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Falling right in the middle of wedges and putters is the chipper - a special kind of club designed with a loft of around 30 degrees. Ideally, you would use a chipper in a situation where you might be too near the hole to use a wedge, but too far to use a putter. Aside from that though, chippers also make great learning clubs. They’re generally easier to master compared to wedges, so many use them to learn the fundamentals of the swing technique before moving on to trickier club designs.
In recent years, the chipper has become something of a forgotten club. But thanks to the efforts of some of the most prominent brands in the market, the chipper has made a comeback, finding a spot in many golf club bags once more.
Are you hoping to complete your club set with a worthy chipper? Find out how to make the right choice to land the best golf chippers money can buy with this definitive guide.
Deciding on the right club to use on the green largely depends on your distance from the hole. The further away you are, the more important it will be to choose a club that maximizes distance and lift. As you get closer to the hole, you may want to shift to a club that produces just the right height and enough distance to get it into the hole in as few shots around the green as possible.
Wedges are used to bring your ball onto the green and out of a sticky situation (like a sand bunker!) while putters are used when you’re actually on the green, close enough to bring your golf ball home. In cases when a wedge might bring you too far from your target, or a putter might not be able to give you the distance you need, you’d benefit from having a chipper in your bag.
The chipper club essentially looks like a putter with a more angled face and a shorter shaft. Together, these elements let you achieve a higher trajectory despite using the same putting stroke. On the course, the golf chipper comes in most handy when there’s rough or sand surrounding the green. It will help you get your ball up and out of the hazard and straight on the putting surface in one stroke.
The science of the chipper lies in its anatomy. A higher loft means that the ball will travel more upward and less forward. Higher loft also makes it possible for the ball to roll less once it falls back down to the ground. On average, a chipper should have a loft angle of around 32-37 degrees, similar to that of a 6-7 iron.
But unlike the irons, the chipper uses a significantly different weight distribution. Its ultra-low center of gravity means that the chipper can produce powerful backspin despite being swung within a shorter plane. And unlike a wedge, the chipper is far less likely to get caught in greenside rough.
To use a chipper, you essentially swing the way you would with a putter. The weighted head, the steep loft, and the milling on the clubface make it possible to achieve that high trajectory without having to exert too much power.
The result? A strong upward bounce that can spare you from the trouble of surrounding hazards so you don’t eat up your shots around the green and go beyond par.
According to the USGA, chippers are classified as a kind of iron which marks the first distinction between them and the wedge series. But more than classification, the chipper and the wedge are separated by countless other qualities.
QUALITIES | CHIPPER CHARACTERISTICS | WEDGE CHARACTERISTICS |
|---|---|---|
Club Head | Uses more of a putter-like head | More like a blade |
Loft Angle | Around 32-37 degree loft | Loft anywhere from 47-60 degrees |
Stroke | Intended only for short, putt-like strokes | Can be struck with a full, half or short swing to achieve your desired outcome |
Lie | Aimed more for the putting surface borders where rough and hazards might not be quite as severe | Do the dirty work like talking bunkers, deep rough, hillsides and more |
If you’ve been doing your research, you’ll find that there are a lot of players asking whether they should get a chipper if they already have wedges with varying lofts. If you’re comparing the chipper vs wedge, the answer is that essentially, golf chippers are substitute wedges. The lowest angle on a wedge is at around 45 degrees, they can produce quite a bit of height. By using a chipper with a lower loft at just around 30 degrees, you can generate distance without launching the ball too high up - perfect for controlling the accuracy of your shot.
Generally, the chipper does the job of a wedge when a wedge would be too robust for the delicate situation. It is designed to replicate a wedge-like trajectory. As a result, the chipper works best at popping your ball out of its place without getting caught in the underlying terrain.
All that said, experts recommend that you replace the least used wedge in your bag with a chipper. This will ensure you can be equipped for anything the course tosses your way.
Who could benefit from the use of a golf chipper? Are golf chippers legal? The answer is yes, golf chippers can be legal as long as they follow USGA guidelines. Ideally, any intermediate and professional player may want to have a chipper in their bag for practice or official play. These clubs are designed for a very specific role that most serious players might be able to appreciate, especially if you’re aiming for accuracy and precision.
Aside from actual golf players though, a chipper can also find a worthy purpose in the hands of a beginner. Because they have a lower loft than wedges, chippers are easier to learn and to master. With a more forgiving design, these clubs make great training clubs for users who want to learn the fundamentals minus the sharp learning curve that most wedges require.
Here's who we believe would benefit most:
The objective of the drive is to get your ball as close to the green as possible in one shot. But if you’ve yet to perfect your drive, then you might find your ball falling in areas around the putting surface more often than not. Having a chipper club in your bag makes it possible. It will help you get out of the rough and onto the green after just one shot.
The wedge can be a difficult golf club to master, but the chipper can help you on the way there. Designed to give you the most basic technique behind working a bunker or the rough. The chipper has served the purpose of the ‘gateway’ to wedges. Imparting valuable knowledge to golfers who have yet to calculate how to use the coveted wedge.
The wonderful world of golf trick shots can be loads of fun, especially if you’ve got the right clubs for the job. Chipper’s distinct anatomy helps players produce interesting trajectories and golf ball travel that can be instrumental in staging the perfect trick shot.
