Chipping · Lesson
The Rule of 12 for Picking a Chipping Club
Part of our chipping programs for distance control. Build a program with it
The rule of 12 helps you match carry and roll. Pace off the distance to your landing spot on the green. Then pace off the roll from there to the hole. Work out the ratio. Subtract that number from 12 to choose your iron. For example, one part carry and six parts roll means 12 minus 6. That's a 6-iron. Faster or downhill greens may need 10 or 11 instead of 12. Use the same putting-style stroke with every club.
Step by step
- Pace off carry and roll.
- Find the roll-to-carry ratio.
- Subtract from 12 to pick the club.
- Use a smaller number on fast greens.
- Keep the same stroke.
Why it works
A chipped ball leaves the club at a set loft, and that loft decides how much of the shot is in the air and how much is on the ground. A lower-lofted club carries less and rolls more, and a higher-lofted club carries more and rolls less. The rule of 12 turns your carry and roll into a ratio, and that ratio points to the loft that produces it. Because the stroke stays the same, the club is the only thing that changes the carry-to-roll split.
Common mistakes
- Guessing the landing spot instead of pacing it off.Walk the distance to your landing spot and then from there to the hole, so the ratio comes from real numbers.
- Dividing in the wrong direction and using carry over roll.Always use roll as the number of parts and carry as one part, as in one part carry to six parts roll.
- Changing your wrist action or stroke length to force the shot with each club.Keep the same putting-style stroke and let the loft of the club control the carry and roll.
How you'll know it's working
- The ball lands within a couple of paces of your chosen landing spot.
- The ball rolls out toward the hole at the pace you expected from the ratio.
- Your contact feels the same with every club, with the ball struck cleanly and no thin or heavy strikes.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Practice on a flat, medium-speed green with a short chip so the ratio is simple to pace off and the result is easy to read.
Harder: Practice from slopes, downhill lies or faster greens, and adjust the 12 to 10 or 11 before you choose the club.
Common questions
What is the rule of 12 in golf chipping?
It is a method for choosing a chipping club by the ratio of roll to carry. You subtract the roll number from 12 to get the iron.
What should I do on fast or downhill greens?
Use 10 or 11 in place of 12 before you subtract. This gives you a smaller club number, which has less loft, and you should check the result with the ball's actual roll.
