Is A Chipper Wedge Worth Carrying – What Is It & When To Use It

Is A Chipper Wedge Worth Carrying – What Is It & When To Use It

 

A somewhat dying breed of club, the chipper wedge looks like a putter but has the loft of a mid-iron. This is a club that simplifies chipping as it makes it more like putting than ever.

This begs the question though, why are they becoming a rare sight in the bags of golfers?

Today we’re going to go into more detail about the chipper wedge and discuss if this is a club for your bag. How do you use this club and what are the alternatives? Let’s delve into this one.

What Exactly Is A Chipper Wedge?

The length, lie angle and grip of a putter with the loft of a mid-iron, the chipper is designed to make chipping as easy as possible.

If you watch some of the top pros, Thomas Pieters is a great example, they set-up for chips with the iron at a very upright angle to mimic putting.

Think of it as a way of reducing the variables in your chipping by recreating a putt. It also has the super-wide sole of a putter which helps the club glide over the surface through impact. The chipper wedge is a great tool for those who just can’t seem to get their chipping working well.

 

When Should You Use It?

This club is for those shots near to but off the green that are just too far away for a putt.

It is the perfect club to use instead of playing a chip and run shot, the kind of shot made famous by links golf.

These are the shots that can help you keep the momentum of your round going.

 

Who Should Be Using A Chipper Wedge?

Many golfers really struggle to get good consistency in their chip shots, this club can help greatly.

They can also be useful clubs for beginners to learn how to hit the chip shot and build their fundamentals.

If you have a little bit of longer grass to hit over just before the green, the chipper can help you navigate it easily and still get the ball as close to the hole as with a putt.

 

How To Hit A Chipper?

The beauty of this club is that if you already know how to set-up for a putt then you already know how to hit the chipper wedge.

The ball should be directly below your eyes, a fairly narrow stance with your weight 60/40 on your front leg. Then swing the shoulders like a pendulum, like below:

 

 

How Far Should You Hit A Chipper Wedge?

I would say that the chipper wedge is for anything from around 30 yards and closer.

Sometimes on true links courses you can use it from further away but generally this is going to be used from just off the fringe of the green.

 

1-Sided Chipper vs 2-Sided Chipper

The rules of golf make this one a fairly easy decision, 2-sided chippers are not allowed under the rules of golf, you are only allowed “one striking face”.

Therefore, a one-sided chipper is your option here, two-sided chippers look horrendous anyway.

 

Are Chippers Legal?

The point above about 2-sided chippers raises this question and whilst they are illegal, the 1-sided chipper is a perfectly legitimate club for you to carry.

Frankly though, they aren’t going to win you any cool points down at the club.

 

What’s The Typical Loft Of Chipper Wedges?

The classic chip and run shot should be played with something like a 7-iron, these have a typical loft of around 34 degrees.

It makes sense then that the chipper wedge tends to have lofts between 30 and 37 degrees, perfect for helping you hit that low runner up to the flag.

 

Speaking Of Distances, How Far Do Wedges Go?

Club	PGA Tour Average	Men’s Average	Ladies Average
Pitching Wedge	140 yards	110 yards	90 yards
Gap Wedge	130 yards	100 yards	80 yards
Sand Wedge	115 yards	90 yards	70 yards
Lob Wedge	100 yards	75 yards	60 yards

 

As you can see, the guys on the PGA Tour hit their wedges an impressive distance. However, with wedges it is accuracy that is important so get hung up on length, these clubs are all about consistency.

 

Chipper Wedge vs. Pitching wedge

Whilst the 7-iron or chipper wedge works well on hard running courses, if you play a parkland course sometimes you will need a little more loft for chip and run shots.

Here the pitching wedge can be your friend. They can and often will both be used for that shot during the same round.

 

Should Every Golfer Carry A Chipper Wedge?

I don’t think so, no. The chipper is there to make it easier for you to play a shot that can be played with a mid-iron or even a short-iron.

I can see that some golfers, like newbies or those who are really struggling to chip, could use one but for most golfers it is best to use one of your irons.

 

Do Pros Use Chippers?

I’ve never seen a pro use a chipper, I checked this with Google and I can’t see any reports of it there.

As I said above, many other clubs in the bag can do the job of a chipper and so carrying-one can be quite limiting.

Some hard work practicing around the greens can be a better bet.

 

Best Chippers For 2021

If you feel that this is a club that can turn your game around and bring you success in 2021 then that is great. ‘

Let’s have a look at some of the best clubs on the market so you can make a more informed decision around which one to add to your bag for the upcoming season.

 

Wilson Harmonised Chipper

The beauty of the Wilson Harmonised chipper is in its simplicity. The design is also really appealing with a black top-line which helps with confidence at address as it is so bold behind the club. The back of the putter is in a nice metallic grey color which makes for a great contrast.

The sight-lines are great for helping your alignment and the black face just looks so good behind the ball. The club has a lovely soft feel at impact and it felt so easy to use.

The price is great too, at $50 or there about, if you’re unsure about buying a chipper, this doesn’t cost too much. 

Check Out More Reviews Here:

 

 

Pinemeadow Golf Excel EGI Chipper

I find the Pinemeadow EGI chipper an interesting club and it is very different to the Wilson club described above.

The Wilson looks like a putter, this Pinemeadow looks more like an iron and this will appeal to many. With 37 degrees of loft you will be able to get a bit of height on the ball.

The extra-wide sole is designed to help you keep the club square at impact and make better contact with the ball, this feature really works and will benefit many.

It is also heavier than a lot of clubs to help you swing it like a putter and make better contact. A well-designed club for sure.

Check Out More Reviews Here:

 

Orlimar Escape Chipper

The Orlimar Escape Chipper is more like the Wilson in the way that it is based on a putter rather than an iron, but this one has more of a mallet putter style.

Many golfers prefer the look of a mallet putter and this also has an even wider sole which can help those who struggle with the strike.

The top-line of the club frames the ball really nicely to help you with alignment. One of the stand-out features is the hosel of the club makes it shank-proof!

Many golfers struggle with the shanks around the green and the Orlimar will remedy that and take that horrible worry from your game.

Check Out More Reviews Here:

 

Odyssey X-ACT Tank Chipper

This is the most expensive of the listed chipper wedges, however, the Odyssey X-ACT Tank has received a lot of good reviews so I thought was worth adding.

This club has all of the benefits of the Orlimar, above, but with the amazingly soft Odyssey White Hot face.

Unlike the Orlimar, this chipper comes with a putter grip to make it more like putting. This grip will help stabilise your hands when using the 37 degree club.

For those who already like having a chipper in their bag and are willing to spend a bit of money on the best, this is the one for you.

Check Out More Reviews Here:

 

Conclusion

Frankly, the chipper wedge is not a club for everyone, however it really does have it’s place for many golfers.

If you struggle with the yips, the shanks, thinning it or chunking it around the greens and it feels like there is no hope, this could be the ray of light your golf game has been needing.

When looking to buy a chipper, have a look at the iron-style and putter-style clubs. It is important that you workout the set-up of the club that feels best in your hands.

From there, you just want to try a few and you’ll soon find your new chipper, you can start enjoying getting up and down again.