Odyssey X-ACT Tank Chipper

[GolfiNut]

I hope my playing partners think it should be illegal after a few rounds. I've actually regained my chipping stroke (shoulders were slumped too forward) but i am still amped to game this next week. It's just been delivered to my front door as I type.

[cbierwiler]

I am planning on ordering this but was wondering what length should I get? Should it be putter length? or wedge length?

[Colonel_Steelhead]

I would game one if I had room in the bag. Mostly I use whatever club that has a loft of 40* or so. Currently I use my "9" iron but in a set of blades its usually the 7 or 8 iron. I had a Cleveland Niblick a few years ago that I gave to my brother who put a Natural Golf taperless grip on and is lights outwith the thing. Trick is to use a putting stroke. Can't wait to see one on the BST with a Project x 7.0 flighted shaft :nyam:

[MadGolfer76]

My father has one, I believe. I had an eyebrow raised about it, but he won his club division championship with it, so who am I to judge...

[6thFairway]

I don't think I'll try it at 37*. If they had one at 45* or so, then maybe.

 

I am planning on ordering this but was wondering what length should I get? Should it be putter length? or wedge length?

 

You use it like a putter. Get putter length. Think of it as "an approach putter."

[Typhoon92]

We had a 2 way chipper at our place for a while. I could top out around 210 hitting full chipper on flightscope

[GolfiNut]

I don't think you can customize the length , mine feels just a little longer than my 34" putter. The grip is completely round and at 37* loft it will get air born but it takes a pretty firm stroke to make it go far above the ground. It is designed to get you rolling at the cup early. I played my First round with it yesterday and shot below my hc at 76 in a league match. I pared my first hole using it from about 25' down hill. Just got it rolling at the stick with it and it did the rest.In all honesty I did not get up and down with every attempt with it though...there are times you will still need to go for the 56* sw as a better option.

[GolfiNut]

H

[Psyber]

Perfect for my girlfriend who is just learning

 

How would she ever learn to chip though?

[GolfiNut]

"Perfect for my girlfriend who is just learning"

 

Sure it would be...Also perfect for that Uncle of yours who has played 40 years but but could never master that 60 deg wedge. I mean...Its a disaster waiting to happen every time he reaches for it anyway so why not just remove it in favor of something he can actually use with confidence around the green. I agree 100%...Probably could save most golfers strokes around the green.

 

 

How would she ever learn to chip though?

Same stroke for the chipper as she would use if the shot calls for a 56* SW over a bunker...hands slightly forward,weight forward and most importantly keep head still during the stroke.

[Wall-E]

It's so funny that people frown upon the chipper just because it's not the norm. It kinda of reminds of those people that play the tips instead of moving up one or two tee boxes.

[GolfiNut]

True... It's just another tool option that is no different than choosing to add a 3 hybrid over a 3 wood because you have more confidence in it. No biggie... Golf is a game that has many different ways to get the job done

[rexroh]

Under older rules (about 2003-5 or earlier) it was illegal for an iron (a chipper is deemed to be an iron) to have alignment lines or decoration on them. Not sure if this has or when it did change but I presume so because there have been others on the market with similar design.

[Anser]

I don't think you can customize the length , mine feels just a little longer than my 34" putter. The grip is completely round and at 37* loft it will get air born but it takes a pretty firm stroke to make it go far above the ground. It is designed to get you rolling at the cup early. I played my First round with it yesterday and shot below my hc at 76 in a league match. I pared my first hole using it from about 25' down hill. Just got it rolling at the stick with it and it did the rest.In all honesty I did not get up and down with every attempt with it though...there are times you will still need to go for the 56* sw as a better option.

 

Does it feel heavy/stable?

 

That's my issue - I get flippy with the right hand and am all smooth until 1" in front of the ball then spaz time happens and I smoke it in the middle of the ball

[The Couv]

I'm very likely going to get one of these, try it out. I don't have enough time to practice on my short game as I would like. I'm a big fan of any kind of specialty technology in the game. If it works, great. Plus it will be fun to see the reaction of guys I'm playing with.

