Playing with clubs that don't match your body can feel like wearing shoes that are two sizes too small. You can make it work for a little while, but you’ll feel awkward, and your performance will undoubtedly suffer. This guide will walk you through exactly how to determine if your clubs are the right length using simple static measurements you can perform right at home. We'll show you what those measurements mean and what to do with the information to build a more comfortable and consistent golf swing.
The length of your golf clubs is the bedrock of your setup and, by extension, your entire swing. Get it wrong, and you’ll create a cascade of compensations that can build frustrating habits over time. It’s not just about comfort, it's about giving yourself the best possible chance to make a simple, repeatable swing.
Think about it: if your clubs are too short, you have to slouch over excessively just to reach the ball. This hunched posture cramps your ability to turn your body, forcing your swing to become steep and overly reliant on your arms. The result? A lot of heavy or "chunked" shots and a loss of power because you can't use your body's rotation properly.
On the flip side, if your clubs are too long, you’ll be forced to stand too upright, almost unnaturally tall. This pushes your swing onto a flat, "around-the-body" plane that can be difficult to control. It often leads to thin shots or pushes and pulls, as getting the clubface back to square becomes a real challenge. You move away from that simple, rotational swing powered by the torso and start making complex, hard-to-repeat movements.
A club that fits your height and arm length properly allows you to get into a balanced, athletic stance without even thinking about it. Your posture will be natural, putting you in the perfect position to rotate freely and deliver the club back to the ball consistently.
While a full dynamic fitting with a professional is the gold standard, you can get remarkably close to your ideal club length with two simple measurements. This static fitting process is the foundation that all club builders use and will give you a fantastic baseline for what you should be playing.
This one seems obvious, but getting an accurate measurement is the first step. Standard off-the-rack clubs are typically built for a specific height range - historically, this has been around 5'9" to 6'0" for men and 5'5" to 5'7" for women. If you're a decent amount taller or shorter than that, it’s a good sign that standard clubs might not be the best for you.
To get it right, stand straight against a wall with your shoes off. Have someone place a flat object (like a hardcover book) on top of your head, parallel with the floor, and mark the wall. Then, just measure from the floor to the mark. This gives you your true height, which we'll use in conjunction with our next measurement.
This is arguably the more important measurement of the two, as it accounts for your arm length relative to your height. Two people who are both 6'0" tall can have very different arm lengths, and therefore need different club lengths. Someone with long arms might need standard clubs, while someone with shorter arms at the same height would need longer clubs.
Here’s how to do it step-by-step:
This wrist-to-floor (WTF) number tells a fitter how far away your hands are from the ground at a neutral address. It's the truest indicator of how long the shaft needs to be to bridge that gap comfortably.
Now that you have your height and your wrist-to-floor measurement, you can see how they line up on a standard fitting chart. These charts cross-reference the two numbers to provide a solid recommendation for shaft length adjustment relative to a "standard" club.
While every manufacturer has its own nuanced chart, they all work on the same principle. Below is a simplified example to show you how it works. You find your height on one axis and your WTF measurement on the other to get a recommended adjustment.
Example Fitting Recommendation Chart:
Wrist-to-Floor Measurement (Inches)Height 32"-34" 34.5"-36.5" 37"-39" 5'7"-5'9" -0.5" Standard +0.5" 5'10"-6'0" Standard +0.5" +1.0" 6'1"-6'3" +0.5" +1.0" +1.5" 6'4"-6'6" +1.0" +1.5" +2.0"
Let's imagine a golfer named Mike. Mike is 6'2" tall. Based on height alone, he might assume he needs clubs that are at least an inch over standard length.
But then he measures his WTF: it’s 33 inches. For his height, he has relatively long arms. Looking at a chart like the one above, we can see that a golfer from 6'1" to 6'3" with a WTF of 32"-34" should only play clubs that are +0.5" longer, not the +1.0" or more he might have guessed. His long arms "shorten" the distance to the ball, so he doesn't need as much extra length in his clubs. This simple check just saved him from buying the wrong equipment.
