Golf Club Length
Having the proper golf club length is a key ingredient to being able to make a good golf swing. Clubs that are too short or too long will hinder your ability to rotate and properly transfer your weight during the swing. It could also cause you to ground the club too early if they are too long or top the ball if they are too short. It is a common misconception that having a longer club will increase your distance. While the laws of physics would indicate this to be true, it only works for those golfers who have the ability to control a longer club. Most average golfers will only end up spraying the ball over the place with longer clubs. Even the pros will not sacrifice control for distance, and many actually use a driver that is a bit shorter than what is sold as standard. Only those guys who particpate in the longest drive competitions are using drivers with excessively long lengths, as they are more concerned with distance than with consistent control.
Standard Club Length
Golf club manufacturers have done extensive research into finding a standard length that will be suitable for most golfers. Use the chart below to see what the industry considers to be standard and compare them to the clubs you already own. Not all club manufacturers follow the same standard, so your clubs may be a bit different.
| Standard Golf Club Length Chart | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Mens Steel | Mens Graphite | Ladies Steel | Ladies Graphite |
| Driver | 44.0" | 44.5" | 43.0" | 43.5" |
| Strong 3 (3+) | 43.0" | 43.5" | 42.0" | 42.5" |
| 3 Wood | 42.5" | 43.0" | 41.5" | 42.0" |
| 4 Wood | 42.0" | 42.5" | 41.0" | 41.5" |
| 5 Wood | 41.5" | 42.0" | 40.5" | 41.0" |
| 7 Wood | 41.0" | 41.5" | 40.0" | 40.5" |
| 9 Wood | 41.0" | 41.5" | 40.0" | 40.5" |
| 11 Wood | 40.5" | 41.0" | 39.5" | 40.0" |
| 13 Wood | 40.0" | 40.5" | 39.0" | 39.5" |
| 1 Iron | 39.5" | 40.0" | 38.5" | 39.0" |
| 2 Iron | 39.0" | 39.5" | 38.0" | 38.5" |
| 3 Iron | 38.5" | 39.0" | 37.5" | 38.0" |
| 4 Iron | 38.0" | 38.5" | 37.0" | 37.5" |
| 5 Iron | 37.5" | 38.0" | 36.5" | 37.0" |
| 6 Iron | 37.0" | 37.5" | 36.0" | 36.5" |
| 7 Iron | 36.5" | 37.0" | 35.5" | 36.0" |
| 8 Iron | 36.0" | 36.5" | 35.0" | 35.5" |
| 9 Iron | 35.5" | 36.0" | 34.5" | 35.0" |
| Wedges | 35.0" | 35.5" | 34.0" | 34.5" |
Determining Custom Club Length
While many golfers will find that "standard" club length is good for them, there are those of us that may need some adjustments. Finding out the proper length is a simple process if you feel you need an adjustment. The best way to find what length is right for you is by taking a wrist to floor measurement. You should wear normal street shoes with a lift of less than 1". Stand at attention with your feet about a foot apart, shoulders relaxed, but up, back, and level. Keep your arms relaxed by your side. You'll want to have someone to take the measurement for you if you want to get it right. Have them measure the distance between the floor and your left wrist (for lefties, measure to your right wrist) where the biggest crease meets your hand. Look up this measurement, in reference to your height, using the chart below. The corresponding value represents how much longer or shorter (in inches) your clubs should be.
| Custom Golf Club Length Chart | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GOLFER HEIGHT | ||||||||||
| 4'9" to 5'0" |
5'0" to 5'2" |
5'2" to 5'4" |
5'4" to 5'7" |
5'7" to 6'0" |
6'0" to 6'2" |
6'2" to 6'4" |
6'4" to 6'7" |
6'7" to 6'9" | ||
| W R I S T T O F L O O R M E A S U R E M E N T |
40.0" | +2.25" | +2.25" | +2.25" | +2.00" | +2.00" | +2.00" | +1.75" | +1.75" | +1.50" |
| 39.5" | +2.00" | +2.00" | +2.00" | +1.75" | +1.75" | +1.75" | +1.50" | +1.50" | +1.25" | |
| 39.0" | +1.75" | +1.75" | +1.75" | +1.75" | +1.50" | +1.50" | +1.50" | +1.25" | +1.25" | |
| 38.5" | +1.50" | +1.50" | +1.50" | +1.50" | +1.50" | +1.25" | +1.25" | +1.00" | +1.00" | |
| 38.0" | +1.25" | +1.25" | +1.25" | +1.00" | +1.00" | +1.00" | +1.00" | +0.75" | +0.75" | |
| 37.5" | +1.00" | +1.00" | +1.00" | +0.75" | +0.75" | +0.75" | +0.50" | +0.50" | +0.50" | |
| 37.0" | +0.75" | +0.75" | +0.75" | +0.50" | +0.50" | +0.50" | +0.50" | +0.50" | +0.50" | |
| 36.5" | +0.50" | +0.50" | +0.50" | +0.25" | +0.25" | +0.25" | +0.25" | +0.25" | +0.25" | |
| 36.0" | +0.50" | +0.25" | +0.25" | +0.25" | +0.25" | +0.25" | --- | --- | --- | |
| 35.5" | +0.25" | +0.25" | +0.25" | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | |
| 35.0" | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | |
| 34.5" | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | |
| 34.0" | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | |
| 33.5" | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | -0.25" | -0.25" | -0.25" | |
| 33.0" | --- | --- | --- | -0.25" | -0.25" | -0.25" | -0.50" | -0.50" | -0.50" | |
| 32.5" | -0.25" | -0.25" | -0.25" | -0.50" | -0.50" | -0.50" | -0.75" | -0.75" | -0.75" | |
| 32.0" | -0.50" | -0.50" | -0.50" | -0.75" | -0.75" | -0.75" | -0.75" | -0.75" | -0.75" | |
| 31.5" | -0.75" | -0.75" | -0.75" | -0.75" | -0.75" | -0.75" | -1.00" | -1.00" | -1.00" | |
| 31.0" | -0.75" | -0.75" | -0.75" | -1.00" | -1.00" | -1.00" | -1.00" | -1.00" | -1.00" | |
| 30.5" | -1.00" | -1.00" | -1.00" | -1.00" | -1.00" | -1.00" | -1.25" | -1.25" | -1.25" | |
| 30.0" | -1.00" | -1.00" | -1.00" | -1.25" | -1.25" | -1.25" | -1.25" | -1.25" | -1.25" | |
| 29.5" | -1.25" | -1.25" | -1.25" | -1.25" | -1.25" | -1.25" | -1.50" | -1.50" | -1.50" | |
| 29.0" | -1.25" | -1.25" | -1.50" | -1.50" | -1.50" | -1.50" | -1.50" | -1.50" | -1.50" | |
| 28.5" | -1.25" | -1.50" | -1.50" | -1.50" | -1.50" | -1.50" | -1.50" | -1.50" | -1.50" | |