With custom golf club fittings becoming more and more popular, the length of the golf club is a highly talked about feature. For golfers who are new to the game of golf, finding the length that works for your game is essential.
However, in order to know what you are currently using, you must know how to measure golf club length. This process is pretty simple, but some quirks can make the process a bit more complicated.
As a golf professional, I have done some tinkering to my own clubs, and I’m happy to share with you how I always ensure I have an accurate measurement.
How to measure Golf Club Length [Common Methods]
Measuring golf club length is typically done with a 48-inch ruler that you see used by club-fitting professionals all over the world. However, there are other methods of determining which golf club is the perfect fit for your game. The USGA (United States Golf Association) and even the Long Drivers of America have their own ways of measuring golf clubs
The most important thing for players to think about here is whether or not they are measuring the club as part of a fitting or comparing it to another golf club in the bag. For instance, you can use a dynamic fitting to tell exactly what golf club length you need.
However, this dynamic fitting won’t help you compare the specifications of one club to another.
The most common reason golfers need to measure golf club length is to compare one club to another. Let’s say you have a 7 iron that you like, and it fits you well. You are also considering purchasing a new 7-iron, and you want to see how the specifications differ between the two.
The method you use to measure your golf club length will undoubtedly impact the results that you get. If you want to get the most widely recognized measurement, using the 48 inch golf club fitting ruler will certainly be the best overall option.
The USGA has to have a method for measuring golf club length as they are the ones that will tell you whether or not you are using a legal golf club when you play. For golf clubs to make it to the market, they have to be USGA-approved, so the length measurement that the USGA uses is an important one to understand.
As we go through this guide to measuring the golf club length, you will see some quirks in how clubs are measured and why companies may have some discrepancies between the lengths of the clubs they sell.
Importance of Golf Club Length?
Playing with golf clubs that are not the right length will have a very negative impact on your golf game. In fact, some players have left the game entirely because their clubs were not the proper fit, and they felt as though the performance was something they were causing.
Golf clubs have to be the proper length so that you can have excellent turf interaction. Think about the way you set up to hit the ball. If the club is too long, the toe of the club head will be too high up in the air.
If the golf club is too short, the toe of the club head will be pushed too far down toward the ground. Both of these issues result in a golf ball not being struck squarely in the face.
In addition, golfers must be aware of how club length impacts the overall distance and control of the golf shots being hit.
Golf clubs that are shorter are easier to control, but they certainly don’t fly as far. This is why it’s easier to control your 9 iron than your 3 wood. The difference in length between these two clubs is significant, and it impacts overall performance on the course.
Clubs that are long are easy to get plenty of distance with, but you need a certain level of skill to ensure that you are hitting these golf balls straight. If your club is just the right length for you, then you may not need to worry about distance or accuracy with the shots that you hit.
Most golf club fitting professionals will tell you that one of the most important parameters when doing a golf club fitting is to ensure that golfers are playing with the proper club length. With you looking at all of the outside factors and influences involved in the game of golf, having a club that is the proper length just makes sense!
Methods to determine Golf Club Length?
For the most part, golf club length is measured using a long ruler. However, there are a few different methods that golf club fitting professionals use to get golfers the proper measurements and put the right clubs in their hands. Each of these methods can still be combined with other methods to come up with a consensus as to which golf club length is correct for your game.
Standard Method of Club Length Measurement
The standard method of club length measurement is the most common way in which you will see this process done. If you are going to be working on your own golf clubs, this is the way that you will need to learn.
Start by holding your golf club so that the center of the clubface is resting flat on the ground. Next, you will place the ruler on the ground at the heel of the club and measure up the length of the shaft.
Where the butt end of the grip lays on the ruler, you will find the total length of your golf club. Remember that you will need to read the length all the way at the top of your putter grip, don’t stop at the bottom of the grip.
Using Wrist To Floor To Choose Club Length
Although you will still need to know the total length of any club you decide to use, many golfers use the wrist-to-floor length to help choose the perfect golf club length for their game. The wrist-to-floor concept is typically used in the Ping club fittings, and it has been known to be very effective.
Think about how arm length would impact the length of the golf club you would need. A very taller golfer may also have long arms. This would make it difficult for them to swing with a golf club that was too long.
Shorter golfers could end up having short arms, and this means more of a standard length or even an extended golf club gives them the best chance of hitting the ball solidly.
Keep wrist-to-floor length in mind when choosing the club length, but it’s not a way to measure the physical length of the club.
