style chipper is much more useful to mid to low/mid cappers than say a lob wedge. And that’s what it replaces in my bag.
 
I think these actually still sell pretty good..
 
I feel like I've only ever seen 1 in the wild. I do feel like many would be much better off getting rid of a lob wedge and throwing something like a chipper in, but most won't.

I think it all comes down to short game skill. A chipper would be a waste for anyone who is efficient with a normal wedge, but from my experience, that's not many of the general population trying to golf. They just aren't "cool" to have, so people won't do it. I do feel a lot of people would score way better with one though.
 
IMO, completely unnecessary club. If you struggle to the point that you require a chipper, than you simply should learn to chip with a putting motion (club upright, putting stroke). You can use this quick fix on the course with immediate results, while working on your traditional chipping skills and then replace when you feel more confident.
 
The chipper is simply an iron with an upright, putter-like lie angle.
If you need that lie angle difference to make your chipping stroke, it's worth a spot in the bag.
Most people apparently don't. That's my guess, anyway.
 
I remember when I was starting golf I wanted to buy a chipper. And I walked into the store and the manager was a super Australian guy. And I asked him where the chippers were and he said

"Bru! Learn how to use your seex iron!" (he meant 6 iron)

Great advise. And I took it.

I don't get chippers
 
This thread is pushing all my buttons. 🤣🤣

Highly skilled golfers who have the time and ability to practice their short game may certainly not need a chipper. But others that can’t/won’t/don’t would highly benefit from one. Then there are the oddballs like me who have one (albeit a custom Cleveland C) who have played one for a LONG time who get very crafty with it.

Bottom line, if you don’t get up and down at least half the time from just off the green you need to try one of these. If you get shamed into not using one and lose strokes then that’s the real shame.
 
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