Wedges

[Russtopher]

After digesting this thread, I found myself driving by a Golfsmith on the way back from a meeting today and pulled in. They had two different kinds of chippers, both $20 each. I tried them out and wouldn't you know, within a few swings I could figure out where the ball was going to land and how far it would roll out. Now, of course, we're talking about a fake indoor surface, but when I grabbed an 8 iron and tried it side by side, the chipper was much more predictable. So I'm on board.

[Lowkie]

You know I went by my gold store here after work myself and tried their chippers out too. Both were 20 but only one could actually be made legal. I'm soooo picking one up on payday!

[Lihu]

I agree. PW and sand wedge are fine. I'd also recommend a dedicated chipper. Please do NOT give in to the temptation to add a lob wedge at this point.

Welcome to the forum!

David in FL, you started a trend...

Now, if you would only do a MySwing thread... .

Even I did one

[purple drank]

Personally Id steer clear of the putter styled chippers. Save face and work on a traditional short game and mid range irons.....besides.. if youre hitting gir you wont need a silly chipper that takes zero skill to hit. Again just my opinion so at the end of the day swing your swing and game whatever the hell you want.

[Lihu]

Personally Id steer clear of the putter styled chippers. Save face and work on a traditional short game and mid range irons.....besides.. if youre hitting gir you wont need a silly chipper that takes zero skill to hit. Again just my opinion so at the end of the day swing your swing and game whatever the hell you want.

That is probably David in FL's point. He said that you could lower your score by 5 strokes with one of those chippers. That's a pretty strong statement from him.

I skulled my 60 degree three times on a 9 hole round last week. One of them was in the dark in 4" rough, so maybe that could be discounted. So, it could have saved me 2 strokes on 9 or 4 on 18?

As a bogey golfer, it would be very hard to make the green on the second shot as compared to being on the approach or fringe. Since it takes "zero skill" to use, it should be easier to get closer to the pin than a wedge.

[David in FL]

That is probably David in FL's point. He said that you could lower your score by 5 strokes with one of those chippers. That's a pretty strong statement from him.

I skulled my 60 degree three times on a 9 hole round last week. One of them was in the dark in 4" rough, so maybe that could be discounted. So, it could have saved me 2 strokes on 9 or 4 on 18?

As a bogey golfer, it would be very hard to make the green on the second shot as compared to being on the approach or fringe. Since it takes "zero skill" to use, it should be easier to get closer to the pin than a wedge.

Absolutely right.  Not quite "zero skill"......but a much easier, more natural stroke, very much like a putt......with a club that sets up just like the putter.

Boy......if only I could find a driver that required "zero skill".  I'd buy/recommend that too!

Quote:

After digesting this thread, I found myself driving by a Golfsmith on the way back from a meeting today and pulled in. They had two different kinds of chippers, both $20 each. I tried them out and wouldn't you know, within a few swings I could figure out where the ball was going to land and how far it would roll out. Now, of course, we're talking about a fake indoor surface, but when I grabbed an 8 iron and tried it side by side, the chipper was much more predictable. So I'm on board.

You know I went by my gold store here after work myself and tried their chippers out too. Both were 20 but only one could actually be made legal. I'm soooo picking one up on payday!

Good on ya both.  PLEASE, take the time to work with it though.  It's a great tool, but it's a little different from what you're used to using.  Think putter, but take care not to be hitting on the upswing.

I'd love to hear back as you take it to the course and get used to it.  Remember, it's not magic, you'll still make bad shots with it, but the bad ones will be much better than your previous bad ones and the average shots will become very good indeed.

David in FL, you started a trend...

Now, if you would only do a MySwing thread... .

Even I did one

Ugh........  One of these days, but I'm warning you, sometimes you're disappointed when you look behind the curtain!

As to starting a trend.....I hope so.  You'll notice that I don't give a whole lot of golf advice.......  Certainly NO swing advice. But this is one thing that I've become fairly passionate about over the years.   Because it works for the vast majority of people who genuinely try it and work with it.

[newtogolf]

Cleveland just released a new wedge with a chipper sole.  This should eliminate some of the stigma that some have with adding a "chipper" to their bag.  They have two versions, C sole for greenside chipping and an S sole for out of the sand.  The S sole reminds me of the old Hogan Sure Out wedges.  They aren't cheap though - $99

[Lowkie]

Whoever comes out with that "zero skill" driver, I want one! I don't care the price I want one.  Bet that would shave a lot of strokes off my game

[inthehole]

Good thing about chippers is that they're cheap.    I have one that I use occasionally when I get the chipping shanks & have to work through it.    It looks kind of like a mallet putter of sorts - something like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Extreme-X5-Chipper-Put-It-In-The-Cup-/200973344088?pt=Golf_Clubs&hash;=item2ecaf1dd58#ht_2192wt_926

C orrect me if Im wrong, the two sided chippers like the picture on the first page are not legal for tournament play, but I believe the one sided chippers are ?