[new2g0lf]

Got mine yesterday, didn't have time to try it out on course so took it out in the yard and chipped onto my putting green. So far so good, I can see the X-Act getting a slot in the bag.

[GolfiNut]

Got mine yesterday, didn't have time to try it out on course so took it out in the yard and chipped onto my putting green. So far so good, I can see the X-Act getting a slot in the bag.

 

If your putting game is solid you will adapt to this very fast. I am getting better with it each passing round and my buds are starting to take notice. I use it if putting is not a good option off the fringe. The key for me is keeping my right elbow close (tucked?) and use my putting technique. Im happy with it, has saved me more stoke in 3 weeks than my 60* wedge did in 5 years.

[GolfiNut]

I don't think you can customize the length , mine feels just a little longer than my 34" putter. The grip is completely round and at 37* loft it will get air born but it takes a pretty firm stroke to make it go far above the ground. It is designed to get you rolling at the cup early. I played my First round with it yesterday and shot below my hc at 76 in a league match. I pared my first hole using it from about 25' down hill. Just got it rolling at the stick with it and it did the rest.In all honesty I did not get up and down with every attempt with it though...there are times you will still need to go for the 56* sw as a better option.

 

Does it feel heavy/stable?

 

That's my issue - I get flippy with the right hand and am all smooth until 1" in front of the ball then spaz time happens and I smoke it in the middle of the ball

Sorry for the late response...just got back over here to this thread but yes...its got a little tank symbol on the bottom as if so say "Im here for you"

My misses with it are always distance not direction. I am finding you can put more hit into this and it will check for you unlike a 8 iron which has no stop in it.

[hef63303]

It's so funny that people frown upon the chipper just because it's not the norm. It kinda of reminds of those people that play the tips instead of moving up one or two tee boxes.

They laughed at hybrids when they came out also.

[PGATourDriven]

I am very interested in getting this chipper. My chipping is not terrible however if this club is legal and it will lower my scores. I am all for it. I will be going to golfsmith this weekend and hopefully they will have one in stock so I can try it out. I would drop my 60 to put this in the bag.

[cjgolfer5743]

These have been selling quite well in our local proshop. There will always been a market for chippers with all the high handicap golfers

[mootrail]

I have the previous version in a 46°. Bagged it for a practice round and hit multiple shots against my wedge. Practical experience is key with this club; it takes some time to get use to. For tight greenside lies and Bermuda rough, this thing is a winner. Otherwise, I'm much happier using my SM5 54° M. I think the 37° version would be great for long range putts from off the green and the 46° if you struggle with your wedge play. Anyone try theses out of a bunker?

[GolfiNut]

I have the previous version in a 46°. Bagged it for a practice round and hit multiple shots against my wedge. Practical experience is key with this club; it takes some time to get use to. For tight greenside lies and Bermuda rough, this thing is a winner. Otherwise, I'm much happier using my SM5 54° M. I think the 37° version would be great for long range putts from off the green and the 46° if you struggle with your wedge play. Anyone try theses out of a bunker?

 

Ironic you would ask about using it in bunkers...My home course has a hole with the bunker located about 250 out right in the drop zone and a tree just out on front of it. I have found my ball in it twice recently and need a lower shot that would get me out and in play front of the tree, Tried it twice...found pay dirt twice...Its very easy to lift over shallow bunkers.

 

Hope that helps!

[GolfiNut]

These have been selling quite well in our local proshop. There will always been a market for chippers with all the high handicap golfers

 

"There will always been a market for chippers with all the high handicap golfers"

 

Just wondering why only for high handicappers? I'm trying to figure out if you really believe that or are just trying to needle us. I shot 74 today and used this club about 3 times during the round. I would say all 3 turned out better than my 8 iron (or any other choice in the bag) would have in the same situation and it gave me confidence I would not have had otherwise. If you bag a wedge higher than 59* I think its worth asking yourself at any HC level...."What has it done for me lately?" I asked that question a month ago and the answer was "nothing".

