Happy golfer just off the green? (7)

I haven't cracked this one yet — but the brilliant team at Times for the Times have:

A vaguely cryptic hint supports the literal here. I’m not up on golf, but my AI assistant advises: A chip shot in golf is a low-trajectory shot played with minimal distance in the air. It’s designed to get the ball rolling quickly on the green towards the hole, similar to a putt but from a slightly farther distance off the green.