The 6 Best Golf Chippers
Updated by · How we research
Six rules-legal golf chippers compared by loft, head shape and forgiveness. The Cleveland Smart Sole Full-Face leads for its wide sole and wedge look. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
A chipper is legal in tournament golf only if it has one striking face and a round grip, so the two-way chippers built for either hand don't qualify. The club pairs a putter's length and stroke with an iron's loft. It helps golfers who chunk or thin short chips, and seniors who like to stand tall.
Editor's Notes
October 23, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
The Cleveland Smart Sole Full-Face now leads. It plays like a forgiving wedge with a putting stroke, and the golf writers who hit chippers side by side put it near the top. Only one of the nine old picks survives. The Wilson Harmonized, Pinemeadow Excel EGI, Callaway Odyssey X-act Tank, Ray Cook M1, Ray Cook Silver Ray, Extreme 5 Women's and Acer XK have vanished from sale, while the Intech Approach Two-Way has two faces, which tournament rules don't allow on a chipper.
The Intech EZ Roll stays as the low-cost way to try one. The Odyssey Chipper replaces the old Tank, and the Mazel Chipper, Orlimar Escape and PGM 32 Degree Chipper are new. The chipper testers like best, the Ping ChipR, sits in the special honors because Ping sells it through golf shops.
The evidence here is three golf sites' chipping sessions and roundups, makers' loft and lie figures, the Rules of Golf on club design, owner reports of heads breaking, and recall records.
March 06, 2021:
Chippers are a bit of an odd club, as they have features of both putters and wedges, but are different enough from each so as not to fall firmly in either category. One thing you may notice when looking for a chipper is that many of the premium and most well-respected club makers don't sell them, which is why you don't see those names represented on this list for the most part. One notable exception is the Callaway Odyssey X-act Tank and, honestly, if not for its very high price, it would have scored a higher ranking here. That being said, if price is no object, it is probably the best choice thanks to the White Hot insert that provides the feel of a soft material, but plays like a harder one with a solid sound on contact.
Many golfers will also like the Wilson Men's Harmonized, as it plays very similar to a putter, so there is very little learning curve. This is quite opposite from the Intech EZ Roll, which has a steep learning curve because it really doesn't feel enough like a putter of wedge to be familiar for most players. That being said, its back-weighted design gives some nice follow through and consistency once you get comfortable using it. The Pinemeadow Golf Excel EGI also has a nice weight to it, without feeling heavy like the Acer XK.
April 18, 2019:
Chippers are a very unique club that fall somewhere between a putter and a wedge. While they may take some getting used to, once you get the feel of one, they allow for some deadly accuracy. If you need something that can produce a lot of lift, take a look at the Ray Cook Extreme Aim, Pinemeadow Golf Excel EGI, Paragon Sports LH, Ray Cook M1, and Acer XK, as these all have a 37 degree loft. If you prefer a lower arc on your shots, you'll probably want the JP Lann Golf Supreme, which has a loft closer to that of a six iron. The Wilson Men's Harmonized, Intech Approach Two-Way, Intech EZ Roll all have a middling loft of 34 or 35 degrees, which some feel is the perfect sweet spot. Just note, the Intech Approach Two-Way is not legal for tournament use because of its dual-face design.
Special Honors
Ping ChipR The Ping ChipR is the chipper golf testers rate most highly: Golf Monthly, Out of Bounds Golf and Golf Influence all put it first, and in one side-by-side session it put every ball on the green from 30 yards. It has a wedge-like head with 38.5 degrees of loft and a round grip, so it's legal for tournaments. Ping sells it through golf shops and club fitters. ping.com
How A Chipper Works, And When To Leave It In The Bag
Grip it like a putter, set the ball a little back in your stance with your hands slightly ahead, and make a short back-and-through stroke.
A chipper is a cross between a putter and an iron. The shaft is putter length, usually about 35 inches, and the head sits upright, so you stand close and tall and use your putting stroke. The face has iron-like loft, most often 32 to 45 degrees, so the ball hops over the fringe and then rolls out like a putt. Golf Monthly and Golf Sidekick both describe it as a tool for golfers who chunk or thin wedge chips, rather than one for better players.
