The Perfect Chipping Iron

[platgof]

I am on another club hunt, and this time for the perfect chipping iron. I chipped with a Miura 9 iron last week that brought tears to my eyes. It had that feel that only a forged iron can deliver, and the small head easily cusped the ball and gently tossed it onto the green in such a satisfying manner unbeknownst to me. Golf orgasm, maybe, call it what you will! Please don't insult my intelligence with those clubs that are so called "chippers," what a waste of time and money that was. I will start the search by purchasing a Ping S56 9 iron, as I do have room in the bag, having both a 6 hybrid and 6 iron, and that G410 6 hybrid is going nowhere for now. I will throw rocks at anyone suggesting some fluke of a club with a super wide sole, no, go away, to the Myakka Hatchie forest with you! I will start gaming the S56 as soon as it arrives.

Edited October 21, 2021 by platgof

[14max]

The perfect chipper is a properly used 7 iron always...

[halliedog]

So you got that "forged feel" that almost brought tears to your eyes out of a Miura (how hard are you hitting your chips?) but are ordering a Ping S56 and going to play a Ping S59?  Not the logic I'd use, but then again I'm not compressing the ball well enough to notice forged feel on chip shot. 

 

I chip best with a TM 8 iron, so decided it would probably be in my best interest to purchase a Cally 8 iron, and will put the Srixon in play when it arrives.

[Bdck]

Find an old Mizuno.  Think mp14 or mp33

[Feelingofgreatness]

Forged feel on a chip? Lol

Now I've heard everything. 

[Jifmoli]

Get your rocks ready.

 

I prefer an old pw (so more tradional loft) or aw (50o) for chipping. Tend to use for most distances except when no room to roll, then 60o. My set pw is 44o, a bit much to my liking for chips.

 

My regular set has the TM in it, my bckp travel set the old McGregor pw. Old style blade with heavy thick muscleback? Not sure I categorise that correctly. Heavy feeling head really works for me for chipping. I wish more clubs were like this these days. Don't know what year it is from, anyone?

So my advice: S59 for full set but try different approach wedges for chipping till yu find the one yu like. 

[dlygrisse]

Use your 6 hybrid.  

[eric61]

I loved chipping with the P7MC 8 iron and PW.

 

Chipping with a hybrid doesn’t work for me at all. Ball comes off too hot, and distance control is harder. If you have time to practice it, though, could work.

[ChipNRun]

3 hours ago, 14max said:

The perfect chipper is a properly used 7 iron always...

 

In the 1900s lots of people used a 7i for a true chip and run (pop the ball onto the green and let it roll most of way to cup). Here's my quick story...

• In 2008, I got Callaway X20 irons; these had stronger lofts than a set I picked up in 1994. So, I began chipping with an 8i so the rollout wasn't so hot.
• In 2017, I switched to hollow-headed CB Pro Tungstens. The hollow design enhanced launch, but I went back to 7i so I could get a lower, smoother rollout.
• Now I'm testing out my new graphite-shafted Mavrik MAX irons. So far, it looks like the 7i will keep its job.

Note: The 7i-8i was the preferred chipping club.  But, if the greenside rough is a bit shaggy, I play a PW toward the back foot - This makes sure the ball actually pops up onto the green. Chip with a hybrid? This works when you get a greenside lie that looks moon craters. The flat bottom of the hybrid won't hang up on the bumps, and gets the ball rolling nicely.

 

[LHGolf4]

I chip with wedges (PING Glide 3.0) and they have a fantastic feel.  If you don't want to use a wedge you could try i210 irons and it would offer similar soft feel as well.

[Kale_m]

Chipping with GI type irons might be tough. Wide sole and very springy off the face. Anything forged and more blade like will fit the bill! 

[platgof]

Sorry guys, I meant S56 for chipping, not S59. I find the 9 iron the best all around, and found the perfect deal on this S56, and could not pass it up.  Mizunos for chipping, why does that sound so true?

 

[platgof]

15 hours ago, Jifmoli said:

Get your rocks ready.

 

I prefer an old pw (so more tradional loft) or aw (50o) for chipping. Tend to use for most distances except when no room to roll, then 60o. My set pw is 44o, a bit much to my liking for chips.

 

My regular set has the TM in it, my bckp travel set the old McGregor pw. Old style blade with heavy thick muscleback? Not sure I categorise that correctly. Heavy feeling head really works for me for chipping. I wish more clubs were like this these days. Don't know what year it is from, anyone?

So my advice: S59 for full set but try different approach wedges for chipping till yu find the one yu like. 

That MacGregor is pure sexy. 

