*Whos going to use this RULE this weekend?!*

Hi Alex, great tip, but maths might not be right, I think it should be the roll out distance divided by the carry (ref. Golf sidekick) not the overall distance can you confirm , which is it ?

I'm a one club around the green guy. 58° for everything except long chip and runs. Probably not optimal but practicing it is very fun. Learning how to hit the low checkers, high soft lob, standard pitch, etc. I believe helps develop amazing touch and how to manipulate your hands to hit different shots.

I have used this technique for a few years. It's an excellent starting point to find the right club, and then just adjust up or down depending on the slope of the green. One tip, if you are going to pace it out to the flag. Do yourself a favour and take a couple of steps beyond it to give you the view from behind the hole. You will sometimes see nuances on the green that you don't see from behind the ball.😊

I've been using the rule of 12 for a while. Remember, this is a general rule. You need to adjust it for fast greens and slow greens accordingly

I had to many Nuns beat the crap out of me for being bad at math. As soon as I saw the division sign I had a seizure!!!!!!!!! Alex is the best instructor on this format.

Gary Player once said " Keep it low to be in the dough,go high and it'll make you cry ! " I only go high if there's a bunker or pond in my way.

Alex, have been enjoying your videos. My short game has improved immensely from moving away from my 60 and 56 deg wedges to my 52, gap wedge...this would be my number 10 club. Also opening the face a little can help control distance...with some practice of course. Great tip and video.

Definitely will use this rule next time I play! Thank you! This is the part of my game that suffers the most 😢. I also tend to decelerate and that is another problem I am working to cure.

This is the best guide ever. This has significantly improved my close game. After this instructional video, I have finally understood how to get around the green to the flag and do an up&down. In the past I always used 7 iron with reasonable success. But now I can use other clubs and hit consistent shots. Thanks Alex ⛳

Excellent thoughts. The thing is to know the distance for these shots. Then the player gets feedback as to what worked and what didn't. Most people never take the time to work out the particulars of the shot, and accordingly, they never learn anything. If you know what works for each type of shot and situation, then the confidence level soars, and chances are greater for a good shot. Your methodology is excellent.

Tried this today over 9 holes. Worked perfectly on the three holes I tried it. Literally saved my round.

Very interesting. I am going to try this out during my practice session this weekend.

finally someone talks about the rule of 12! thank you!

Great video. The Golf Sidekick taught this recently. Both very informative.

I use the 60-degree, 56-degree, and 50-degree wedges for chip shots around the green. I make little tweaks to the shot setup to vary the distances and what the ball will do such as opening the face and ball position. I am different from probably 99% of golfers because I only use my left arm and hand (as a right-handed golfer) for chip shots. I started doing it as a drill and I got so good that now I do it all the time. It just seems that I have so much more touch and feel using only one arm/hand. I never chunk shots and the ball is completely under control. I get a wonderful spin. And it seems easy for me. When I get the right hand involved, then all kinds of bad things happen. Crazy, but true.

Thanks for the information I appreciate it

Very helpful thanks!

I have been using this method for the last 3 seasons. It's magic. I usually chip it 4-6 yards if possible because it is easier to hit more consistently.

Not sure if I'd do this. I practice in the back yard, with different clubs, keeping note of how far the ball flys. As of yet I need to go to a practice green to see the roll out. I try to play reasonably quick. Angle of attack main thing in my mind. Maintains consistency.

I use 7 iron for all my chip shots when I’m near the green, sometimes 8 if the greens are very quick, pitching wedge when the ground is undulating, lob wedge when I’m off the green and the pin is close, works most times.

@alexElliotGolf what do you do if you have a gap wedge?

Hi Alex. Do you do lessons ? I took up golf only in October 2022 and really like your videos. Id be interested in your rate and what is the process to book any 1 on 1 lessons. Please advise how I can contact you. Thanks

Great tips. Do a review of range balls to player balls with chipping. I see so many practice with range balls. Then wonder why the course isn’t the same. The ball you play is the one to practice.

I have found having a simulator has helped with my chipping. Since I am not actually 'there' to get the spatial relationships, I have come to rely on the distance the simulator tells me. After doing this long enough, I have learned what a 17y chip feels like with my 60 degree, and an 11 yarder, and a 40 yarder, etc.

Other than the obvious, "practice" are there any guides on distance control per club? (like maybe 8 o clock for a pw to go 8 yards?) Maybe 8 o clock LW goes like 6 yards? Also, what determines the landing zone? Just on the green? Halfway? My chipping is the weakest part of my game right now, this video couldn't have come out at a better time ;) Thanks! Love the channel! :)

I really struggle with a open club face at impact. Any good drills/tips on helping me roll my hands over?

