Short game - Chippers.

[NBee]

My short game is rubbish. I find it particularly difficult to play out of long grass on the fringe of the green or 20/30 yards from the edge of the green. This gets worse when the grass is wet. I cannot seem to control the flight or length/accuracy of the shot as I would like. And yes, I have practised.
Has anyone any good advice or tips to pass on? Are these chipper clubs any good - and how do you use them?
Help would be appreciated.

 

[jammag]

chippers are a temperory solution but in the end will probably be a wasted club in the bag. I am sure some on here would recommend a certain training aid it gets some good reviews on here.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Get a lesson and for the price of a chipper get a stroke that will work and give you the chance to play different shots around the green. A huge part of the short game is imagination and sadly a chipper will make you one dimensional. What happens when its just that little bit too far to use the chipper. What will you do then

 

[chris661]

A chipper is just basically an eight iron why not just use that?

 

[Ken_A]

<runs for the shelter>

 

[rosecott]

chippers are a temperory solution but in the end will probably be a wasted club in the bag. I am sure some on here would recommend a certain training aid it gets some good reviews on here.

Yawn - heard it all before.

Been my temporary solution for 12 years. Why does no-one go on about a lob wedge being a waste of space as it can only do one thing - lob?

Why should anyone else be bothered about the 14th club I choose to have in my bag - and I'm completely beyond being even faintly embarrassed by the "experts" who sniff at it.

 

[jammag]

chippers are a temperory solution but in the end will probably be a wasted club in the bag. I am sure some on here would recommend a certain training aid it gets some good reviews on here.

Yawn - heard it all before.

Been my temporary solution for 12 years. Why does no-one go on about a lob wedge being a waste of space as it can only do one thing - lob?

Why should anyone else be bothered about the 14th club I choose to have in my bag - and I'm completely beyond being even faintly embarrassed by the "experts" who sniff at it.

umm im sorry but where did I slate the club. I merely said it would be a temporary solution which it is for most people then they bring in the other short game clubs as they offer more all round use.

I used a lob wedge out of bunkers and its handy to go over objects if you dont have the choice. I am not confident in opening up the club too much incase I completely skew it.

You can only use a chipper in limited circumstances where as another club in the bag may offer a lot more.

 

[rosecott]

Sorry - wasn't accusing you in particular about slating the club. Just getting my retaliation in, in advance of the usual torrent of ridicule..

 

[jammag]

Well I was only speaking from experience of them as I did own one for a while and it was good for a while but then it gives you confidence to try other clubs and how to play them which is why I meant a temperory solution.

 

[Leftie]

Why does no-one go on about a lob wedge being a waste of space as it can only do one thing - blob?

Unless of course the user spends most of his/her short game practice with one and is probably a cat 1 player.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

If getting out of longer grass is your issue I don't see how a chipper will help?

IMHO you're far better off learning to chip with the clubs you already have. If I'm off the green in the second cut but close to the hole I'll use my hybrid. I don't see the point in a chipper when there are many other clubs that can be used for the job.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Why does no-one go on about a lob wedge being a waste of space as it can only do one thing - lob?

If you search the archives you'll find many people warning that lob wedges can get you into trouble if used incorrectly.

It's like all clubs, you have to practice and learn when to use it. Golf is about understanding how your ball reacts with different clubs out of different lies. A driver in many peoples hands costs more shots than it saves and is probably the most 1-dimensional club in the bag but no-one moans about them.

 

[Oddsocks]

Short game lesson everytime. It will make you more creative around the greens with a spread of clubs, not just leave you the chipper only option

 

[bobmac]

Some people prefer to use chippers as they get better results for them. The reason being there is more weight in the head and the shaft is shorter.
In your situation out of the longer grass, I would use your PW or SW and make sure you dont quit on the shot. Commit to it and trust the loft of the wedge to lift the ball onto the green with a good length follow through.

 

[Wildrover]

They should be banned IMHO. The reason being I don't see why someone who struggles with chipping can buy a completely different type of club to overcome they're deficiency whilst if you struggle with any other part of the game you just have to get on with it. Yes you can buy clubs that will make things easier for you but the basic idea of the club and the way in which you use it are the same. For example if you struggle off the tee you can buy an offset driver or a an ultra forgiving one, but this doesn't change the way you actually approach the shot. As a chipper alters completely the way the shot is played I believe they go against the spirit of the game. By the way if you do buy one don't buy a double faced one as they ARE illeagal.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

As a chipper alters completely the way the shot is played I believe they go against the spirit of the game

I often use my hybrid around the green and hit it with a putting stroke instead of using a wedge to chip, is that against the spirit of the game?

 

[Wildrover]

But that is adapting another club to manufacture a shot, I don't have a problem with that. The chipper is not designed for anything else other than to overcome somebodies shortcomings by totally changing the way the shot is played, which you can't do in other areas of the game, with the possible exception of long putters, and yes, I'd ban those as well.

 

[3offTheTee]

Surely it is personal preference and what works in getting the ball near the hole. I use a chipper off the green and I laugh when people take the proverbial but I end up nearer the hole.

It is all about what you are comfortable with and % of success rate

 

[Ethan]

You see plenty of Tour pros using lob wedges, long putters and hybrids. Some even use Ping clubs.

How many use a chipper?

None, not even the Ping players.

 

[bladeplayer]

You see plenty of Tour pros using lob wedges, long putters and hybrids. Some even use Ping clubs.

How many use a chipper?

None, not even the Ping players.

They would have much more spin control tho (or should have) if its within the rules & you are happy with it , GO FOR IT. i know most of it is just good banter but think the ping & the chipper thing pops up too much , surely all clubs are down to personal choice & how they work for you. I do agree the lesson might be better value in the long run tho as you will learn different shots & feel etc , but if you can knock it dead with a chipper never give that up ..