A chipper can come in handy if you find that you clock in above the average handicap for your level of expertise and age. With a chipper, you can minimize the number of strokes you spend just outside the green and land your way closer to the pin without having to spend too many shots to get there.
How exactly can you tell if you’ve got a suitable golf chipper in your hand? There are a few features that might help make your hunt a little less flustering.
A chipper should have a loft at just around 30 degrees to work as intended, but there is a range of acceptable loft measurements for this specific club design. Basically, the higher the degree loft, the higher the club will launch your ball into the air. You’ll want a little lift if you’re using a chipper. But at the same time, because you might be too close to your target, you’d also want something that lets you draw nearer to the hole with better accuracy.
A chipper with just the right loft should help you inch closer to the hole with much better precision than a wedge. Loft measurements for chippers typically range from 28 to 39 degrees, so be sure to take some time to learn just what type of loft will best suit your specific needs.
If you’re just learning the fundamentals of golf, you’ll want a club with a larger head. Why? With a larger head comes a larger hitting surface, and thus better forgiveness. Beginners and high handicappers would greatly benefit from a forgiving club because it can turn a poorly executed shot into a reasonable outcome. Most chippers have relatively wide heads, increasing the sweet spot on your club and allowing you to generate the shot you want even if you don’t necessarily have the perfect swing.
With a chipper, you’ll want a slightly shorter shaft to achieve its intended use. Typically, they have much shorter lengths than wedges, and resemble putters with a slight wedge like head. The shorter the shaft, the easier it will be for you to hunch down and produce a more accurate shot. This also helps you control the strength of your swing, reducing the maximum power you can deliver so you don’t overshoot and go beyond your target.
A stand-out favorite among buyers and among our editors is the Intech Golf EZ Roll Chipper. This club features a 35 degree loft that provides the perfect height for shots that are tantalizingly close to home. The design, boasting a lightweight ergonomic build, maximizes the benefit of proper weighting to help assist your swing for perfect outcomes with each use.
For instance, the head’s weight is mainly located along the back of the piece. This smoothens the stroke and makes for a much more effortless swing. All along the different surfaces of the head are alignment lines that help guide users to better asses how and where to hit the ball so as to produce the distance, trajectory, and height they need.
Durable, efficient, and reasonably priced, this USGA approved club is easy to use, understand, and master. So whether you’re a pro hoping to get that winning shot even if you’re a little too far from the green, or if you’re a beginner trying to learn the foundations of the perfect swing, the Intech Golf EZ Roll Chipper is a purchase you won’t soon regret.
Another top pick from the Intech Golf brand is the Two-Way Chipper. This club features a 35 degree loft and a two-way design that works great for a variety of shooting conditions. How is it two-way?
Well, first off, it comes with an ambidextrous silhouette, allowing use for both left and right handed players. Other than that, the two-way chipper also features a versatile handle that can be held in two different ways. This makes it a great choice for precise golfers especially because situations change from pin to pin, and being able to adjust your grip can make a very significant difference.
We put the Intech Golf Approach Two-Way Chipper in the second top spot because it’s versatile and affordable. But because it is a two-sided chipper, it’s not USGA approved, so you can only pull it out for unofficial games and recreational play.
Equipped with a 37 degree loft, this premium club from the Ray Cook Golf lineup is a favorite among buyers with a little extra budget to spare. It does come at a slightly more expensive cost than other chippers on our list. But not without reason.
This top quality club features a site alignment aid, and just the perfect loft to launch your ball where you want it to go from the edge of the green. The precision milled face interacts with your golf ball to ‘grasp’ the ball and toss it out at just the right time. Its low and deep center of gravity means that the stainless steel head can launch your ball into the air with just enough forward propulsion to get it rolling on the green with little estimation from your end.
The design itself is very durable, holding up well against the onslaught of frequent use around the course. The Ray Cook Golf Extreme Aim Chipper was engineered with premium stainless steel for excellent feel and durability. What we particularly like is that it’s designed with the user’s comfort and ease in mind. So beginners and high handicappers who want to get the hang of things can easily become accustomed to this user-friendly club from Ray Cook Golf.
The Wilson Harmonized franchise is a favorite among golfers - from beginners to professionals - because the clubs from the lineup are intuitive, easy, and efficient. So even if they might cost a little more than others, they do give the best bang for your buck.
The Wilson Harmonized Golf Chipper is one of their best clubs to date, featuring a state-of-the-art vertical seam grip that makes it easier to keep a hold of the club for maximum energy transfer and precision aiming. The larger shaft diameter also makes it exceptionally comfortable, allowing you to relax your hands without losing your grip.
The only possible issue we found with the Harmonized Golf Chipper is that it may not be as easy to master as many other chippers on the market. Something about the shape and dynamic of the head makes it a little trickier to get the hang of, but it does work great for experienced players.
The last pick on our list is the Pinemeadow Golf Excel EGI Chipper. What makes it such a great choice is that it works well as a wedge or a putter, letting you get extensive, versatile use out of it despite being intended for shots around the edges of the green. The loft is slightly higher, but the head’s face is wide and consistent, letting you get straight shots with no lift as long as you get the technique right.
For more advanced players, the Pinemeadow EGI Chipper can replace a number of clubs in the bag. But of course, it does require some getting used to. When you do manage to get the hang of it, this chipper is definitely something that you’d be using more often than any other club in your arsenal.