Alex...How do you figure were the landing zone is for iron selection???? If the flag is 18 feet on and yours 15 ft off the green, got to land it on the fringe and then it will bounce eery which way the turf directs....

Does standard (traditional/weaker) club loft vs the more modern stronger lofts change the formula? So for a 47 degree PW vs a 44 degree wedge, is the formula still based on 12?

Interesting thought but I think the method is intended more for bump and runs. It mathematically just eliminates the lob wedge every time. The only way the lob wedge comes into play is spinning back to half the landing spot. Sand only plays if landing roughly 2/3rds the distance to the hole. Pitch is between 2/5ths and 2/3rds. 9 is 2/7ths through 2/5ths. 8 is 2/9ths through 2/7ths. And the denominator just adds 2 all the way. I would like to know how old the source was and if it actually applies to modern lofts as the gap wedge would have been traditional pitching wedge and would have stopped those last 2 shots closer than the how they came in hot.

Hybrid/7wood if its on the fringe, 6/7/8/9/pw if I need to fly the collar but have green to play with then 50/55/60 if I've got ti carry something

I’ve been using this method for years. Some guys have commented that they are not even surprised when I chip in because I usually hit it so close every time.

I tried it and it works!❤

Alex. I suggest this not be considered a "cheating" rule but rather a "calculating" or "computing" one. Cheating implies something one shouldn't whereas this technique is just the opposite. Or simply just call it the Rule of 12. I enjoy your helpful videos. Thanks.

isnt this supposed to be for the putting stroke chips that are close around the fringe? helpful tips

Great video as always Alex.

Great system, bad examples. Modern lofts being stronger mean this is really the rule of 13 now. Forget the Lob wedge. DO include the Gap wedge. Everyone needs to find their own landing/carry ratios, but for me: 56 is 1:1, 50 is 1.5:1. PW is 2:1, 9 is 3:1, 8 is 4:1 etc Most of my putt chips will carry 5 yards with a standard shot. 56 will carry 5, roll out 5. GW will carry 5, roll out another 7 or 8. PW will carry 5, roll out 10. 9 will carry 5, roll out 15. From here you just adjust up or down a club or two depending on the slope. You can hit slightly harder but still get the same ratio when necessary. I found the best way to get confident with this method was to practice with different colored balls for each club. Watch them group. It works. Go watch Paul Runyon's video he's a lovely old bloke and the video is super. This Rule of 13 has enabled me to get up and down WAY more often and take many dollars from my buddies. Enjoy!

Tnx alex!

Something you should consider with this is not only adjusting for lie, but also the speed of the green, the slope and grain. It is a really good method and if nothing else it gives your chipping some structure instead of just always trying to make a single club do all kinds of shots.

When using this system which has been around for years you have to make adjustments for slope of the green or weather you have standard lofted clubs or strong lofted clubs. If the putting green is sloped down and away you could easily chip it off the back of the green or leave it short if it's sloped toward you. While watching Tiger, Rory, and Jason Day chipping around the green Rory said " I don't have enough time to practice chipping with all my clubs", Jason and Tiger both agreed.

There's an easier method and it's based on the flight-to-roll ratio of each club. A chip with a sand wedge flies approximately the same distance it rolls out. So, that's a ratio of 1:1. A pitching wedge will roll about twice as far as it flies so that's a ratio of 2:1. A 9-iron rolls out about 3 times as far as it flies, that's 3:1 and an 8-iron rolls out about 4 times as far as it flies, so that's 4:1, and so on. So, when you're around the green, choose where you want to land the ball and pace that distance off from your ball to that landing spot. Then pace off the distance from the landing spot to the pin. If the distance from the landing spot to the pin is twice as far as the distance from your ball to where you want the ball to land then choose the PW, a 2:1 ratio. If the distance from the landing spot to the pin is 3 times as far as the distance from your ball to the landing spot, choose the 9-iron, a 3:1 ratio. If the distance from the landing spot to the pin is equal to the distance of your ball to the landing spot, choose the SW, a 1:1 ratio. This method works shockingly well and with practice you'll have those distances dialed in quickly. Give it a shot. I find it much easier than the "rule of 12" or the "rule of 10" or whatever "rule" people are using. This is simpler. Trust me.

Excellent. Gives the golfer a positive routine that leads to commitment and freedom - leaves no room for “I can’t do this”. I would add that it s a good drill till it’s not - you’ll get to the point where the best features will be automatic and you can focus on being available for your intended shot. I really like your instruction but wish you edit out the beginning where you “sell” your video by talking about how many people do it wrong. You had them with your title before they clicked on the video. Tell them what you’re going to say, say it then tell them what you said. Tweak to maximize the logarithm but not much.

