Chip Challenge Game: The Horseshoes Of Golf

We’re always looking for new backyard games to try out. For the first time this weekend, I played this new backyard game called Chip Challenge. It was fun!

They refer to it as ‘the horseshoes of golf’… and I guess it is, to an extent. It’s soooooo simple. Yet fairly challenging at the same time.

And the best part: It’s never the same game twice!

Yep, this one ranks right up there with Ladder Golf and Cornhole in terms of slightly odd backyard games that are worth their weight in gold.

With backyard games, it pays to be unique.

And Chip Challenge definitely is unique! What seems like nothing-in-a-box turns out to be hours of fun for everyone.

Here’s my take on the game…

Chip Challenge was created by this guy. (I’ve gotta give props to a young entrepreneur, and I think he’s onto something here.)

It’s a make-your-own golf course kind of game. There’s a red putting green, and a blue putting green — and you shape them however you want using 6 sticks each.

So it’s great for variety — you’ll never play the same hole twice. And it’s great for creating more or less challenge.

I also like how small and compact everything packs up for year-round storage and portability to and from places. (Ideally, it would be a durable plastic ‘box’ that could really take a beating, rather than the thick cardboard one. But it seems really durable and should last quite awhile.)

There’s a red team and a blue team, and you see how many shots it takes you to get your ball onto your colored putting green (or ‘target’).

Technically, the scoring is done this way:

• Red ball in red target = 2 pts.
• Blue ball in blue target = 2 pts.
• Opposite color ball in target = take 1 pt. from other team. (I don’t see how this could ever happen because you’re chipping in opposite directions — I must be missing something.)
• Game ends when 7 pts are reached by either team.

The challenge comes into play based on the way you’ve arranged the plastic pegs which hold the fabric boundaries in place for each ‘target’. (There are about 101 different arrangements you can make to end up with interesting 6-sided shapes.)

The plastic pegs are actually quite thick and sturdy. And they’re slightly pointed on the ends to make them easier to go into the ground. I think they’ll last quite awhile.

There are 2 things I wish:

#1 That it came with some sort of fold-up golf club (…not too cheap & plasticy, but something you can pack in the same box and travel with — to the beach house, to the neighbor’s backyard party, you get the idea).

#2 That it cost a little less than $30. Well, technically $29.95 is less than $30, but still. It’s a tad high if you ask me — for a couple pieces of fabric, 4 plastic whiffle golf balls, and 12 small plastic sticks. (Oh, and then there’s the shipping & handling.)

Summary…

Overall, it’s a fast and fun game. And good for all ages, too. But you’ve got to have your own golf club(s). Or, you could always borrow one from a neighbor, or pick up a cheapo used club at a place like Play It Again Sports or Walmart or something.

I can’t wait to play Chip Challenge with my mom next time she comes to visit. (She’s an avid golfer and this is the closest she’ll ever get me to playing golf!)

UPDATE:

Turns out I didn’t fully grasp the “game” concept. Here’s a better explanation from Aaron, the creator of Chip Challenge:

Let’s say I’m red and your blue. And were chipping towards the red target first, then red would go first. (I hit both of my balls) If I get one in…I get 2 points (2 points per ball) Now you chip next toward the red target. If you get one of your blue balls in my red target then you take a point from me (I go down 1 you up 1). Now we both walk to the other end and this time we chip back toward the blue (your) target. You would go first. You get two points for every ball you make. And then I get a chance to take points away from you. I chip my red balls towards your blue target. Let’s say the score is 5 to 5 (game to 7) and you just made one of your balls giving you 7 point. Now I have a pressure chip to put you back to 6 by making one of my red balls in your blue target. Or game over. It makes for a very fun game!

…proof that Chip Challenge is a fun game no matter how you play it!