Get Closer to The Pin

A chipping golf club is uniquely designed to simplify greenside shots to prevent amateurs from leaking short-game chips. At the end of this post, you will know the 7 best golf chippers of 2023 and how they can get you closer to the pin.

Before I dive into the top 7 golf chippers, I will briefly explain what a golf chipper is and its pros and cons. Then, I’ll detail the features, benefits, and downsides of the top 7 golf chipping clubs.

After reading this guide, you’ll know whether this is the solution to your yips and shanks or if you need to keep searching.

What is a Golf Chipper?

A golf chipper is a wedge and a putter combination and carries between 32 and 42 degrees of loft. The chipper design enables golfers to employ a putting stroke for an easy strike to run the ball up to the cup.

A golf chipper typically possesses a high moment of inertia (MOI) which combats mishits and preserves speed and topspin. This makes it easier for golfers suffering from yips to achieve greater accuracy and distance control.

Most of my golf buddies that carry a golf chipper use the club from the fringe of the green and find it easier to control than a wedge.

Pros and Cons of Golf Chippers

Pros

• Forgiving
• Preserves speed and topspin on mishits to get your ball to the cup
• An excellent option for golfers with yips
• Enhances greenside control
• The low loft keeps your ball down and rolling

Cons

• The strong lofted golf chippers are not suited to bunker play
• Useful for shots from the fringe and rough only

Top 7 Golf Chippers

1. Cleveland Smart Sole 4.0 – Best Overall

Pros

• Forgiving wedge
• Exceptionally stable
• Available in 42, 50, and 58-degree lofts
• Pleasant feel
• Consistent spin

Cons

• The lofts might be too weak for some golfers
• Some golfers may prefer a thicker grip than the stock standard size

The Cleveland Smart Sole 4.0 outplayed our best golf chippers to take top honors in 2023. I enjoyed its feel, forgiveness, stability, and selection of weaker lofts. Plus, it produced clean turf interaction, an element of spin and glare resistance.

Cleveland engineers molded a wide three-tiered sole on the Smart Sole 4.0 for increased bounce from the leading edge. This lowered the risk of chunking my shot for a clean strike and consistent roll and spin from the spin.

The brand’s successful Feel Balancing Technology appeared and did wonders for feel and forgiveness. It produced one of the softest golf chipper feels and maximized stability by delivering a precise center of gravity (CG).

The balance from the wedge helps me keep my clubface stable at contact to maintain spin and speed for consistent distance control. Finally, the Aggressive Milled Grooves prompted consistent spin across the face for improved consistency.

2. PowerBilt TPS Bump And Run – Best Budget

Pros

• Entry level price
• Moderate forgiveness
• Clean turf interaction
• Consistent forward roll
• Stylish red and black flange finish

Cons

• Limited spin
• Not the softest feeling chipper

Golf chippers are relatively affordable compared to other golf clubs, and the PowerBilt TPS Bump and Run is the overall best-budget chipper. Despite its entry-level price, I found it prompted clean turf interaction, forgiveness, and optimal roll.

The TPS is among the strongest lofted golf chippers, sporting a 32-degree loft. The strengthened loft profile helps keep your ball low and rolling forward for greater distance control on greenside shots.

In addition, the diamond flange design of the club head creates a broader sole to improve turf interaction. As a result, it improves your ability to strike the ball cleanly from any lie. Plus, the intermittent groove design across the clubface provided more surface to hit the ball and impart spin on it.

However, the spin produced by the TPS was lackluster on the whole. On the other hand, it did not impact the forward roll of my ball, enabling greater distance control. Finally, I liked the red and black flange design, which added a layer of style to a no-frills chipper.

3. Wilson Harmonized – Best For Seniors

Pros

• Affordable
• Forgiving
• Wide sweet spot
• Enhanced alignment aid
• Glare resistant clubface

Cons

• Not the greatest feel
• The lower loft may not suit players seeking a slightly higher launch

The Wilson Harmonized chipper was my late father’s favorite club. He suffered from the yips in his later years and found the Harmonized chipper simplified his setup and stroke on greenside shots. He induced a putting stroke, and the weighted head and low loft sent the ball rolling cleanly to the cup.

Our best chipper for seniors is an affordable construction with a thicker grip to reduce hand pressure and wrist action. This further simplifies greenside shots as it helps you control the clubhead and keep it square to produce straighter putts.

The 35-degree loft generates a lower controlled launch and is supported by a forgiving, stable clubhead and an enhanced sweet spot. Whenever I catch the ball off-center, I still get enough club on for adequate roll.