Good stuff Alex. You are definitely a Cobra guy. Have they had you in to their hq in Carlsbad, CA?

Very cool

Good system, but in Paul Runyan’s day, there were no 60° wedges and the pitching wedge was 52°, which is a weak Gap wedge by modern standards.

I heard that you never trust a guy with 2 first names. I'll trust you though. I've never tried this method because I'm like Phil. I use my 60 everywhere under 100 yards. Might not play like him but I'm pretty darn good at it. I think I need to try something else to get better, like this method. Thanks Alex!

So, how did you determine the landing zone.

So what about for like a 25-50 yard shot?

What about hitting off hills? Up down and side. Any tips?

Come on get a chipper then all around green problems vanish one third flight two thirds run 😮(awaiting online abuse lol) nice video.

perhaps am I stupid but if I take this example : distance 20yards, landing zone 3 yards, 20/3=7 and 12-7 =5 irons ???

Easier and quicker way is just to pace off to your landing spot and then finish walking to the hole. Also, one way to adjust if you are between numbers is to take the lower lofted club and land it closer to you or take the higher lofter club and land it a little further on.

I get the fundamentals of the rule of 12. Is there a method to determine the landing spot and how that relates to the length of the roll for each club? Your examples imply the roll for the pitching wedge is half to a third. Could you play an 8-iron and adjust the speed and get the same result? I understand speed is critical in these shots, but as a newbie, I am unsure where I set my landing spot that will provide the closest roll to the pin for a bog standard chip for the purposes of the exercise the green slope and speed are not considered.

Just my opinion but I think never missing on the low side is more important. For instance Ion a left to right breaking put or chip or pitch I would rather miss 3 ft left than one ft right. The miss low will break below the hole and missing by 1 ft will leave you way of where the 3 ft high miss will break toward the hole

what determines the landing zone. is there a math equation based on the rule of twelve that provides an optimal landing zone. example if its 20 yards do you divide that by 3 which gives you 6.6 round up to 7 and then you would loft the ball to a 7 yards distance landing zone and let it roll the rest of the way.

I feel like this could change depending on how you hit the shot you can hit a high PW or a low shot with PW that will give different rollout

So pacing off the distance to the hole is easy because the hole is where it is. You then pace off the distance to the landing spot, but how do you know where that is? Won't that be different for each club? And assuming it is, how can you use that to choose your club when your club choice determines that spot? Chicken or egg???

I am a 9 handicap player. I always use my 7 iron unless there is water or a sand trap in front on me

How does the speed of the green factor into your "Rule of 12"? What is the "base" green speed, and how is the number adjusted if the green is faster or slower?

So I am not quite catching the advantage of this. I get that the physics works out if you do the math, but the only thing I see different is the landing zone was moved closer. If you miss your landing zone, it could be just as ugly of a result. Is this method more forgiving if you miss your landing zone? This method also would only really work out if your lie is fairly level with the green. Any decent elevation change is gonna affect the math.

what if if you round UP on uphill greens and round DOWN on downhill greens?

This is different than others have explained. Others say {Total distance-Landing distance}/Landing distance= number, then 12 - number. Your video you end up using 1 less club.

I don't know if I'm that good of a mathematician Alex. My method is if it is 3' or less to the green, chip the ball. If it is over 3' to the green, I pitch the ball! Also, I will use a hybrid or 5 iron with a putter grip and upright stance to putt the ball if it is less than 2' to the green and a medium length or longer pin. Good Job though Alex!

If at all possible I will use an 8, forward press a bit and "putt".

I use either my 50degree or 8 iron.

Be aware that the rule of 12 should be modified to something like the rule of 10 or 11 if the green speed slows down or you’re putting uphill. That will basically de-loft your calculated club choice, reducing backspin.

Mathematically I don't see how the 58 Wedge could be used. You would have to subtract 0 from 12 and how would you get 0? You could get "1" by having your landing zone on top of the cup or nearby, but 0??

Like it,you missed the second exampe beacause you round 1.5 to two unless of one, 12-1=11 ,54 is the club ,just and observation.👍👍👍

What happened to the 6,8,10 rule

Stage one works put still cant geta roll out of 8 to 12 feet

🤯 CSE unclassified at maths so not for me I'm afraid. I can't even remember how many shots I've taken half the time so it's the good old Texas wedge if possible.

How to chip from heavy rough?

Why is gap wedge removed from the equation?

Alex you didn't explain where you want the landing zone! Are you just saying the beginning of the green each time??

Most complicated description of the simplest system invented all those years ago.

