One of the most frustrating things for any golfer is hitting a wedge shot that goes just a few inches, or one that hits off the blade well beyond the flag.
To combat these mishits, many mid-to-high handicappers turn to chippers, golf clubs designed to allow a player to chip a ball with the stroke and feel of a putt. These niche clubs have become very popular, but as a result of their novelty, there are many sub-par chippers on the market today.
The best chippers on the market make playing out of the rough near the green a breeze, but poor-quality options will only continue a player’s green-side woes.
Fortunately, our team has tested 30 chippers and found the best values for your game, whether you’re looking for the best on the market or you’re happier with a quality budget chipper.
Below you’ll find information on our favorite chippers as well as some information on how they can improve your game. Ready to start getting up-and-down with ease?
Let’s get started.
Five Best Golf Chippers 2023
Golfible Picks:
Top Pick: Cleveland Smart Sole 4 Black Satin Chipper (click to see)
Runner Up: Wilson Men’s Harmonized Chipper (click to see)
Budget Option: True Ace Assembled Golf Chipper (click to see)
Best Chipper for Women: Intech Golf EZ Roll Ladies (click to see)
Best Two-Way Chipper: Intech Golf Approach Two-Way Chipper (click to see)
Premium Purchase: Ray Cook Extreme Aim Chipper (click to see)
Golf Chippers Product Specification Comparison
| Golf Chippers | Cleveland Smart Sole 4 Black Satin Chipper | Wilson Men’s Harmonized Chipper | True Ace Assembled Golf Chipper | Intech Golf EZ Roll Ladies | Intech Golf Approach Two-Way Chipper | Ray Cook Extreme Aim Chipper |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our Rating | 9.5/10 Top Pick | 9.5/10 Runner Up | 9.1/10 Budget Option | 9.2/10 Best Chipper for Women | 8.9/10 Best Two-Way Chipper | 9.3/10 Premium Purchase |
| Pricing | Jump To Pricing Section | Jump To Pricing Section | Jump To Pricing Section | Jump To Pricing Section | Jump To Pricing Section | Jump To Pricing Section |
| Loft | 42⁰ | 32⁰ | 35⁰ | 35⁰ | 32⁰ | 37⁰ |
| Lie Angle | 66⁰ | N/A | 71⁰ | N/A | N/A | 70⁰ |
| Hosel | N/A | N/A | Gooseneck Hosel | Gooseneck Hosel | Straight Hosel | Gooseneck Hosel |
| Standard Lengths | 34″ | 34″, 35″ | 35″ | 33.5″ | 35″ | 35″ |
| Alignment | N/A | Four Sight Lines | Two Sight Lines | Top Sight Lines | Single Sight Line | Site Alignment Aid |
| Shaft | Smart Sole Steel – 130G | Wilson Standard (Steel) | Apollo Stepped (Steel) | Steel Apollo Shaft | N/A | Ray Cook Stock Steel |
| Grip | Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 | Wilson Harmonized Vertical Seam Grip | Karma Black Velvet | N/A | Pro Velvet | Ray Cook Stock Rubber |
| Read Review | Jump To Cleveland Smart Sole 4 Black Satin Chipper Review | Jump To Wilson Men’s Harmonized Chipper Review | Jump To True Ace Assembled Golf Chipper Review | Jump To Intech Golf EZ Roll Ladies Review | Jump To Intech Golf Approach Two-Way Chipper Review | Jump To Ray Cook Extreme Aim Chipper Review |
Cleveland Smart Sole 4 Black Satin Chipper
Top Pick
Rating: 9.5 /10
USA Suppliers (Also Deliver To Canada)
Pros
- Serves its purpose: Chipping is easy
- Gets the ball up easily and quickly
- Black satin club head looks very sharp
Cons
- It’s a great chipper, not useful for much else
- Greatly benefits mid-to-high handicappers, not so much for better players
The Cleveland Smart Sole 4 Black Satin Chipper was the clear-cut favorite club we tested in the category of best golf chippers.
At some point in your golf career, no matter how good you may be now, you were very nervous about hitting a green-side chip shot.
All of the things that can go wrong go through your head:
- What if I don’t follow through and the ball goes approximately six inches?
