What is Chippo Golf?
Chippo Golf is explained as “the glorious lovechild of golf and cornhole.” First, I love the cut of their jib. Expertly worded. Second, that’s pretty much spot on as far as how I would explain Chippo Golf. Maybe add horseshoes in there too. This is a great game for a variety of settings or uses. Whether in your backyard with the family, at the beach with your friends, tailgating somewhere, or even in your basement during the winter (shout out to my upcoming winter), Chippo is a great way to have some fun. Hell, it’s even a great training aid too! The fact is, Chippo is a fun way to get a little golf action in when you’re not at the course and have a good time with friends.
The Setup
Setup and teardown for Chippo is pretty straightforward. All you do is remove the chipping mats from the back of the boards, fold out the legs of said boards, set them up so the front edges are 15 feet apart from each other, and put the chipping mats right in front (this has a game function later). Done deal. To pack it back up, you guessed it – do the same thing backwards. There are convenient clips on the back of the boards to secure your chipping mats. I recommend storing them “rubber out” so as to protect the chipping surface and keep them clean.
Pro tip: should you take your Chippo Golf to the beach and it gets a little sandy, just use a vacuum attachment to clean it off.
The Quality
So far I’ve found the Chippo quality to be pretty solid. The boards are sturdy, but lightweight enough that they aren’t difficult to handle or transport. While small, the chipping mats are heavy duty with high-quality “turf.” This is important because 1) they have to hold up to the abuse of getting hit by a golf club, and 2) they need to be stable under the ball so you can actually hit a somewhat decent shot. Both the nets and the turf on the boards are of sturdy quality ensuring your Chippo set will hold up for what I assume will be awhile. I don’t know, I haven’t had mine long enough, but I have faith.
Let’s talk about the six golf balls that come with the game. They are high-density foam balls made by a company called almostGolf. For a foam ball, they are a little heavier duty for a little more feel on the club face. You can still give them a bit of a ride. While, yes, they don’t do the same amount of damage as a real golf ball, I’d still avoid trying to hit anyone with them. That said, should you get clipped by one from a wedge shot, you’ll be perfectly fine. It might even add some X factor to the game for more of a rush.
How to Play Chippo Golf
Chippo recommends three modes of game play which I’ll walk you through below. Though Chippo has their three styles of play, you can easily make up your own games with your own scoring. Of course, the variants of Chippo naturally lend themselves to some good-natured gambling just as any good backyard game should. Or maybe you’re like me and you’re battling some wedge issues. You can set your Chippo boards up in your yard and practice your short game by yourself. Maybe make up some games to keep your practice light and fun!
Scoring
Chippo does a great job explaining their points system, so I’m just going to steal it right from them. You will use these point values in all three of their games. Also take note of the point value for a bounce shot.
1 point: Just hit the board on a fly. Boardie.
3 points: Drain your shot in the larger center hole. 3-Hole.
5 points: Send the ball to its home in either top corner hole. 5-Hole.
2x points: If you’re a surgeon with a sixty degree wedge, bounce your shot off the chipping mat for double (2, 6 or 10) points. Bounce Shot.
Note: If your shot hits the Chippo board on a fly and the ball then bounces or rolls into the 3-Hole or the 5-Hole, you do get the 3 or 5 points for getting that shot in the hole. Like golf, the ball just needs to end up in the hole. Go to your home ball.
Thanks, Chippo. You made that explanation easy!
Match Play – 9 or 18 Holes
Like most of these games, Match Play can be played with 2 or 4 players. Players from each team compete against each other “per hole.” The first player will hit all three shots and add up their score. Their opponent will do the same. The player with the most points wins the hole and goes “one up.” You can play this over 9 or 18 “holes” depending on your time. If you suck with your wedge, 9 holes could easily turn into 18+…just sayin’.
Cornhole Style
This game is just like cornhole/bags (depending on your regional dialect). You will use a “cancellation” scoring system. In short, that means if Player 1 scores 6 points and Player 2 scores 9 points, then Player 2 gets 3 points for that round (9-6=3 points total). Chippo has you playing to 18 given the golf theme, but feel free to play to whatever number you please. Again, because my friends and I have garbage wedge games, 18 points might even be too much.
One on One – “Six Ball”
Six Ball is really just a variation of the first two games but played between two people. Each player stands at one of the boards. The first player hits all six balls and totals up their score. The second player does the same. Depending on if you chose to play Match Play or Cornhole Style, you will score accordingly. Throw some variation into this style of play and maybe choose a point in the match to switch sides.
For Chippo’s explanations on how to play their games, click here. They’ll walk you through in detail and provide examples as well as a nice little FAQ – whatever that means. (You should get that joke if you read the FAQ.)
Final Thoughts – Chippo Golf
Chippo is a lot of fun. It’s as simple as that. If I’m being totally honest, there’s a slight barrier to entry because it’s not going to be much fun if you can’t reasonably chip a golf ball. I mean, people innocently sitting around drinking their beers may not appreciate getting blasted by my skulled wedge shots. But for the golf nerds like most of us are, Chippo’s a great addition to the backyard game arsenal. Chippo’s also easy to transport to bring on vacation, to someone else’s house, or wherever it’d provide some solid entertainment for you and some friends.
I’ve personally found the most enjoyment out of using Chippo for wedge practice in my yard. Lord knows I need it, and Chippo gives me a way to have fun on my journey to resolve my ongoing wedge issues.