Dynamic Fitting (In Swing Considerations)
Dynamic fitting is the most popular way for golfers to get accurate measurements of their clubs. Dynamic fittings are conducted as part of a complete golf club fitting.
I can give an excellent example of this as I have had success in getting clubs measured as part of a dynamic fitting as opposed to a standard club length measurement fitting.
My swing speed is relatively fast, and I have been playing the game for a long time. If you give me a golf club that is a little longer than standard, I can certainly make it work. It may not be the best for me, but I can still make contact.
What I learned during a dynamic fitting is that although it is recommended for me to play with clubs that are one inch shorter than standard, the ½ inch shorter length seems to be better. It gives me a little extra distance, and I don’t lose any control.
Measuring A Putter
A putter may be a little different to measure since the putter shaft is not always connected in the same place. When measuring a putter, you should start at the top of the grip and measure down to the center of the face.
This often helps to make it easier to determine which putter length you are currently using. Most golf putters are standard length at either 33, 34, or 35 inches.
USGA Method
Almost everything you need to know about the game of golf is highlighted in the Rules of Golf that is put out by the USGA. This rules book is very important, and it is updated yearly to make sure the traditions of the game stay in place.
The USGA is in place to help us monitor all rules and regulations, yet they also monitor all the equipment that is brought to the market each year.
The USGA has a tool that puts a golf club at a 60-degree angle from a flat surface. Once the club is on that 60-degree angle, the USGA will measure the total length of the golf club. The 60-degree angle allows the golf club measuring to be consistent from one club to the next.
Therefore if Callaway comes to the USGA with a new wedge that they want to release to market they can quickly test the length against a Titleist wedge by setting them both at a 60 degree angle and then measuring the total length.
Within the rules of golf, there is a 46″ limit on any golf club you have in the bag. The only place that this 46″ rule does not apply is with the putter. For golfers with a long putter, the 46″ rule is not a problem. Just a few years ago, this rule stated that 48″ was the maximum, so the rules of golf are always evolving to keep up with modern times.
Keep this in mind if you are playing with a golf club that you have tinkered with; you must ensure the shaft length is still acceptable under the rules of the golf game.
Long Drivers of America Method
Some golfers love the entire game, others find mini golf to be the most fun, and others are all about the long drive. If you love to power through a golf drive, then you are likely familar with the Long Drivers of America.
This group is in place to run competitions and events for those that want to hit the ball as far as they possibly can. With the Long Drivers of America running competitions, they must ensure that all players are using equipment that conforms to them.
This group measures the driver’s length but putting the shaft against a wall with the toe of the driver on the ground. The total length of the driver is going to be longer when measuring this way because the measurement starts at the base of the toe of the club, not the base of the heel.
This is also why the Long Drivers of America allows for a longer driver shaft than the USGA does. Golfers participating in an event like this can use a driver that is up to 50 inches long when measured with the Long Drivers of American method.
Players want a longer driver in a distance competition, as the longer, the club is, the further the golf ball will go. Hitting a 50-inch driver straight is an entirely different story!
Which Golf Club Length is Right for you?
Now that you have all the information you need to measure a golf club, you have to determine which golf club length is right for you. Many golfers go to a golf club fitting to get this information, but it is not the only way.
Golf Club Fitting
One of the most popular ways to determine the correct golf club length is to go for a golf club fitting. A club fitting can give you the information you need about your ability to hit the golf shots you need.
Club fittings use high-end launch monitors that provide all of the data, and then a golf club fitting professional will take that information and put it into a recommendation for you.
Read Also: How Long Should Golf Clubs Be?
Trial and Error
Some golfers will simply use golf clubs that are a variety of lengths before they determine one that is the right fit for them. For instance, you may have a friend who is a little tall, and they have extended-length golf clubs; trying out these clubs may help you see what is necessary for your golf game.
Guidelines and Studies
Many professional golf club fittings, golf professionals, and others will put out recommendations as to which golf clubs are the best for your height, and you can follow those if you feel it is the correct information for you.
I always like to try clubs to make sure they fit me properly. However, once I have a golf club length, it is not something that really needs to be adjusted all that often. For instance, if you know your irons are 1 inch longer than standard, you will likely need that length your entire golf career.
Read Also: How to Mesaure Golf Club Loft
Conclusion
Hopefully, you are now feeling more confident about how to measure golf club length. The game of golf is a very precise one, and you need to have golf clubs that match your skills and your body. Golf club length is the most crucial fitting factor and one that will determine if you hit the ball squarely or if you struggle to make contact with the center of the clubface. You will be amazed at what the correct length golf club can do when it comes to your performance on the course.
