Does Anyone Else Here Use a Chipper?

[iacas]

1 minute ago, TRUCKER said:

You never explained why.

I believe I did.

Back on topic please.

[TRUCKER]

1 hour ago, billchao said:

It's OT, but I can shoot lower scores simply by teeing off with my irons on every hole (my driver is my biggest issue). I'll eventually get a slightly lower handicap as a result. Lower scores, same golfer, same skillset. I'd be conning myself into thinking I've improved based on scoring when I haven't.

The problem with doing that is it limits my ability to play the game at my highest level because I'm taking away a club with many benefits to my game if I learned to use it correctly. I'd be at a disadvantage on long holes, anything with a forced carry off the tee, and just from giving up the extra distance potential in general.

Now that I think about it, it's an apt analogy to the chipper discussion. A chipper allows you to do one shot well at the cost of an alternate club that can be used for many different shots.

So if you could get down to a 9 by simply teeing off with your irons you wouldn't because it would limit you to play the game at your highest level. A level you couldn't achieve unless you teed off with irons only. SMH.

[billchao]

12 minutes ago, TRUCKER said:

So if you could get down to a 9 by simply teeing off with your irons you wouldn't because it would limit you to play the game at your highest level. A level you couldn't achieve unless you teed off with irons only. SMH.

Uh yea, because not every course I play has 330 yard par 4s, so that "9" won't travel well. I'll need to fix my driver at some point if I want to be the best golfer I can be.

Just like with a chipper. What do you do when you play a course with thick rough and heavy bunkering?

[boogielicious]

8 minutes ago, TRUCKER said:

So if you could get down to a 9 by simply teeing off with your irons you wouldn't because it would limit you to play the game at your highest level. A level you couldn't achieve unless you teed off with irons only. SMH.

I can’t tell if you are just playing devils advocate or not. There is a reason why the best players in the world don’t use chippers. Chippers are limited in what you can do with them. Good players can create the same shot with multiple clubs.

You are creating examples where some people could shoot slightly lower scores playing a chipper. I’ve never seen those players. I know folks who use them and don’t shoot lower with chippers. They also don’t like to practice.

Others present examples where people get better learning to chip and pitch with other clubs, with better technique that covers all around the green situations. The player who does the latter, and practices will become a better golfer and eventually shoot a lot lower scores. That is the upside to learning good technique. Your potential to shoot lower scores is a lot better.

This is why I choose to work on technique. I want to become a better golfer that can shoot a lot lower scores.

[TRUCKER]

Your not comparing apples to apples. The point of using a chipper or in my case the Square Strike is so I DONT have to practice (as much) to get some good results. I already said in the beginning that I played with a $180 Callaway MacDaddy wedge. I got better results with the Square Strike with the amount of time I'm going to put into getting better. So I got better simply by using a club that is more forgiving. As I said before my 10 year old son has a pw,50,56,60 and is very proficient with those clubs, BUT he practices daily and gets a weekly lesson with a pga pro who also caddies for her sister on the LPGA Tour. See the difference.

[iacas]

@TRUCKER, you're not only still missing the point, you've responded after I've made a direct request to get back on topic.

There will not be another request: this is it.

Start another topic if you want to talk about this other topic.

[ncates00]

18 hours ago, David in FL said:

Maybe a real chipper would get that hcp lower than “ummm”

Just a thought.  

Nah, chipping is the easy part.  Long game is where i'd like to improve. 

[David in FL]

1 minute ago, ncates00 said:

Nah, chipping is the easy part.  Long game is where i'd like to improve. 

Nothing says you can’t do both...

[ncates00]

7 minutes ago, David in FL said:

Nothing says you can’t do both...

Sure but with limited time, I think I'll stick with where I get most bang for my buck trying to hit good drives and GIR.  I practice chipping here and there, but the benefits of ballstriking far outweigh chipping for busy people.  And my chippers do just fine 🙂

Edited February 27, 2019 by ncates00

[Joey G]

I'm thinking of getting one for my daughter's bag. She's a freshman in HS and playing her first Varsity tournaments...anyone recommend a good chipper for ladies?

