Sport-Blog.com

One of the more interesting clubs for the weekend golfer to consider is one referred to as a chipper. It is a club that is constructed to match the traditional length of a putter but comes with the loft of a seven iron.

The concept of a chipper is quite simple. Many players, especially those who play irregularly, find that chipping around the green is a difficult skill to learn. Though I play 20-25 times over the course of the summer, I find that chipping well is something that comes only later in the season when I have played a lot or only if I am playing regularly, two to three times per week.

The chipper is designed so as to take away the two most common mistakes that a player makes when chipping around the green. Those two mistakes are striking the ground first, something that will take the speed off the head of the golf club, and the opposite, rising up slightly and skulling the ball, that is blading the center of the ball with the club head.

Consider the case of being in the vicinity of the green, either in the semi-rough or rough, but not having a full shot to the hole. Many players find that creating just the right swing to advance the ball far enough that it reaches the vicinity of the hole without hitting it completely over the green very difficult. A common mistake is to strike the ground just before striking the ball - because of the fact that the player is also trying to swing somewhat softly so as not to hit the ball too far, striking the ground first causes the club to decelerate immediately. The result is often a big divot and a mishit that often travels only a few feet. Sadly the player is then still short of the green and has yet another shot on the score card.

A second problem is to sway or pick your head up as you are about to make contact. If your body rises up even a modest amount you are likely to raise your club as well. The result is a swing that does not come down onto the ball with the proper pinching motion but a flatter approach that causes the club to strike the ball first, often in the middle of the ball. Because the swing is not continuing downward in that case, there will not be a divot and the result will be a skull, the ball being driven too hard, flying across the green so that you often wind up in the rough on the opposite side, having the exact same shot again coming back to the hole. Once again, the player is still not on the green and he/she has recorded a wasted shot.

Because the chipper has the same shaft length and grip of a putter, you use the same stroke as you do when putting. The chipper is designed to elevate the ball slightly but not produce much in the way of back spin. The idea is strike the ball so that it pops into the air to the fringe or edge of the green, then rolls to the hole. Generally speaking, using the exact same stroke (including speed of the club)that you use for a lengthy lag putt will produce enough force to get the ball onto the green and headed towards the hole.

The key in using a chipper is that your consistency will be much greater early in the season. First, you will not have the two big problems most golfers face. Because you are using a flatter putting stroke, hitting the ground first will not take as much speed off the club face as doing so when using a downward striking motion. Likewise, the flatter motion should help keep you in the putt/chip, meaning you will be less likely to pull up and blade the ball. Even if you do, you will find that your miss will again be minimized, meaning you may be short of the hole or may go well past the hole, but you are likely to still be on the dance floor and putting, not repeating another chip.

Yet another reason to carry a chipper in the bag is that such a club can be purchased as either a one-way or two-way chipper. The two-way has a double-sided face, meaning it is made to work exactly the same in both directions. There are many times when a right-handed player will not be able to strike a ball properly due to obstacles in his/her way but could advance the ball if they turned around and used a club left-handed. The two-way chipper is just the ticket, providing a left-handed or right-handed club that is used as a putter. Even without any practice, I can still use a chipper left-handed, putting the ball very firmly, to move it from the obstacle and at least get some advancement of the ball. Otherwise, a player may have to waste a complete stroke with a drop.

I begin each golf season using the chipper around the green. I find I am more consistent early in the season and the club helps me develop my lag putting as well. As the season advances and I begin to get a better feel for my short game, I move to using my seven or eight iron and my wedges, especially if I am in the deeper rough. But if I am in the semi-rough or extended fringe, I feel very confident with the chipper in my hand, assured that even my worst effort will still leave me on the putting surface. Nothing is more frustrating than to fluff or dub a chip then have to step up and try the very same shot yet again. Many times, one mishit leads to another to another, etc.

If you find that your are not as consistent as you would like with your chipping, consider giving a chipper a try. An inexpensive one will run no more than $20.00, a small investment in what could be a major help to your game.