When playing golf, using the optimal club length for your height can be a game changer. In fact, imagine you are using a club shaft that is 2 meters long; it is obvious it will be challenging to use and that you will have the wrong club lie.
Using a golf club shaft that is too long or too short will have incredibly negative effects on your shots, your balance, power, and accuracy. Aspiring to be the best golfer you possibly can, you may wonder: what is the best golf club length for your height?
In this article, we will tell you exactly what the best golf club length for your height is.
What Is The Best Golf Club Length For Your Height?
The best golf club length for you will depend a lot on your height. Although standard golf clubs come in sizes adequate for average sized people, you can change the length of your golf clubs, either yourself, or through fitting, in order to get the best length for your height. For each 3 inches away from average height, you should add or remove 0.5 inches of club length.
It is crucial that you get the right size of golf clubs for your height, not too long, nor too short. Without the right length of golf clubs, you will damage your golfing performance, and potentially even develop back pain.
If you are of average height, you are lucky, as the standard-sized golf clubs you can buy off the rack will already be the correct length for you.
If you are very tall or very short, you will need to change the length of your golf clubs. You can either figure out the correct height yourself by reading this guide, or sign up to get golf club fitting. Golf club fitting is the most expensive, but headache-free way to get clubs that fit you.
Golf clubs typically are only available in 2 main standard lengths, average male size, and average male size. The women’s size can vary from one manufacturer to another, but it tends to be 1 inch shorter than male clubs.
If you are taller or shorter than the average male or female, you need to add or remove shaft length from your golf clubs.
You can shorten a golf club with a Dremel rotary tool or a different type of sawing tool, after removing the grip. You can also extend the length of a golf club by replacing the shaft with a longer shaft, or by adding golf shaft extenders, little bits that plug into your clubs to extend them.
Golf shaft extenders exist for both steel shafts and graphite shafts.
It is important to note that the material of your golf club shaft does affect the shaft length, as steel shafts are generally half an inch shorter than graphite shafts.
Finally, on top of choosing the appropriate golf club length, you should choose the correct golf club flex. To find out the best golf club shaft flex for you, check out our guide: What Golf Shaft Flex Should I Use?
Down below is a chart with how many inches a man needs to add or remove from his golf clubs, depending on his height:
| Male Height | Inches To Add/Remove |
| 4’7-5’ | Remove 2” |
| 5’1-5’3 | Remove 1.5” |
| 5’3-5’6 | Remove 1” |
| 5’6-5’9 | Remove 0.5” |
| 5’9-6’ | Standard Size – No Cutting Or Extending |
| 6’-6’3 | Add 0.5” |
| 6’3-6’6 | Add 1” |
| 6’6-7’ | Add 1.5” |
| 7’-7’4 | Add 2” |
Down below is a chart with how many inches a woman likely needs to add or remove from her golf clubs, depending on her height, although a true women’s standard size can vary from one manufacturer to another:
| Female Height | Inches To Add/Remove |
| 4’7-5’ | Remove 1” |
| 5’1-5’3 | Remove 0.5” |
| 5’3-5’6’ | Standard Size – No Cutting Or Extending |
| 5’6-5’9 | Add 0.5” |
| 5’9-6’ | Add 1” |
| 6’-6’3 | Add 1.5” |
| 6’6-7’ | Add 2” |
Down below is a list of the standard golf club sizes for both women and men:
| Golf Club | Women’s Standard Size | Men’s Standard Size |
| Driver | 44” | 45” |
| 1-Wood | 43” | 44” |
| 3-Wood | 42” | 43” |
| 5-Wood | 41” | 42” |
| 2-Iron | 39” | 40” |
| 3-Iron | 38.5” | 39.5” |
| 4-Iron | 38” | 39” |
| 5-Iron | 37.5” | 38.5” |
| 6-Iron | 37” | 38” |
| 7-Iron | 36.5” | 37.5” |
| 8-Iron | 36” | 37” |
| 9-Iron | 35.5” | 36.5” |
| Pitching Wedge | 35” | 36” |
| Sand Wedge | 35” | 36” |
| Putter | 33” | 34” |
Note: the measurements mentioned in the chart above are for steel shafts. Add 0.5” to each measurement to get the measurements for graphite shafts.
How Do You Measure Golf Club Length?
To measure the length of your golf club, set it on the ground, as if you were about to play a shot. The heel of the club head may be up in the air, but measure the distance between right below the grip cap, down the shaft, and do not stop measuring until you hit the ground; this is the golf club shaft length.
To measure the length of a golf club, start by placing the club head flat on the ground, as if you were about to play a shot.
Measure the golf club from right below the grip cap, down the shaft in a straight line until you reach the ground. This means you may measure past the physical golf club head, but you still add that small distance to the measurement.
According to your height, you can use the shaft length-to-height chart to see if you are using the correct length of golf clubs.
Some golf club length charts take both your height and wrist-to-floor measurement as inputs to determine ideal golf club shaft length.
Height is simply measured from head to toes in a vertical measurement, while you are standing on a hard surface. Standing on turf to measure height can give a bad measurement because turf is soft and can sink.
To measure wrist to floor distance, stand on a hard surface, and keep your arms relaxed at each side of you. Measure the distance between where your hand meets your wrist and the floor. It will be easier to measure if someone else measures for you.
You can check out the chart down below to get a different take on the ideal golf club shaft length, according to male height and wrist-to-floor measurements:
Conclusion
There you go! After reading this article, you have learned what the best golf club length for your height is.
Use this knowledge to choose the best golf club length for you! Alternatively, to save yourself the headache of figuring the best golf club length, you can pay for golf club fitting (custom analysis of your body and technique to design the best club parameters for you).
How tall are you? Did you notice a difference in your golfing performance depending on your golf club shaft length? Let us know in the comments down below!