 

Ask me what the Tank chipper has done for me lately....

[GolfiNut]

I have the previous version in a 46°. Bagged it for a practice round and hit multiple shots against my wedge. Practical experience is key with this club; it takes some time to get use to. For tight greenside lies and Bermuda rough, this thing is a winner. Otherwise, I'm much happier using my SM5 54° M. I think the 37° version would be great for long range putts from off the green and the 46° if you struggle with your wedge play. Anyone try theses out of a bunker?

 

I agree that the 37* is the one you want...It takes quite a bit of hit to get it to the hole sometimes and 46 would just be too much IMO...

[GolfiNut]

I am very interested in getting this chipper. My chipping is not terrible however if this club is legal and it will lower my scores. I am all for it. I will be going to golfsmith this weekend and hopefully they will have one in stock so I can try it out. I would drop my 60 to put this in the bag.

 

Old Tom Morris has declared these legal....

Seriously though...Odyssey mass producing illegal clubs would be like a Nascar team fielding a Jet Engine Car this Sunday...Not gonna knowingly happen and if it did it would damage their reputation in a big way. Why would they even do that? Do you really think they (Callaway) never considered the rules of Golf in the design stages? There is no "Its legal" stamp on the bottom but to be perfectly honest with you I would not be shocked to see USGA address these in the future because this design is the best chipper ever placed in my hand. If one Pro shows up and holes a few in a tournament eyebrows will raise.

[mootrail]

I have the previous version in a 46°. Bagged it for a practice round and hit multiple shots against my wedge. Practical experience is key with this club; it takes some time to get use to. For tight greenside lies and Bermuda rough, this thing is a winner. Otherwise, I'm much happier using my SM5 54° M. I think the 37° version would be great for long range putts from off the green and the 46° if you struggle with your wedge play. Anyone try theses out of a bunker?

 

I agree that the 37* is the one you want...It takes quite a bit of hit to get it to the hole sometimes and 46 would just be too much IMO...

 

I agree that the 37* is the one you want...It takes quite a bit of hit to get it to the hole sometimes and 46 would just be too much IMO...

 

Exactly right; you can't putt the 46° easily like promo videos show. Especially tough at short range, because it spins and checks so much. I got the best results when I used it like a PW.

[Chazb]

I had one of the original ones made by callaway about fifteen years ago and it helped me quite a bit when I had the chipping yips.Oh yes they are,conforming as long as they have a round grip and not double sided as others have mentioned.

I might go get it out of the closet and pull the lob wedge out of my back as I very seldom use the lob wedge.As far as the super stroke grip goes I have two putters with the super stroke grips and they both have flat sides so that would make a chipper non conforming.

[Anser]

Any news on a higher loft option?

 

I want to get one but not if it something higher is gonna come out right after. I need something to hit out of greenside rough not just in a run up type situation.

[pinestreetgolf]

In this thread lots of people get to brag about being good at chipping

 

Meanwhile there are some of us who aren't

Chipping is tough. I have a buddy who played the Niblicks for a long time. No shame in a chipper.

 

Here's a tip though, use your putter grip and stroke on most chips and just let the loft of the club do the work, it will take your dominant hand out of the stroke and chipping will be much easier. If I'm feeling yippy I will even do it with my lob wedge. It comes out dead and trickles to the hole.

 

I'm 47 years old - there isn't anything I haven't tried

 

The truth is I can putt from 20 yards away as well as most can chip it - not sure why but it's true. My issue is the right hand just fires at impact on chips and a number of things (none of them good) can happen. It's 100% brain wiring as some wrx members who are my regular foursome can attest.

 

There isn't going to be a fix to my issue (short of brain trauma of some sort) - mitigating it by putting or perhaps even something like this is my best bet

 

I had the same issue with my right hand. Try putting 70% of your weight left and chipping left hand low (like you would putt left hand low). The right goes quiet and I'm a machine with a 49* wedge left hand low. It's weird but it quiets the right hand right down.

 

Don't use a chipper. It's an 8 iron.