It shines in a narrow window. In one side-by-side session at Out of Bounds Golf, a putter was still the better choice from 10 yards off the green, while from 30 yards the best chipper put all 20 balls on the green and two others managed 12 and 13. That's one tester's numbers, but the pattern matches the other reviews: use it from the fringe and tight fairway lies within about 10 to 30 yards. Put it away in deep rough, in bunkers and when you have to carry a hazard, where a wedge's sharper edge and higher flight work better.
The technique is simple. Grip it like a putter, set the ball a little back in your stance with your hands slightly ahead, and make a short back-and-through stroke. Pick a landing spot just onto the green and let the roll do the rest.
Loft, Head Shape And Length
Loft decides how the ball behaves. Lower lofts, around 32 to 37 degrees, fly low and roll a long way, so they suit long bump-and-runs across a flat green. Higher lofts, 42 degrees and up, carry farther onto the green and stop sooner. Some makers sell the same head in several lofts, and Golf Sidekick suggests that golfers pick the loft that matches the shot they face most often.
Head shape is about how you aim and how forgiving it is. Mallet heads with lines on top feel familiar to anyone who putts with a mallet, and Golf Monthly found the Odyssey Chipper the easiest to line up. Wedge-style heads, such as Cleveland's, look like an iron and use full-face grooves and a wide sole to cut digging. A bent neck, or offset hosel, sets your hands ahead of the ball, which helps stop scooping.
Most chippers come at about 35 inches, with women's versions near 34.5 inches and some at 35.5. Check that the length matches your putter so the stroke feels the same, and check the hand before you buy: many models come in right-handed versions first, and left-handed stock runs out sooner. A head cover is worth adding, since Out of Bounds Golf notes that the wide heads can knock against other clubs.
Are Chippers Legal?
Yes, as long as the club itself conforms. Rule 4 of the Rules of Golf says every club you use must meet the Equipment Rules, and a chipper counts as one of your 14 clubs. Because its loft is far above a putter's, a chipper is treated like an iron, so it needs a single striking face and a grip that is round in cross-section. That rules out two-way chippers, which have a face on each side so either hand can use them, and any chipper fitted with a flat-fronted putter grip.
Chippers from established makers are built to conform. Callaway told Out of Bounds Golf that its Odyssey chipper grip is round rather than a putter grip, for that reason. Golf Influence makes the same point about two-way models, which are sold widely but only suit casual rounds. If you play in club events or keep an official handicap, stick with a one-sided chipper and its original grip. Note that putting the putter-shaped grip from your putter on a chipper would make it nonconforming.
How we researched this
We compared 18 golf chippers, including every model on the previous list, read makers' loft, lie and length figures, three golf sites' side-by-side chipping sessions and buying guides, and the Rules of Golf on club design, studied owner reports for breakage patterns, and checked every brand for recalls with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Frequently asked questions
Are golf chippers legal?
Yes, if the club conforms. A chipper needs a single striking face and a round grip, so two-way chippers and chippers with flat putter grips aren't allowed in tournament play. It also counts as one of your 14 clubs.
Is a chipper better than a wedge?
For many mid and high handicappers it is, from the fringe and tight lies within about 30 yards, because the putting stroke is easier to repeat. A wedge is better from deep rough, bunkers and over hazards.
Are chippers good for seniors?
Often, yes. The upright, putter-length setup lets you stand taller, and the short putting stroke needs less wrist action and speed than a full wedge chip.
What loft should a chipper have?
Around 32 to 37 degrees gives low shots that roll a long way. About 42 degrees or more carries the ball farther onto the green and stops it sooner. Pick the one that matches your most common chip.
Can I use a chipper from a bunker?
No. A chipper has little bounce and too little loft for sand, and it struggles in thick rough. Keep a sand wedge for those shots.
How is the Odyssey chipper different from the Ping ChipR?
The Odyssey has a mallet head with alignment lines and a soft face insert, and it's at its best on low runners. The ChipR has a wedge-like head with more loft and tested better from longer distances.