- What if I follow through too much and pick my head up, then the ball flies 50 yards past the flag and I’ve ruined the entire hole?
Yes, we’ve all been there. And if you can relate to this feeling now then we have a solution for you: the Cleveland Smart Sole 4 Chipper.
The Smart Sole 4 is designed to allow golfers of any skill level to get the ball off the ground easily and lightly bounce it toward the hole on shorter chip shots.
Its unique design and special technology makes it almost impossible to hit the ball fat or blade it into the next fairway, and it’s as easy as using your normal putting stroke.
The Smart Sole 4 is like a cheat code when you’re near the green.
So, how exactly does it make chipping so easy?
The design of the sole is why this club is so easy to hit. Just at first glance, you will notice how wide the sole is, and it’s designed that way for maximum forgiveness.
The three tiered super wide sole gives you extra bounce off the clubface, meaning the angle of the club head on the ground is perfect for chipping, and when you hit the club you will feel how forgiving it is.
The wide sole gets the ball up off the ground quickly, and with minimal effort. This means you can swing the chipper just like your putter and it will produce an easy chip shot that pops straight up toward the hole.
On mishits club is so forgiving you don’t have to fear a shot flying across the green or only going a few inches. Even on bad shots, the ball takes a bounce and will end up close to the flag.
Imagine instead of worrying about hitting the blade of your pitching wedge if you could pick up this chipper and simply “putt” the ball over the rough and on to the green. It’s that easy with the Smart Sole 4.
Our higher handicap testers used several chippers and some wedges to compare results and their comments on the Smart Sole 4 were far and away the most positive.
For players like this, the thought of a short chip on to the green was once a point of major frustration and anxiety.
Using the Smart Sole 4 it’s easy to bump the ball onto the green and get it close to the pin.
A lifesaver around the greens is what you’re getting with this club, and saving 10+ shots per round is well worth taking out one club to add the chipper to your bag.
What we love about the Cleveland Smart Sole 4 Black Satin Chipper
- No More Chipping Anxiety: The wide sole and added bounce of the club make it one of the easiest chippers we have ever tested and it’s sure to improve your scores and your level of fun in each round.
- Easy Chipping Stroke: This club allows you to just swing it like a putter and it produces results like a perfectly-hit pitching wedge around the green. You can take a shot that usually only low-handicappers can make with ease and make it part of your game. It’s also very short (34” in length) so it feels a lot like swinging a putter, making for an easy transition.
- Great-Looking Club: The black satin look of the club combined with the wide sole are not only visually appealing, they inspire a lot of confidence at address.
Drawbacks of the Cleveland Smart Sole 4 Black Satin Chipper
It’s a One Trick Pony: Some players claim to be able to use the chipper from ~100 yards out with a full swing. Our testers, for the most part, had the most success around the greens but didn’t have as much luck with longer shots. It’s great for chipping, but you’ll probably have to sacrifice some yardage from your bag to add this one
Usefulness for Low Handicappers: While the Smart Sole 4 was great around the greens for mid-to-high handicappers, it doesn’t have much use for good to great golfers because hitting these chip shots is an easy part of their game.
Stop the anxiety with your short game, give the Cleveland Smart Sole 4 Black Satin Chipper a try today and start cutting strokes off every round!
Wilson Men’s Harmonized Golf Chipper
Runner Up
Rating: 9.5 /10
Pros
- Alignment aid makes it
easy to line up chips and be accurate. - Clubhead design is made to replicate a blade putter or short mallet putter.
- The chipper is 35 inches in length which is typical for a putter making it comfortable at address and when stroking the ball.
Cons
- Not two-faced which is good for USGA regulations but bad if you are playing for fun and want to experiment hitting different shots.
- Half of the club head is black and the other half is silver which can be distracting when lining up the ball.
- Only manufactured for right handed players.
Wilson has been around since 1914 and has been used by major championship winners from Gene Sarazen’s 1922 U.S. Open victory to Padraig Harrington’s triumph at the 2008 PGA Championship.
There are currently six players on the PGA Tour using Wilson including Harrington, Gary Woodland, Kevin Streelman, Ricky Barnes and Brendan Steele.