[biffstix]

Spent an hour around a practice green with a z945 9 iron and was amazed how many shots could be pulled off

[platgof]

I got the S56 9 iron in today and started hitting it. It does not have the forged feel at all, but does have great control. I could only practice in the yard, so hopefully next week give it a run.

[platgof]

As a side note, the 9 iron was way too short and had to be extended quite a bit. I looked it over and it belonged to Heather Mac Kenzie, a pro Canadian LPGA golfer. Her name was inscribed on the club by Ping, only pros to my knowledge get this feature. 

Edited October 24, 2021 by platgof
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[ChipNRun]

On 10/21/2021 at 12:21 PM, Kale_m said:

Chipping with GI type irons might be tough. Wide sole and very springy off the face. Anything forged and more blade like will fit the bill! 

Or rather, SGI type irons? Not all GI irons have wide soles. Case in point: X20 Tours (used 2010 to 2017) and CB Pro Tungstens.

 

Possibly you see the world of iron design as blades, and everything else...

[R5Two]

Square Strike! 

 

**this is a joke 

[Billfitz]

I chip with my irons, anywhere from the 7 to the PW, depending on how close I am to the green, how thick or tight the lie, and how much green I have to work with. The closer I am to the green the less loft I use. You don't need a special club, you just need to practice the shot. For me what's key is to play it just as if it was a putt. If I break my wrists during the stoke I will miss it. When I keep the wrists locked I usually put it within three feet. I do have SGI irons, they don't affect the shot at all for me. I've been using the same technique for 40 years with innumerable club sets.

[platgof]

You will not believe what just took the spot for chipper, this club. I saw it at Goodwill and thought, why not try it. Put a new grip on it, polished it up, and gave it a try. It is amazing! Has the right feel, picks the ball up easily, and great distance control. So glad I gave it a try. 

Edited October 28, 2021 by platgof
oops

[nitram]

I was taught from day 1 that a chip (a green-side shot that will fly no higher than a card table) is a 6-iron (70%), 8-iron (25%) & PW (5%) and depends on the air to ground ratio from the ball to the hole. Since loft creep has done its thing the number on the irons have changed but the premise remains the same. Find what club allows you to fly the ball 25% and roll out 75%, fly 33% and roll out 67%, and 50/50. This is basically the "putting with loft" method made famous by Paul Runyan and many others, and goes a little against modern theory. But it's worked well for me for over four decades...

 

So to answer the original question, for me it's my 7-iron.

[platgof]

I sent off for two forged Mizunos today, MP68 and MP30, so this will be fun. I may pull the shafts and put graphite in, but found out choking an inch down the grip with steel shafts seems to work just fine. My sand wedge has been a jewel for short game work today, just amazing. I will pick one of these four clubs to see what takes the spot for top chipper. I have a strong feeling that the MP30 will get it!

[gents15]

This seems like a fun experiment. I usually just chip with gap, sand, or lob wedge. I guess I should get a little more creative when I practice my short game. 

[iNeedMoreGolf]

Its the Pw for me... anytime i need it to run to a back flag or uphill flag its the pw and mann its just like your describing... soo perfect.

[platgof]

My problem is the SGI G710 are not that good around the greens. I mean it is doable, but something with a more compact blade is really needed for this job. I cannot play the Mizunos for the regular set as my ball striking is not there. Plus I really want a blade in the mix for fun, to have that forged feel occasionally, okay more than occasionally for the greens I miss. LOL! 

 

Edited November 3, 2021 by platgof
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[PuffyC]

The perfect chipping iron? That's the Texas Wedge of course.

[platgof]

The new contender showed up today and it looks sharp! Mizuno MP 68!!

Edited November 5, 2021 by platgof
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[platgof]

Played it today and it is in the bag. The next contender showed up today, the MP30 and will be played tomorrow. The MP68 was amazing and felt great, plus it looks awesome as well. The MP30 really has it's work cut out to dethrone the MP68!

[platgof]

The MP30 just felt to light for some reason, and the turf interaction was not  so hot either. So as it stands, the MP68 is King of the hill, with the S56 second, the 1200 LT and MP 30 tied for last. The MP 68 has everything going for it, great turf interaction, touch, weight, distance control, and looks amazing! The only thing I have done to it is add a new mid size grip to freshen that up. Is the contest over for now, yep! For now that is! 

[platgof]

This will be tough to say, but I am having better luck chipping with the G710 9 iron, because it does not dig into the ground as much as the others. So for now it will be used until I get the hang of the sole on the Mizuno. I tried but was having a rough time. So I went to the G710 PW and 9 irons, and had better luck because they easily slid across the ground. I am not done with the Mizuno just yet.