Inesis Chipper Review

Golf chippers will never be for everyone. For some, it'll be a pride thing: 'There's nothing wrong with my chipping technique, thank you.' Others will want to take help wherever they can get it - and this is just what the best golf chippers offer, lots of assistance around the greens. So, if you're struggling with your chipping, read on...

The Inesis Chipper has 37 degrees of loft. Its satin/silver finish looks really premium, and although it features lots of alignment assistance and thin black markings, I wouldn't say this makes the club look cheap or not very aspirational. In other words, I don't think it screams, 'I have a chipping problem' - which is a good thing!

You'll also notice a slightly offset shaft hosel design, which does look a little bit odd when you pick it up and look at it from the bottom. Down behind the ball, though, and there's nothing odd about it - it looks good.

The key for me is that it sits a little bit more upright than, say, for instance, your 9-iron might, which allows you to get over the ball a bit more at address. The shaft is also significantly shorter, further helping you to get into a putting posture. 

Some people would argue there’s no point in carrying a chipper because it’s very much like a 9-iron but, for me at least, that's not the case - it's quite different, designed specifically for the job of hitting chips shots. Another big positive is the extra fat grip that Inesis has put on it. This creates the feel of having a putter in your hands.

One of the first things you'll notice when you pick it up is that it's quite head heavy. Again, I think this is a good thing as it replicates how the putter feels in the hands. 

During my testing, there were two areas in particular where the Inesis chipper came into its own - from bare and muddy lies. As many of you reading this will know, these are the spots that fat and thin contacts can often come into play. However, by using a club that's designed for a more simple (putting-style) technique you should be able to find the strike you're looking for. 

However, for anything that requires more of a chipping technique, with some added wrist hinge (let's say you are chipping from thicker rough), I would want to revert back to my regular lob wedge. For me, this is where poor strikes come into play and is where the best wedges have an obvious advantage.

Bare lies in the summer, muddy ones in the winter... yes, it'll be effective. I can see it being especially useful then, where you're just looking to carry the ball onto the front of the green and let it roll out.

At first, I struggled with the distance control, but you will get accustomed to it. It’s got quite a chunky head so when you catch it right out of the middle the ball really goes; when you don’t quite catch it, the ball kind of dies on you. It just takes a bit of practice to get that consistent strike.

Golf chippers have made a little bit of a resurgence of late, and even the big brands have dipped their toe in the water with this category, such as Ping and its ChipR wedge. This model from Inesis comes in at a more affordable price point, and that might make it a little bit more appealing, especially if you're just wanting to play the odd shot with this club or see if it will suit your game.

I'm a fan. It's not staying in the bag, but should I start struggling with my wedges around the greens, I know this could be a good option to turn to.