This great track record and Wilson’s history of making high performance clubs was one of the many reasons we picked the Wilson Men’s Harmonized Golf Chipper as our editor’s choice and No. 1 chipper of 2019.
The club is 35 inches in length and features an iron-like firm grip that lets you choke up or down depending on your height. The head of the club is designed like a mix between a mallet and a blade putter so it is easy to use.
True Ace Assembled Golf Chipper
Budget Option
Rating: 9.1 /10
Pros
- Four-way chamber allows players to hit from thick grass.
- Cheaper than other options with similar features.
- Legal for golf tournaments.
Cons
- Only made for right-handed golfers.
- Brand not well-known or reputable.
- Club designed like a mallet putter so might take time getting used to.
The True Ace Assembled chipper was our budget option due to its affordable price and specialized features.
The chipper stands out from others due to its four-way chamber wide sole that helps players hit out of the rough.
It also has a cavity back with weights on the heel and toe that helps with control and forgiveness.
At 35 inches long and with a 35 degree loft, the True Ace Assembled chipper gives users a true putter-like feel with the angle of a 7-iron perfect for bump and runs or short chips on a flatter surface.
Intech Golf EZ Roll Ladies
Best Chipper for Women
Rating: 9.2 /10
Pros
- Comes in both right and left handed models.
- Gooseneck hosel lowers chance of mishits and shanks
- Satin finish prevents glare on a sunny day and is easy on the eyes.
- Has two alignment aids (white round ball and line) allowing users flexibility when lining up a shot.
Cons
- Only available in one length and loft.
- Gooseneck hosel changes address angle so it might take some time getting accustomed to it.
The Intech Golf EZ Roll was our top pick as the best chipper for women.
The chipper is designed to look like a large mallet putter and is similar to an Odyssey putter with a white round ball in the back with a line through it which serves as an alignment aid.
The EZ Roll comes with a backweighted design to aid in distance control when applying a putting stroke. It’s face is 35 degrees.
The club is the length of a putter and has a gooseneck hosel that helps prevent shanks when making contact with the golf ball.
Intech Golf Approach Two-Way Chipper
Best Two Way Chipper
Rating: 8.9 /10
Pros
- Having two faces allows players to hit difficult shots requiring an awkward stance.
- Can be used by both right and left handed players.
- Clubhead is a similar size as a blade putter making it comfortable to hit around the greens.
Cons
- Considered an illegal club by the USGA due to its double-face.
- The face angle at 32 degrees is a little lower than other chippers in this article and makes it harder to get more loft on shots and control them.
The Intech Golf Approach Two-Way Chipper has two faces on each side of the club allowing both left or right handed golfers to use the club. The club is illegal for tournaments since two-faced clubs are not allowed by the USGA.
Having two faces also enables players to use the club in many tricky situations where they would have had a difficult stance.
At 35 inches, the chipper is the length of most putters, and at 32 degrees, the club is lofted like a 6-iron.
This is an ideal chipper for high-handicappers and new golfers who aren’t looking to play in tournaments.
Ray Cook Extreme Aim Chipper
Premium Purchase
Rating: 9.3 /10
USA Suppliers (Also Deliver To Canada)
uK Suppliers
Pros
- Comes in left or right handed models for men of different dexterities.
- 37 degree loft allows golfers to play different types of shots around the green.
- Stainless steel clubhead makes it very durable and resistant to dents and scratches.
Cons
- Only right-handed version available for women.
- Pricier than most chippers and every one on this list.
Ray Cook is known around the golf world for their top class wedges and putters. That’s one of the reasons why we picked the extreme aim chipper as our premium purchase.
The extreme aim chipper has a unique site alignment aid that makes it easy to hit accurately. The club features a 37 degree loft with a 70 lie allowing you to lay it down on the ground as if you are putting.
The 37 degree loft helps hit higher lofted shots when needed and gives you more flexibility hitting out of the rough compared to other chippers.
The club is manufactured in both a men’s and women’s edition.
What is a chipper?
A golf chipper is a club that has a similar head to a putter with a face that is lofted usually 30 to 37 degrees which is the same as most 7- and 8-irons. The length of the club is close to a putter at usually 35 inches. The chipper allows you to hit the ball with a putting stroke.
