Chippers and Putting Wedges

[sean_miller]

. . . I fully support adding a chipping wedge if it makes the game easier or more enjoyable for him.

The OP specifically asked, "I was just wondering what everyone thought about this club."

He didn't ask whether or not he should use one and I never suggested he shouldn't game one. I added my thoughts on chippers and why I personally have never used one. Hell, I'd been playing for a couple years before I even saw one. I'm pretty sure if the option was there I'd have at least tried one. I'm also pretty sure I'd have taken it out of the bag in favour of a sand and lob wedge soon after. I've always preferred having as many full shot options from the fairway and as many loft/bounce options around the green as possible. I was in awe of low hdcp players who could loft the ball over trouble, one hop and stop it at the pin, and make it dance on the green out of bunkers.

[iacas]

He didn't ask whether or not he should use one and I never suggested he shouldn't game one.

I didn't say you had, and I was sharing my opinion, which I was prompted to do by your post. So I quoted it. Nothing more.

[sean_miller]

Aaaah!

Now is the time to consume alcohol get ready to bid 2009 adieu. I plan on having a nice glow on by the time they drop the puck on USA v. Canada (world juniors). I therefore apologize in advance for anything posted in the next 12 hours.

[ThomasG]

Not yet but I will give it a shot next year. The plan is to get a Cleveland 49° or 56° Niblick to try out. You can supposedly hit full shots with them that fly about as far as a wedge with 2 or 3 degrees more loft (because of the shorter shaft).

[kilbyman]

nope... but sometimes i just whack the ball with my putter if the lie is particularly terrible, and that usually works pretty well

[wkdspd]

the chipping putters seem to have come on more in the retail market in the past couple of years, and they are definitely interesting for making that particular bump shot easier for those that have trouble making it with other clubs not so suited. sure you could choke up on a 7, but then you have the extra shaft in your way to contend with and an iron sole which has the tendancy to dig if you're not careful on these slower swining shots, where the chipper has the specific shorter shaft and fatter sole to help finesse that shot. I personally have a "chipper" I built about 10 years ago that finds its way in and out of my bag on occasion - I took an old 7 iron and sharpened the grooves, cut down the shaft, and voila...it allows me to chip/bump when that part of my game isnt working right with a wedge, as well as gives me another option when hitting out of heavy trees/brush where longer shafts get in touble and I need to keep it lower than a wedge would allow. just my $.02

[JerseyThursday]

I have never fully understood how the rules are applied in all this. Isn’t the putter the only club allowed to have a flat-sided grip? Thus, would a person who put a putter grip on a chipper be using an illegal club? Someone in this thread said they use their putter left handed for certain chips. At that point is it considered a club and not a putter, once again the type of grip being an issue?

[bennyville]

I use a maltby "Glider X" 9 iron that I put together. Great around the greens for chipping and is money from 130 and in. Best thing is, I have less than $20 in it and wouldn't tade it for nothing.

[Fourputt]

I have never fully understood how the rules are applied in all this. Isn’t the putter the only club allowed to have a flat-sided grip? Thus, would a person who put a putter grip on a chipper be using an illegal club? Someone in this thread said they use their putter left handed for certain chips. At that point is it considered a club and not a putter, once again the type of grip being an issue?

A putter is a putter regardless of how it's used. You can use it off the tee if you so choose. A putter is even allowed to have 2 striking faces for either left or right hand use, and it can have no more than a 10° face loft. A chipper can only have one striking face, and it must have a standard type round grip.

[sean_miller]

A putter is even allowed to have 2 striking faces for either left or right hand use, and it can have no more than a 10° face loft.

The issue I take with people hitting a putter backhanded from under a branch (or other such trouble), is they're not typically hitting an old Acushnet Bullseye with identical faces (or even a Ray Cook mallet with one good and one useless face). They're typically hitting using blade type putter where the upper and lower leading edges give it an effective loft of much greater than 10 degrees. A person might not get called on it, but it seems "cheaty" to me. That's all I have to say on that practice.

[James_Black]

I know a guy that has one and he uses it for long shots aswell.
It's the only club in the bag he can hit from 100 yards in

[ET-Taylor]

does that mean you could put a putter grip on a 9.5* driver

No i dont use one i think it is a waste of a place in the bag i can use 9 iron instead

[cirem22]

I play with a couple guys who use one. i think for someone with poor short game they are useful, usually the weight and shape helps get under the ball. I have noticed both guys hit less skulled flingers around the green. however I don't think they are the ideal way to play around the green if you intend to become a low handicapper.

[NM Golf]

Chippers are, rightfully so, in the same category as golf ball retriever tools, Iron covers, and the little clicky thinks you are supposed to use to keep your score. What is the name of that category you ask? Hacker Gear! If I showed up with any of those things in my golf bag I would get laughed out of my weekly group.

[HAZARD MAGNET]

Chippers are, rightfully so, in the same category as golf ball retriever tools, Iron covers, and the little clicky thinks you are supposed to use to keep your score. What is the name of that category you ask? Hacker Gear! If I showed up with any of those things in my golf bag I would get laughed out of my weekly group.

I see by your handicap that you are an extremely accomplished golfer. I on the other hand am a 27 handicapper who only started the game august 2009. The reasons I took up golf are at age 55 I need to learn a sport I can play in my later years and to get some low impact exercise. You see, 8 years of semi-pro football have taken their toll on my knees and ankles. When I played I was sometimes subjected to abuse from the other teams because of my size ( 5' 10" 175 lbs.). Those were usually some of the best games I played. My other fall/ winter sport is bowling. I show up at a tournament with 1 ball for strikes and 1 for spares, the snobs with a truckload of the latest and greatest stuff laugh. It's fun to take "their" money. My summer sport is stock car racing. I pull my rig into the pits and park next to a truck and trailer that's worth more than my whole racing program. The snobs who buy all the latest and greatest, come over to look at my home made suspension parts, body panels and stock block home built engine, and laugh. Now I have to keep 2 sets of front end parts in the trailer because most of the time someone wants to buy 1. NM Golf, you are a much better golfer than me so I can't hope to compete with you, but if some old guy shows up with a ball retriever,all his irons neatly covered, tells you about how they used to call rangefinders " hacker gear" then proceeds to take your money and knock the snob out of you, karma will be served. Even better would be if he needed a chip-in on 18 to shut you out he pulls out a $14.00 K-Mart chipper and drains it!!

[keb]

Chippers are, rightfully so, in the same category as golf ball retriever tools, Iron covers, and the little clicky thinks you are supposed to use to keep your score. What is the name of that category you ask? Hacker Gear! If I showed up with any of those things in my golf bag I would get laughed out of my weekly group.

Does your rangefinder fall within that classfication of hacker gear?

[Fourputt]

Chippers are, rightfully so, in the same category as golf ball retriever tools, Iron covers, and the little clicky thinks you are supposed to use to keep your score. What is the name of that category you ask? Hacker Gear! If I showed up with any of those things in my golf bag I would get laughed out of my weekly group.

Spoken like a true golf elitist. Damn glad I don't play in your group. Don't know if I could take the loss of blood in such a cutthroat bunch.

[sean_miller]

I get laughed at when I game super old irons, ancient woods with cracking original grips, 100 year old putters, and vintage golf balls, but it's all in fun. But . . . I don't think anyone I play with would laugh or comment if I pulled out a chipper. They'd probably sneak sideways glances and wait for the punchline. Sad but true.