Are Chippers Legal In Golf? — (What Is It and Should You Use One?)
-
Patrick Corley
- 05/10/2023
You may have seen an advertisement for them on TV or have a buddy at your local course using a chipper and thought about getting one to help you with your game.
What exactly is a chipper club? Are they legal to play in tournaments? And should you put a chipper in your bag?
The Tell Me More Golf team will look at chipper clubs to define what they are, if they are legal to use and if you should put one in your golf bag.
What Is a Chipper?
A chipper is a club that looks much like a putter but has a loft of between 32 and 37 degrees.
Those lofts are similar to a 6 or 7 iron.
However, a chipper has a super-wide sole, is much heavier, and has a center of mass that allows it to glide through greenside rough without getting stuck.
And, thanks to its more upright angle, you can use a putting stroke to hit the ball, which is far easier than the normal chipping stroke for most golfers.
The best golf chippers like the Cleveland Chipper, Wilson Harmonized Golf Chipper, Intech EZ Roll, and Square Strike Wedge are examples of chippers that belong in any beginning golfer’s golf bag.
Is a Chipper Legal?
Yes, chippers are legal and conforming clubs according to the rules of golf by the USGA. They are considered iron clubs, not a putter. They must have a regular club grip, not a putter grip, and they cannot have two striking faces or any appendages for alignment purposes.
As conforming clubs, they can be legally used in stroke play golf competitions and official tournaments.
How Do You Use a Chipper
Chippers are designed upright like a putter, with the loft of a 6 or 7 iron, and weighted to hit the ball using a putting stroke.
The club’s design and using a putting stroke make it easier for beginner golfers to hit a low bump and run shot out of the rough and onto the green towards the hole.
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Should You Use a Golf Chipper?
If you are a golfer struggling to hit chip shots from just off the green, you should use a golf chipper.
Why? A chipper’s weight distribution and loft are designed for you to mimic your putting stroke.
So use your putting stroke and let the chipper’s loft and weight do all the work of quickly getting the golf ball up into the air from the rough.
High handicappers aren’t able to practice their shot game for hours like professional golfers and often catch the hosel and hit shanks when trying to chip the ball around the green.
Golfers of any handicap level find the putting stroke easier than a chipping stroke. The chipper allows them to chip using a putting stroke, leading to better shots.
Alternatives To Using a Chipper
Here’s a golf tip for those who like the concept of the chipper, but can’t fit an extra club into their golf bag:
Use a pitching wedge, a sand wedge, and some forward press to deloft the clubface to the loft of a seven or an eight iron. Then, with the ball off your back foot, use your putting stroke to hit the chip.
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Pros And Cons Of A Golf Chipper
While the chipper can be helpful around the greens, there are some drawbacks to using one.
Pros of a Chipper
- Much Easier to Hit Bump and Run Shot Around Green
- Less Bladed Chips Shots
- Less Chunked Chip Shots
Cons of a Chipper
- Limited Range for Shots
- Limited Shot Type – Bump and Run
The chipper is a great club for golfers who struggle in their short game to hit one specific shot type around the green: the bump and run chip.
However, you only get to carry 14 clubs in your golf bag. Because you only use a chipper for one type of shot, you might lose some shot-making versatility by taking out a fairway wood or a wedge.
Are Two-Way Golf Chippers Legal?
According to USGA rules, two-way chippers are illegal because they are classified as irons and cannot have two striking faces.
Because two-way chippers are illegal, you cannot use them in tournament play. Using a two-way chipper illegally in a tournament can result in disqualification.
FAQ Section
How much do chippers cost in golf?
Depending on the brand, you can find golf chippers in golf stores and online retailers from $40 to around $150.
What is a recommended chipper for golf?
Cleveland Chipper, Wilson Harmonized Golf Chipper, Intech EZ Roll, and Square Strike Wedge are some of the best chippers available.
Do pros use golf chippers?
No. Professional golfers like those on the PGA can use regular golf clubs to hit almost any type of shot imaginable and still be able to control the spin, distance, and release of the golf ball.
In addition, chippers are specially designed for mid to high handicappers.
Conclusion: Research by Tellmemoregolf.com
Golfers always look for golf equipment to help them play better and shoot lower scores when out on the golf course. According to USGA Rules, chippers are legal clubs and can be used in competition.
A chipper’s weight and loft let golfers hit their chips like putts, which is a much easier and repeatable motion. It’s much easier for many beginners or high-handicappers to use a chipper to hit a crispy bump and run shot around the greens.
While you probably won’t see players on the PGA Tour using chippers anytime soon. Chippers can be a great addition to the golf bag of a player who consistently tops, duffs, or shanks chips.
Your golf buddies might make fun of you until they see you consistently nestling your chips closer to the pin and shooting lower scores.
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