[MiniBlueDragon]

Good thing about chippers is that they're cheap.    I have one that I use occasionally when I get the chipping shanks & have to work through it.    It looks kind of like a mallet putter of sorts - something like this:  http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Extreme-X5-Chipper-Put-It-In-The-Cup-/200973344088?pt=Golf_Clubs&hash;=item2ecaf1dd58#ht_2192wt_926

Correct me if Im wrong, the two sided chippers like the picture on the first page are not legal for tournament play, but I believe the one sided chippers are ?

Correct providing the one-sided chipper has a round grip on it and not a putter type grip I believe...

[Lowkie]

This is correct, if you refer back to Post 25 there is a link to the the USGA rule on this particular subject.

[purple drank]

I dont even think one sided chippers are legal on tour. Sorry about the zero skill comment but if you can drill a 12 foot putt then you should be able to pengelum a swing for a green side chipper. But have you ever tried chipping with a hybrid greenside or in the rough....simply amazing....like butter.

[MiniBlueDragon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by purple drank

I dont even think one sided chippers are legal on tour. Sorry about the zero skill comment but if you can drill a 12 foot putt then you should be able to pengelum a swing for a green side chipper. But have you ever tried chipping with a hybrid greenside or in the rough....simply amazing....like butter.

Er... As the guy above said take a look at Post 25 on this thread and there's a link:

http://www.usga.org/rulesfaq/rules_answer.asp?FAQidx=9&Rule;=4

Quote:

Rule 4-1

Chippers

Q.  Do chippers conform to the Rules of Golf?
A.  Yes, chippers are iron clubs not putters, and therefore must conform with the requirements for woods and irons. For example, chippers may not have a putter grip, two striking faces or appendages for aiming purposes. Additionally, the USGA considers the long chipper to be not traditional and customary in form and make. Essentially, an otherwise conforming chipper must be approximately the same length as a club of similar loft in the player's bag. (Decision 4-1/3 and Rules 1 through 5 in Appendix II)

[purple drank]

Thanks for the clarity and do you know of any pros gaming a chipper currently?

[MiniBlueDragon]

Thanks for the clarity and do you know of any pros gaming a chipper currently?

Nope not that I know of but someone else might.

As I said in my original posts to me a chipper uses up a slot which I'd find a better use for as I use all irons and wedges for chipping and my 8i is the same loft as a chipper and I can chip fine with that.

I'd imagine someone of the standard a pro would be might feel likewise.

[newtogolf]

Thanks for the clarity and do you know of any pros gaming a chipper currently?

I doubt there are but I'm not sure most of us here should base the clubs they carry on what the pro's do.

I'm going to give the Cleveland C sole wedge a try, if it helps lower my scores and win club tournaments I'll happily listen to the snide remarks made by the members I beat.   I'll also continue to work on my short game with traditional wedges so I don't have a dedicate a slot in my bag to a wedge I can only use for chipping

I do remember that one of the pro's on the Champions Tour used one, but I can't recall who it was.

[purple drank]

Nope not that I know of but someone else might.

As I said in my original posts to me a chipper uses up a slot which I'd find a better use for as I use all irons and wedges for chipping and my 8i is the same loft as a chipper and I can chip fine with that.

I'd imagine someone of the standard a pro would be might feel likewise.

EXACTLY

[Lihu]

As I said in my original posts to me a chipper uses up a slot which I'd find a better use for as I use all irons and wedges for chipping and my 8i is the same loft as a chipper and I can chip fine with that.

Agree, that is the only thing about the chipper. However, irons are not weighted like a chipper and you might have a tendency to use a little bit of wrist to compensate for it. From rough, I tend to chip more "aggressively". That's generally where I skull it. I need to practice with the chipper more, but it appears to be able to handle normal green side rough.

I do like my 60 degree when I swing it correctly. It's fun being able to go over a small tree guarding the side/back of a green, or to get out of a deep green side bunker. The issue is that most of the situations do not call for that kind of performance. So, for me, it would easily replace my 60 degree wedge. Then I would replace my 50 degree with a 52/54 degree for sand.