Static measurements are a tremendous tool, but for golfers looking to dial things in perfectly, a few other elements come into play during a dynamic fitting.
Once you're hitting balls, we can see how you react to a certain club length. Some golfers have a naturally more upright stance, while others favour more knee flex and bend at the waist. A professional fitter will use impact tape on the clubface and a launch monitor to see where you're making contact and how the club is being delivered. Sometimes, this can lead to a slight modification from the static fitting recommendation to get you into the most comfortable and repeatable motion.
Lie angle is the angle between the shaft and the sole of the club as it sits on the ground. It has an immense influence on shot direction. It’s important to know that when you add or remove length from a golf club, it affects the lie angle. Making a club longer makes the toe stick up more (making the lie angle more upright), which promotes a draw or hook. Making it shorter causes the heel to lift (making it flatter), which promotes a fade or slice.
If you have your clubs adjusted for length, you almost always need to have the lie angle checked and adjusted as a part of the process.
If you've done your measurements and believe your clubs aren't a a good match, you have a few practical options.
Don't fall into the trap of thinking you have to "get used to" ill-fitting equipment. Taking the time to match your clubs to your body is one of the easiest ways to improve your ball striking and make the game more enjoyable.
Getting your club length right is a fundamental step toward building a more consistent and comfortable golf swing. By taking two simple measurements - your height and your wrist-to-floor distance - you can determine a solid baseline and stop letting poorly fitted equipment get in the way of your progress.
Once you have clubs that match your body, the next puzzle is making them work for you on the course. We built Caddie AI to help with exactly that. It can help take the indecision out of those trickyhalf-wedge distances or when you’re torn between two clubs. You can even send a photo of your ball in a difficult lie for instant advice on how to play the shot, helping you make smarter, more confident choices with every swing.
Thinking about hosting a golf tournament fundraiser is the first swing, executing it successfully is what gets the ball in the hole. This guide will walk you through the entire process, step-by-step, from laying the initial groundwork months in advance to watching your happy golfers tee off. We’ll cover everything from securing sponsors and setting your budget to planning the on-course fun that makes an event unforgettable.
A golf handicap does more than just give you bragging rights (or a reason to demand strokes from your friends) - it’s the game’s great equalizer and the single best way to track your improvement. This guide breaks down what a handicap is, how the supportive math behind a handicap index a is, and exactly how you can get one for yourself. We’ll look at everything from Course Rating to Adjusted Gross Score, helping you feel confident both on the course and in the clubhouse.
The compression of a Pinnacle Rush golf ball is one of its most defining features, engineered specifically to help a huge swath of golfers get more distance and enjoyment from their game. We'll break down exactly what its low compression means, who it's for, and how you can use that knowledge to shoot lower scores.
Figuring out which spikes go into your new (or old) pair of Puma golf shoes can feel like a puzzle, but it’s much simpler than you think. The key isn't the brand of the shoe, but the type of receptacle system they use. This guide will walk you through exactly how to identify your Puma's spike system, choose the perfect replacements for your game, and change them out like a pro.
The Golf Genius app is one of the best tools for managing and participating in competitive golf events, but figuring it out for the first time can feel like reading a new set of greens. This guide cuts through the confusion and shows you exactly how to use the app as a player. We’ll cover everything from logging into your tournament and entering scores to checking the live leaderboard so you can enjoy the competition without any tech headaches.
Walking onto the first tee with sweaty palms, worried you’ll be a good partner to paly wtih...or even asked back again ...We’ve all been there - trust me! The real trick of feeling confortable... is about how you handle you’re ready to plsy. THIS guide explains the simple rules of the rode to show you hnow t play golf while staying calm relaxed and focused... an having much morse fun while you,',re aat it? You'll also play with confidence a dn make fiendsa while you're at i
Just ask a question or share a photo and Caddie gives personalized guidance for every shot - anytime, anywhere.
