My new chipping method: Modified Rule of 12 or Rule of 11.

Short explanation:
The basic idea is figure out what club gives you equal carry and roll. Add or remove loft by changing clubs to get less or more roll out based on where you want to land it.

LONG explanation with too much detail:
I had been struggling with my chipping, and so have worked on it pretty hard, and have come up with a method that is pretty accurate, though not exactly simple. It's simple to do, but not simple to explain. I wish I could show you, but like I tell my 2 year old, I have to use my words... It's choosing the right club based on the ratio of carry to roll at particular distances. I started with the "Rule of 12" (youtube it) but I found that difficult to work with, since I don't have a 12 iron, and the ratio of paces and roll wasn't the same at different distances. It's 1:1 at 20 paces, but if you're at 10 paces it's half that, and at 40 paces it's twice that... So here's my modified approach. NOTE: I use a putting-like stroke for chips, no matter what club I'm chipping with.

1. Pace off the distance of the chip from the ball to the hole (or the point where the shot would need to die if uphill/downhill)
2. Divide by 2, and pace back towards the ball to find the middle point. (20 paces total? 10 paces back is the middle point)

My 52* GW has a 50/50 carry to roll ratio for me. At 20 paces, the 56* rolls one pace less. My PW rolls one pace more, 9i 2 paces more, 8i 3 paces more, etc. Your impact position may be different than mine, and a different club will be the one that carries/rolls 50/50 on a 20 pace shot. You have to find which club does that for you. Could be a PW (10 iron) or a SW (12 iron). Mine is a GW (11 iron).

3. Now, once you've found the midpoint, count your paces from the midpoint to where you want the ball to land (usually a few feet onto the green just past the fringe). How many paces separate the MIDPOINT and the LANDING SPOT?

4. You'll typically take one club more for each pace you take to that carry spot. This works in a 1:1 ratio at around 20 paces.

So, let's say I have a shot, and pace it off to the hole... it's 22 paces. Okay. Pace back to the midpoint... it's 11 paces. Now I pace to my landing spot a few feet on the green, and it's 3 paces from the midpoint. Subtract 3 from the GW: PW, 9i, 8i. I'll chip an 8 iron onto the green.

That's the basic Rule of 12 method, modified to a rule of 11 because of the changes in club lofts in recent years. The GW is my 11 iron, the PW is a 10 iron. Then you're into the regular 9 iron, 8 iron, so forth.

NOW this part is important: The one step to one club measurement, regarding the paces that separate the midpoint and the landing spot, only works at 20 paces. Clubs roll out more compared to your pace when you get further away, and less when you get closer. 1:1 works at 20 paces. 1:2 at 40 paces. 1: 1/2 at 10 paces. And in between those for 15 or 30 paces.

So when I count the pace from the midpoint to the landing spot, I have to alter my gait or use some math to figure the club I need to use. NOT for pacing the whole distance, and NOT for pacing to the midpoint, but ONLY for pacing from the midpoint to the landing spot.

In English that means...
For my gait, a 20 pace shot (45 feet), I use a full length step when counting from the midpoint to the landing spot.
But on a 40 pace shot, there is a one club change for every 2 paces when counting from the midpoint to the landing spot.
On a 10 pace shot, it's reversed, there is a 2 club change for every one pace (one club for every half pace) -- from the midpoint to the landing spot.

SO...
Let's say I have a shot, and I pace from the ball to the hole, and I count 40 paces. I pace back to the midpoint... it's 20. Easy. Now I count paces to my landing spot, and it's 10 paces. What club do I choose? If I subtracted 10 from the GW, I'd use a 1 iron (a 3 wood in loft), and it would roll too far, probably off the green. Since it is 40 paces, it will roll twice as much as my pace. Take 10 and divide by 2... 5... That gives me a 5 club difference... which subtracted from the GW gives me a 6 iron. That will work. If it's MORE than 20 paces total, I have to figure on more roll compared to my pace.

Now let's reverse it:
Let's say I have a shot, and I pace it off to be 10 paces total. The midpoint is 5 paces back. Now I pace to my landing spot, and it's 3 paces. What do I do? If I just subtract 3 from the GW, I get an 8 iron, and it won't roll ENOUGH to get to the hole. At 10 paces, it will roll half compared to 20 paces. So, I need to multiply by 2. 3x2=6. Subtract 6 from the GW... that'll be a 5 iron.

If it's a 30 pace shot, I don't multiply by 1.5 as I pace toward the landing spot, I just take bigger steps than normal. And if it's a 15 pace shot, I don't multiply by .75, I just take a slightly smaller step than normal.

Once you get outside 40 paces, it's no longer a chip, but a pitch, and the roll is going to shrink a LOT because of spin and angle of descent (so there's a point of diminishing return), so you can't figure on ratios, or at least I haven't figured out how to.