Looks really simple, but can I use a calculator math's not my strongest subject bit like my golf

Also allow for your green speed, uphill or downhill !

Just need a calculator on my gps watch now! 😆

I have a pretty good rule I made up myself: loft = percent of flight. If I chip my 60° lob wedge, I know that about 60% of the total travel will be flight. If I chip my 33° 8 iron, it will be about 33% flight and 66% rollout. Having 60/40, 50/50, and 1/3 options has simplified my club choice and helped manage greenside hazards effectively.

I’ve been teaching this technique to my high school players for over a decade. They immediately go to their 56 or 60 degree wedges until in explain the error of their ways. This is a dumynamite tool.

Why not use a rangefinder??

Only thing missing is not even green runs the same. Faster greens use 12, the slower the green the lower the “rule of”. 12-11-10

Or just practice hitting various shots with ~8i up to sand wedge…this is much more of a feel thing than it is a mathematical equation.

Good logic but too hard for my brain to manage on course lol

This might work. But for sure would slow down all the field: imagine 100 players stepping down every green like this... 18 holes would last forever.

Rule 12 is silly, this system is far simpler and recommends the same clubs by his example. This system, let’s call it Your System. YS works from 100 yards in. YS, will give you two shot choices, chip or pitch. The chip, is basically putting with loft, putting grip and putting stance. Chipping is more reliable than the pitch, ball stays closer to the ground, less risk of chunking. I’ll use the distances he used. Here how it works. Determine the distance. In the first example, he had 24 yards. Add 100 to that, you get 124 yards, what club would you use to go 124 yards, for me it’s a PW. If I wanted to chip/bump and run it from here, I’d convert the 24 yards to feet, 24 x3, yielding 72, add 100 to that, gives me 172, my 170 yard club is a 7 iron, so I’d chip/bump a 7 iron. I’ve got two shot types. So, I’d have a choice of two shot types, pitch a PW or chip a 7 iron. For his 12 yard example, YS gives you 112 pitch or a 136 chip. For the pitch, I’m using my GW or PW. For the chip/bump, I’m using 9 iron or PW. Of course, once you get accustomed to it, you’ll adjust for course conditions and your psyche. Finally, this is important, keep the stroke width the same. In the beginning, don’t worry about that landing zone stuff. This is like your normal club selection, you use a different club for different distances, but keep the swing the same. Don’t move the funnel! (CPI reference, Continuous Process Improvement). Follow through is more important than back swing, don’t decelerate. Use a 8 o’clock to 4 o’clock swing on all clubs (the ball is at 6 o’clock) Feet together, basically your putting stance with your putting grip on chips. If you find your chip inadequate, only change your grip. Change it to your normal full swing grip. It’s amazing how much firmer the strike is. For pitches, use a 1.5 to 2 foot wide stance.

Who you talking to where they are trying to use their highest loft clubs? If I could putt it 300 yards I would. Less air time the better for me

Too much thinking Alex. Sorry mate but personally as a 15 handicap senior golfer. you can still use a lofted club without going for a high loft. Chip and run with a P, PW, etc still an option. Perhaps a 7 or 8 iron from the fringes for chip and run. Best to go for your gut feeling. My own experience and opinion. Remember we are all different. Not one rule fits. Because we all differ in touch and feel. Some players have a touch like an elephant. Others a touch like a ballerina. Get my drift. Also confidence comes into play and when you start seeing diagrams and calculations in your head then where does it end. Best not to overthink. And when you are playing on a Saturday in your 4 ball stableford club competition with 20 groups behind you I would imagine you will be infringing the AVOID SLOW PLAY AT ALL TIMES rule.

my partners are gonna hate me on par 3's

This same exact video is on Paul Wilson's channel

I just hope no one using this method is going to be playing in front of me, because you are going to hold up the entire filed behind you when pacing out and trying to make calculations... :)

Now I have to do match while hacking, lol Maybe tennis will be better

Should have been a gap (51-52) or sand wedge (54-56) on that second shot, PW ran out to much and you clipped those shots nicely, amateur's don't clip the ball that well, that PW would have been 20-30ft or more past the hole in a fast second

I thought chipping was all about feel ?

Damn my calculator died on the 3rd hole ,iv'e had it now, what the hell am i going to do now LOL , complete nonsense, NEVER mention the word CHEAT in Golf it will Tarnish your reputation as a so called PRO !!!

I gottalfgoogbddies

Do you just watch other peoples videos and regurgitate -

You purposely hit that lob wedge to hard . Come on man

Way too much thinking involved here, keep it simple

Rubbish system. Softness and speed of green varies immensely over the year and will change the landing zone or the outcome completely.