Finally, I welcome the alignment aid on the Harmonized, which makes it easy to identify the aim of your putter face. As a result, it helps beginners and seniors deliver greater precision from the side of the dance floor.

4. Autopilot Square Strike – Best For Yips

Pros

• No need  to change your setup for greenside shots
• Anti-chunk sole prevents fat shots
• Anti-rotational face promotes a square position at contact
• Maximum MOI for enhanced stability
• Available in 3 weaker loft profiles

Cons

• The weaker loft may not appeal to golfers seeking increased rollover launch.
• Not the softest feeling wedge

In the past, I have cautioned against using Autopilot golf products, and I must eat my word. At least with the Square Strike wedge. My playing partner suffered from yips on a monumental level. Whenever he was 40 yards out from the dancefloor, shanks, fluffs and topped shots were abundant.

He picked the Square Strike a few months back and has found greater consistency around the green. It is not the holy grail, but it increases his control and helps him get near the cup on short shots.

The benefit lies in the square face. My buddy finds he does not need to alter his setup for bump-and-run and chip shots. He addresses the ball, aligns the face with his target, and takes an easy swing.

Besides simplifying a setup, the Square Strike features superior MOI, precise CG, and an anti-rotational face. These combined components provide excellent stability at contact to preserve ball pace and topspin. Finally, the anti-chunk soled wedge is crafted in a 45, 55, and 60-degree profile.

5. PowerBilt TPS – Best Two-Way Chipper

Pros

• Two-way chipper design
• Entry-level price tag
• Works for left and right-handers
• Stable
• Helps you navigate obstacles

Cons

• Non-conforming club prohibited in tournament play
• Not as forgiving as other golf-chipping clubs.

Two-way chippers are prohibited by the United States Golf Association (USGA), but you can use them in casual rounds. They may seem like a gimmick, but they prove handy when you have no shot with your standard swing. The PowerBilt TPS Two-Way chipper is affordable, moderately forgiving, and versatile.

Despite their effectiveness around the green, the two-sided face allows you to employ it when obstacles are in the way. During testing, I placed my ball near a wall, removing any chance of a clean swing. So, I tested the left-hand side of the TPS and could push my ball a few yards further.

Naturally, it was not designed to escape the woods, but it does the trick. In addition, the 36-degree TPS two-way chipper produced adequate stability at impact to promote a consistent stroke.

The non-conforming two-way chipper does not possess perimeter weighting like other chippers because of its design. However, I still felt the club head weight provided sufficient stability for a consistent roll off the clubface.

6. Ping ChipR – Most Forgiving Chipper

Pros

• Exceptional forgiveness
• Encourages consistent contact
• Minimal turf interaction
• Hydropearl finish sheds moisture from the clubface

Cons

• Premium price tag
• Minor glare issue

The Ping ChipR has been all the rage at my home club for the last 12 months. Seniors in my circle cannot stop praising its forgiveness, spin levels, and turf interaction. The ChipR carries a 70-degree lie angle and 38.5-degree loft for a controlled trajectory.

Ping engineers applied perimeter weighting to the club head to create maximum stability at contact. This allowed me to maintain speed and spin on most strokes for impressive distance control on short game shots.

I further enjoyed the Hydropearl finish, which proved efficient in early morning dew. It sheds moisture from the clubface to optimize groove performance for increased friction, spin, and velocity.

In addition, the cambered sole delivered minimal turf interaction from the rough and fringe. Its partnership with the shallow face height prompted consistent contact with the ball for better forward roll.

Link to buy on Global Golf

7. Intech EZ Roll Petite Ladies – Best Ladies Golf Chipping Club

Pros

• Super affordable
• The shorter shaft is easy to control
• Forgiving
• Fashionable pink and white finish
• Promotes greater accuracy

Cons

• The feedback could have been better
• The shorter shaft may cause some ladies to hunch more during their stroke.

We end our list for 2023 with the best chipping golf club for ladies. The Intech EZ Roll Petite took the title for its affordability, fashionable design, and forgiveness. Furthermore, its groove structure enhanced friction and promoted consistent contact for ideal launch and roll.

The lesser-known Intech brand played out of their boots with the EZ Roll. A fashionable pink and white finish adorns the flange and sole of the club to spruce up the appearance. Plus, the groove design effectively imparts increased topspin on the golf ball.

Intech opted for a 35-degree loft, akin to a weaker lofted 8-iron. In addition, it features a 32-inch shaft length. The ladies at my home club who volunteered their time to test said the club was a breeze to control and keep square.

Lastly, the Intech EZ Roll Petite Ladies contained perimeter weighting around the clubface, which expanded the sweet spot. This made it easier for testers to produce sufficient pace and topspin on mishits for consistent results.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.