The club is designed to let you chip but give you a better feel and more control such like when you are putting. Because the chipper has a better lie angle and lets you place it flat on the ground on address, it is considered easier to hit than a high-lofted iron or wedge. A high-lofted iron or a wedge has a different lie angle and a higher likelihood of mishits such as hitting the ball fat, thin or off the toe. This results in poor contact and adds strokes to the scorecard.
Most chippers range from 33 to 48 inches and have standard putter or wedge shafts. Chippers are classified by the USGA as irons. Chippers can have standard grips or putter grips depending on preference.
Who should use a chipper?
Chippers can be used by any type of golfer but are recommended for a high to mid handicap player.If a player has trouble hitting wedges or short irons around the green then a chipper is ideal for them.
Having a more forgiving club around the green can help in difficult situations. When faced with a decent lie on the edge of the green, a player can use a chipper to run the ball up to the hole. Chippers are versatile and can even be used from to 30-40 yards if a player has a lot of green to work with.
The player can land the ball on the fringe or on the front of the green and let it release towards the hole which is commonly known as a “bump and run.”
Players who put too much loft on their chips and have distance control as well as contact issues with their wedges are ideal candidates for owning a chipper.
Are chippers legal in golf?
According to the USGA, chippers are legal in golf because they are classified as irons. In order to have a legal chipper in your bag, you cannot have a putter grip on the club nor have a two-way chipper. A two-way chipper has a club face on both sides of the head. The USGA considers a “long chipper” to be illegal, so the club has to be the length of a 7-iron to a putter.
If you are out on the course for fun and want to hit shots left or right-handed with a two-way chipper, then just make sure to take it out of the bag come tournament time.
A player caught with a two-way chipper in a tournament (stroke play or match play) will be disqualified, and if it’s a multi-team tournament such as a scramble, the entire group will be disqualified.
Golf Chipper VS A Wedge
Golf chippers and wedges are used for the same purpose but are completely different clubs. A golf chipper usually comes in 30-37 degrees and most wedges vary from 46 to 60 degrees.
There are different types of wedges including a pitching wedge, (46-50 degrees) a gap wedge, (51-54 degrees) a sand wedge, (55-57 degrees) and a lob wedge (58-60) degrees. Most wedges found on the market and in golfers’ bags feature the following degrees.
Pitching wedge: 47 degrees
Gap wedge: 52 degrees
Sand Wedge: 56 degrees
Lob Wedge: 60 degrees
Wedges feature blade-like club heads and faces and are meant for shots inside 130 yards. When hitting a wedge, golfers can take a full swing, half swing or short swing.
Wedges can be hit from any lie including in the deep rough or for high lofted shots below the hole on the bottom of a hill. Unlike wedges, chippers have a putter-like face and are meant to be hit with a putting stroke rather than a full or half-swing.
It is not recommended to use a chipper for a shot over a bunker or above or below the green such as at the top or bottom of a hill. Chippers also are not meant for hitting through deep rough.
Chippers are made to replicate a wedge’s results without having the risk of digging the club in the ground and mishitting it. They’re designed to be forgiving and easier to hit.
Out of the 14 clubs allowed in the bag by the USGA, a player should replace their least hit and most difficult wedge with a chipper.
Conclusion
Now that you’ve read our reviews for the top five golf chippers of 2019, you can make the decision whether or not to buy one.
The Wilson Men’s Harmonized Chipper wins our editor’s choice award due to its high quality features and specifications that can help make the short game easier for its owners.
The club is perfect for beginners and high handicappers and can replace the club you’re having trouble chipping with. Our top five list features links to chippers so if you like what you see you can start knocking the ball close next time you’re on the course.
FAQ
How far off the green can you use a chipper?
You can use a chipper from anywhere within 30 yards of the green. This is a great way to get up and down from around the greens, as it allows you to keep your ball low and run it up close to the hole.
Can you use a chipper in the rough?
Yes, you can chipper in the rough. Chippers are specially designed to be used over short patches of rough or fringe on the ground. A chipper can help you immensely if you are playing a game in a rough or tough land.
Do pro golfers use chippers?
Chippers are mostly used on the PGA tour. Professional golfers don’t use chippers as they are mainly designed for mid to high handicappers.
