When it comes to shots in and around the green, there is no faking it, the data says golfers struggle. PING is hoping to help that with their new launch the ChipR, which despite odd spelling for trademark purposes, is exactly what it sounds like…a Chipper.
In the late 70s, Karsten Solheim introduced the PING Chipo, it was a more traditional shaped wedge that was designed for golfers that lacked confidence and were looking for assistance around the greens. Part wedge, part putter, but today, that is expanding, or should we say changing, with the new ChipR from PING.
“Golfers who fear chunking or blading their chip shots are really going to benefit from the new PING ChipR,” said John K. Solheim, PING CEO & President. “We’ve learned a lot since my grandfather, Karsten Solheim, invented the Chipo, but his insights were spot on as always. Our research indicates 1/3 of golfers who tested the ChipR saw better results compared to a traditional wedge. We’ve engineered a lot of technology into the ChipR to help golfers avoid the poor chip shot and save strokes around the green. It represents another score-lowering option from our engineers for golfers in search of game improvement and more enjoyment on the golf course.”
The ChipR comes in at a length of many traditional putters (35 inches) and carries a loft closer to that of an 8 iron (38.5 degrees). Designed for shots in and around the green, or better said within 40 yards, and the use is more like a putting stroke, which results in the typical bump and run.
The PING ChipR features a more compact size and shallow face, along with a cambered sole to help playability from nearly any type of lie found on the course. The chipper ChipR features the company’s precision-milled MicroMax grooves to help channel away grass and moisture to promote clean contact and the attention to detail mimics what you would find in a premium quality wedge…just with a product more geared towards assistance.
Do you or would you use a club of this style? Give us your thoughts below or join us for the conversation in the THP online community.
PING ChipR Specs
Material/Manufacturing Process: Investment-cast 431 stainless steel head; composite cavity badge; tungsten toe/shaft weights; precision-milled MicroMax face and grooves; hydropearl 2.0 chrome finish
STD. LOFT/BOUNCE: 38.50°/8°
STD. LENGTH: 35” (available in custom lengths)
STD. LIE: 70° (available in 10 PING color codes)
STOCK SHAFTS: Steel: PING Z-Z115 wedge; Graphite: PING Alta CB Slate (R)
STOCK GRIP: 360 Dyla-wedge Lite grip (3/4” longer than traditional grip)
U.S. MSRP: $195 per club with stock steel shaft; $210 per club with stock graphite shaft
For more information, check out their website at www.ping.com.
– Drive landed by a tree about 80 yards from pin. tree branches blocked anything over 8 feet. I hit ChipR with a big putt swing and ended up 12 feet behind the hole. 2 putt par.
– Cut the corner on a par 4, 40 yards off the green. Hit ChipR to 4 ft. Birdie.
– Hit over the green on a par three, nestled against brush OB, 20 yards. Hit ChipR instead of taking drop. Ended up 3 ft. Par.
This was with absolutely zero practice. I am not sure (except for shot #2) that any club in my bag would have been able to pull off the shots. I did not envision me keeping it in the bag, but after today…might have to find a spot.
I’ll be curious to see if you like it from closer around the green. That was my issue. I normally use my 56, 60 or 42* smart sole C to chip with. The ChipR came off more like a 9i or 8i and I’ve never been good with chipping with irons. Just no speed control with it.
I asked for 39.5 loft and 35.5 inches, and 1 degree flat. It is heavy at the bottom. Stable. It has about 1.5 times the sole of my i230 7i.
It is a great looking club. Blends in well with the i230 – similar finish, iron-like but yet, it is not.
Why did I purchase?
Thought it would work on very tight lies, dirt, and the wet. You know, those shots that make you question why you are playing golf – the fats, the digs, the thins come to mind, as well as the embarrassment of the shot that goes nowhere. But let’s stay on the positive.
I also brought my 55 SW to compare with the ChipR. From @Jman ‘s post in the short game thread, I had success yesterday aggressively using the bounce at the short game green with the 55.
With normal fairway conditions, both clubs were about the same consistency with more spin with the 55. On weird lies – ball above, below, no turf, let’s face it, the ChipR does the job, can even get over a bunker when the bunker is close and it easily gets over it but expect run out. If you have a good lie, that 55 or 59 does fine to stop. The ChipR helps when you have a tight or very wet lie.
You can also use a putting stroke, half swing, or pop it like Scheffler. I was at the bottom of a green sloping up, and popped it – ball went about 3 feet off the ground, hit, and settled after several feet. That does not work on a level green, but on an upslope – oh, yeah.
I then hit some 80 yard shots – it was easy. Use a square face, stand closer to the ball than a regular iron – 69 of lie angle for me – and take a half swing. Goes 15-20 feet in the air and rolls well – bump and run on dry, links or tight, courses with poor lies comes to mind.
I saw @donny475 play his square strike chipper on Monday with success, and so I was waiting for mine to arrive. I may take out a 5 wd and just keep the 3HL and utility in the bag, or put the 50 aside and use the PW, gripping down on it.
First impressions are good. It does take some education near the green. Like others have said, it rolls more than a well-hit wedge. And when comparing the two clubs near a green with a decent lie, the 55 is more consistent using its bounce. Although right off the green if you have some irregular conditions or lie, I would use the ChipR like a putter – relaxed and allow the club to do its thing.
Its use may depend on the course and conditions, but I can see it in the bag. Did I think I would say that after using it? No. But it does have real possibilities. Just be judicious in its use.
1. First around the practice green. When not to use it – 15 yards off the green but approaching the green it slopes downward before rising again and the green begins – the hole short-sides you. It’s tough to hit the side of the slope consistently to slow the ball down. If you do not hit the side of the green, you’ve got too much speed. Of course, if you have more room to the hole, not a problem.
2. When you are 3-4 yds off the green or in light rough and no big elevation changes – I tried several techniques. On a 25 foot putt off the green, I found a slowish tempo worked – putting setup, ball in middle, shaft almost vertical. A faster tempo sent the ball too far. Of course, if you have a 40-50 footer, not a problem. But the slowish tempo worked on shorter shots around the green, and I was gripping down almost to the steel.
3. I worked on a 70-80 footer from 4 yards off the green and in light rough – I wanted to get roll, and not spin so I put it back of middle of stance – mixed results, then I put it in front of stance, got in the air slightly, got some spin, and rolled short. Put it in middle of stance … I need to work on this one – had some success but also failures.
What was the reason to go with the ChipR vs the Cleveland chipper? So, it blended with your irons?
It’s a nice looking club for a ChipR – I play it at 39.5 loft, 1 degree flat. And yes, the finish matches the irons and I have a brand preference for Ping. It has loads of heft- balanced towards the bottom, sole is wide. but not too wide. It’s not huge so it is playable from various lies.
I have used liked the Smart Sole 4 "C" off and on for the past year, however the Smart Sole feature made it somewhat limited for me. As @Desmond noted above, I like that the sole of the ChipR is wide, but not too wide as it gives some flexibility to the club. Mark Crossfield, who plays a Smart Sole "C", did a YT video testing the Ping and noted that feature as well.
When I had mine I hit a few full shots. It went a hair shorter than my 9i.
Same.