I hope it works for you. That seems very complicated and mechanical and math-y. I just get to my ball, assess the lie, look at my target and choose a shot that will give me the best chance of success. I dunno. Usually takes me 20 seconds and requires no multiplication.

My head could never get wrapped around that...but I hope it works for you!

My brain hurts now. But I applaud you for the amount of thought you've put into it. Hope it works out well for ya.

I'm with Blu on this one. If I thought that much on a golf course my muscles wouldn't know what to do. I just pick a spot a yard or two onto the green surface to get the ball on the ground asap and pick the club that will give me the right roll out. 20-30 seconds max to decide and hit the shot. Your method sounds very logical and I hope it lowers your scores.

Are you pacing or estimating during play? Is it a way to take feel out of he equation?

How are you making sure you get the ball to carry the proper distance to your landing spot?

I agree with others that i makes my head hurt. There is no way I could do all that in a round. Im all about do what works for you but I try to keep things simple.

I was told there would be no math

Wow. Hope that works out for you. I just practice my chipping a lot until I get a feel for the shot.

That was an epic post.

I am not a smart man ... so it is all feel for me ...

Not only would I be confused on the green but my rounds would would take all day.


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So what happen when you 'fat' a shot. Do you have to pace it off again? This is regimented, how do you have fun around the greens? If your formula doesn't work, it had to be a federation point. And technique still needs to learned. Once you have that I would think feel would or should take over. But more power to ya!

I think about my chip shots similarly, just not as much math.

Also, it changes with different green speed and grass, in my area.

Keep at it - glad you found something that works!! Remember, tho, pace of play.....

I have been doing something similar but not exactly. For starters if it is within 3 yards and a good lie on the fairway or fringe I putt it. I prefer to use more of a pitching stroke and know the exact feeling of flying my wedge 5 yards, 10 yards, and 15 yards with PW, 50, 54, 58. Each of those roll out a slightly different amount so I fire a laser and say I am 8 yards off the green and the pin is 10 yards on I will pick a 10 yard pitch with a 58 which normally rolls out 10 yards or 1:1 but that leaves me 2 yards past the hole so I then move the ball up a fraction which changes the trajectory and limits the roll just a touch.

Similar to yours I just hate the chipping stroke unless I am a yard off the green and if I am that close I can just putt. Will only use the chipping stroke if I am just in the rough right off the green.

Way too much math for me. I simply look at the chip and the decide what club. I factor in my lie, how much green I have to work with and the break on the green. If I use my 56 wedge then I try to land usually about 45% of the way there adjusting for uphill or downhill to the hole. If I'm close enough to use my 8 iron then I am usually trying to land it maybe a foot onto the green and letting it run to the hole. Those are the two clubs I use the most around the green. I really try not to think to much when I play. If I have to think then I tense up and chunk it. Much easier for me to just make simple and easy decisions and then just stroke it.

blugold said:

I hope it works for you. That seems very complicated and mechanical and math-y. I just get to my ball, assess the lie, look at my target and choose a shot that will give me the best chance of success. I dunno. Usually takes me 20 seconds and requires no multiplication.

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Same here, I place a lot of value on feel. I do try to chip with my putting grip and set up. I have the heel of the club off of the ground so I stub or chili-dip very few chips. Just swing as hard as I would putting from that distance.

This just seems like its going to add way to much time to my round, that being said. if it works for you great!

I think I'll just try to hit more GIR

More seriously, while it seems complicated at first I think once the learning curve is passed it can be done fairly quickly. There still is plenty of room for "feel" in the process (i.e. what if it's 22 and 1/2 full steps?) and you still need to have the feel for hitting the chosen club to the chosen spot to get the desired roll.

Why make a game more complicated and harder than it needs to be? If it works for you, great. But for me, I'll stick with "feel" ... the less thinking I have to do, the better. If I have to remember the Pythagorean theorem just to play golf, then I'll stick with fishing.

golfinnut said:

Why make a game more complicated and harder than it needs to be? If it works for you, great. But for me, I'll stick with "feel" ... the less thinking I have to do, the better. If I have to remember the Pythagorean theorem just to play golf, then I'll stick with fishing.

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Comes in quite handy when you block the ball 60 yards into another fairway and you forgot your gps and range finder.

Did I just read that 2+2 =5? I don't get your way of doing the math for this but it just seems way to technical and takes all the feel out of it. But if it works for you, go for it! I just hope you play faster than Jason Day does...

Actually there's no math and it is pretty fast. You walk to the hole, which you should do anyway to assess the break, then you walk back. You just happen to count your steps while walking. The point is to pick the club that runs from the ideal landing spot to the ideal finishing zone so you can make it up and down in 2 strokes instead of three. No "math", just counting. It looks complicated on paper but is actually fast and easy when you do it.


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This sounds like it's taking you a ton of time around the greens to do this. Doesn't really sound pace of play friendly.