[Petrocelli]

19 hours ago, iacas said:

The best argument against chippers might be that for the cost of a chipper you can learn a skill instead of buying a single use Band-Aid piece of equipment.

Take a chipping lesson.

I started golfing when I was 37.  I'm 59 now.

When I started, I took a lesson about every Saturday for about 3 years. I have also taken about 10 lessons over the years focusing just on chipping.  I have probably taken around 200-250 lessons over 22 years.

The reality is, I still mis-hit a couple chips every round.  So I disagree that a chipping lesson will solve all problems.

I also have the problem that the public course I practice at has a crappy chipping area.  Therefore, I have to practice chipping off mats, which is not the same as practicing on grass.

I'm almost 60.  So when I set up my bag for the next decade, I thought a chipper would be a good club to try.  I bought it at Roger Dunn, so I could return it no questions asked if I didn't like it.

After using it for a few rounds, I still maintain that if your index is around 18 or higher, this is a good club to have in the bag.

[3jacker]

If you mis-hit chips with an 8-iron, say, why would you not mis-hit them with the smaller-bladed chipper?

And as for allocating limited practice time - while an excellent long game might be more beneficial to lowering scores in theory, with limited time to practice, time on the short game would have more of a beneficial impact to the average Joe.  For instance:  

1. "If I could master my long irons I could probably shave 4 strokes off a round."

2.  "If I could chip/putt better I could shave 1 or 2 strokes off a round."

Number 1 sounds better but it ain't gonna happen. So focus on number 2. lol
 

[Petrocelli]

17 hours ago, boogielicious said:

You are creating examples where some people could shoot slightly lower scores playing a chipper. I’ve never seen those players. I know folks who use them and don’t shoot lower with chippers. They also don’t like to practice.

 

1 minute ago, 3jacker said:

If you mis-hit chips with an 8-iron, say, why would you not mis-hit them with the smaller-bladed chipper?

And as for allocating limited practice time - while an excellent long game might be more beneficial to lowering scores in theory, with limited time to practice, time on the short game would have more of a beneficial impact to the average Joe.  

 

It's really difficult to mishit a chip with a chipper.  They are essentially idiot-proof.

As for practicing, I stopped for a couple years.  (I started yoga, and devoted my Saturday mornings to that.)  This year, I started religiously practicing every Saturday.  I get to the range around 7.   I hit about 60 balls, treating each one like a real shot, I hit driver, then hybrid/wood, then an iron, then a wedge (full swing), then a pitch, then two chips, and then I start over.  I then putt for around 30 minutes.  I then go to a 9:15 yoga class.

Some people are better at golf then others.  People with 2 indexes have an entirely different set of priorities than people with 18 indexes.  I now have a club that gives me confidence when I hit a chip, it will go pretty much where I am aiming.  In the end, that is what is important.

 

[3jacker]

Maybe if you hit 3 chips...?  J/K, I know what you mean.

Didn't PING make a chipper with a face on either side of the clubhead?  That might help allay the angst that comes from devoting a slot to very specific-purpose club in the bag.  Now you have a chipper and a left-handed punchout club. 🙂

[DrMJG]

18 minutes ago, 3jacker said:

Maybe if you hit 3 chips...?  J/K, I know what you mean.

Didn't PING make a chipper with a face on either side of the clubhead?  That might help allay the angst that comes from devoting a slot to very specific-purpose club in the bag.  Now you have a chipper and a left-handed punchout club. 🙂

Double sided chippers are no longer a legal club

[billchao]

1 hour ago, Petrocelli said:

It's really difficult to mishit a chip with a chipper.  They are essentially idiot-proof.

Gauntlet thrown down, @GolfLug 😜

[boogielicious]

2 minutes ago, billchao said:

Gauntlet thrown down, @GolfLug 😜

I guess my friend who uses one is an idiot. 😜 He mishits it all the time.

[Petrocelli]

1 hour ago, boogielicious said:

I guess my friend who uses one is an idiot. 😜 He mishits it all the time.

I take that back.  Your friend may be very smart.  But he sure is a crappy golfer.