The new Odyssey Chipper is designed to help amateurs get up and down more easily.
Odyssey are well known for making fantastic putters, but their new club could help you around the green as much as their flatsticks help you on it.
Odyssey know their stuff when it comes to putters, having created some of the best putters in the game since 1991. The No.1 putter brand on tour, they dominate the putter counts at events week in week out and won almost double the number of events over the nearest competitor last season… including two majors thanks to Xander Schauffele.
But it’s not just on tour. From the iconic 2-ball and Dual Force 550 to the Versa and the Ai-One range, Odyssey putters are found in the bags of club golfers around the world.
Having captured headlines with their jump into the zero-torque market with Square 2 Square – putters designed to resist twisting and stay square to the target – Odyssey aren’t afraid to change if it will help golfers save shots.
Odyssey’s latest release is fully targeted at making the game easier for amateurs… but not on the green – around it.
Many amateurs struggle around the greens, especially when they can’t reach for the putter. Duffed or thinned wedges and misjudged bump-and-runs are commonplace at golf courses around the globe, especially among newcomers and higher handicappers.
A good short game is key to lowering your handicap, and while the best wedges and loads of practice will help many, for some golfers it’s just a challenge too far, which is why Odyssey have developed their new Chipper.
This isn’t a first for the brand, with the previous X-Act and X-Act Tank proving a godsend for players who lack confidence when trying to get up and down.
But Odyssey say the new model, which is available in men’s and women’s specs, is their best yet.
It has a new hybrid shape, designed to inspire confidence, while the Step Sole is modeled on the soles found in sister-brand Callaway’s UW range and Elyte fairway woods.
The sole reduces the amount of the bottom of the club that touches the ground, which should create better turf interaction and a cleaner contact.
The Polymer Face Insert frames the ball beautifully at address and creates a soft feel, and, as you’d find in so many putters, there are clear and crisp alignment lines to help you start the ball in the right direction.
The grooves have been designed for durability in the knowledge that the chipper will be used everywhere from the short grass to the first cut and light rough.
And, compared to past models, there’s a longer grip, which effectively allows golfers to make the club different lengths for more versatility with shots from different lies.
The loft (37º) sits around a 9-iron, while the lie (66º) is more of a wedge, and the length (34.5″-35.5″) is the same as a putter.
The club, which has the same Odyssey Stepped 2.0 Chrome Steel shaft found in many of their putters, is designed to be used with a putting grip and stroke when possible. In our experience, using a chipper with a chipping grip and motion doesn’t create as good results. When we tested the Ping Chipr, for example, we found our proximity to the hole from a host of shots around the green was, on average, four feet better, and our strike was far more consistent.
Odyssey Chipper specsMODELLOFTLIEAVAILABILITYLENGTHMen’s37º66ºRH/LH35.5″Women’s37º66ºRH34.5″
The Odyssey Chipper is available for pre-order now and in UK stores from June 25 and US stores from June 27. It is priced at $179.99/£149.
Should you use a chipper?
Stats show that a third of golfers struggle around the greens, so there’s a huge market for chippers, especially among higher handicappers and newcomers to the game. In the past they’ve been subject to some gentle ribbing, but we’re in an era where golf equipment is being designed to make the game as easy as it can be (still bloody hard, though, isn’t it?!), so we’d expect a huge uptake for a club that can cut out those fat and thin shots and get you closer to the hole more consistently.
Where does a chipper fit in the bag?
One of the questions we always get asked around chippers is: “Where does it sit in my club set-up?” Well, for us, they sit between PW and wedges, and when testing in the past, we’ve gone with PW, chipper, 52º, 58º. If you’re someone who has a PW and three other wedges in the bag, then it will mean losing a club, but by tweaking your loft options, it’s easy to make room – plus, adding the chipper means you’ll be making less use of those wedges anyway.
Do you use a chipper? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Drop us an email or get in touch on X.
About the author
Digital Editor. Tour golf nerd. World No.1 at three-putting.
He specializes in the DP World Tour, PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and the Ryder Cup, and has traveled the world watching the biggest tournaments and interviewing the game’s biggest stars.
Rob is also passionate about equipment and is a font of knowledge when it comes to golf balls, golf trolleys, and golf shoes, having tested thousands over the years.
Despite being father to three daughters, he still manages to find time to maintain a 10-handicap, playing regularly at Greetham Valley GC, Spalding GC, and Thorpe Wood, all in the east of England.
The best piece of golf equipment he’s ever owned is the TaylorMade SLDR driver, his favourite player is Tommy Fleetwood, and the best course he’s played is Turnberry’s Ailsa.
You can get in touch with Rob by emailing rob.jerram@bauermedia.co.uk
