Your putter is longer than your other clubs, yet it makes some of the shortest, most delicate swings - and the wrong length can quietly sabotage your entire putting stroke. An ill-fitted putter forces you into an awkward posture, makes your eye line inconsistent, and complicates the simple goal of rolling the ball into the hole. This guide will walk you through exactly how to determine the right putter length for your body and your stroke, leaving the guesswork behind so you can focus on making putts.
Think of your putter length as the foundation of your putting setup. If the foundation is off, everything you build on top of it will be unstable. The correct length allows you to get into a comfortable, athletic, and repeatable stance every single time you address the ball. It’s what lets your arms hang naturally from your shoulders, enabling a simple "rocking" motion that is easy to control under pressure.
Here’s what happens when the length is wrong:
The goal is to find a length that fits your natural posture, not force your posture to fit a standard, off-the-rack putter. When the putter length is right, your setup feels effortless, allowing your shoulders and arms to act like a pendulum, which is the cornerstone of a reliable putting stroke.
Walk into any golf shop and you’ll find that the vast majority of men’s putters sold off the rack are 34 or 35 inches long. For women, the standard is typically 33 inches. These lengths are based on an "average" golfer height and build from decades ago. But how many golfers are truly "average"?
This one-size-fits-most approach is precisely why so many recreational golfers struggle with consistency on the greens. A 6'4" basketball player and a 5'7" jockey shouldn't be using the same 35-inch putter, yet often they do because it's what's available. Their bodies and postures are wildly different, so their equipment needs to be different too.
While the focus of this guide is on conventional putters, you should be aware of a couple of other categories that have gained popularity:
For most golfers, porém, finding the right length for a conventional putter is the simplest and most effective way to improve their putting.
One of the most persistent myths in golf is that your overall height should determine your putter length. You'll often see charts online suggesting, "If you're 5'10", you need a 34-inch putter." This is an oversimplification that misses the most important variables.
Putter length is much more closely related to your wrist-to-floor measurement when you are in your actual putting posture. Consider two golfers who are both 6'0" tall. One might have very long arms and prefer a more bent-over, athletic posture. The other might have shorter arms and stand more upright. Even at the same height, their ideal putter length could differ by an inch or more.
Your unique anatomy (arm length, torso length) and your personal putting style (how much you bend at the hips and knees) are the real factors. That's why a one-size-fits-all chart will often lead you astray. Basing your choice solely on height is ignoring the very context that matters: how your body sets up to a golf ball on the green.
Instead of guessing or relying on generic charts, you can use a simple, reliable method at home to find your ideal putter length. This measurement puts your body and your natural posture first, ensuring the putter will be tailored to you. All you need is a tape measure and a friend (or a full-length mirror).
Forget about clubs for a second. Stand on a level surface with your feet about shoulder-width apart, just as you would on the green. Now, get into what feels like a comfortable and athletic putting posture.This means:
This shouldn't feel strained or rigid. If you have a full-length mirror, take a look from the side. You should look like a golfer ready to make a smooth stroke - balanced and relaxed.
Once you’re in this comfortable athletic posture, let your arms hang completely limp from your shoulders. Don't reach for an imaginary ball or hold any tension. Let gravity do the work. Your hands should hang directly below your shoulders.
Now, bring your palms together, with your thumbs pointing down, as if you were about to hold a putter grip. This position represents where your hands would naturally and most comfortably sit during your putting stroke.
This is where a friend or family member comes in handy. While you hold that perfect putting posture with your hands clasped together, have them use a tape measure to record the distance from the very top of your hands down to the floor.
That measurement is your ideal putter length. It's that simple. If the measurement is 33.5 inches, then a 33.5-inch putter is your perfect fit. This measurement ensures that the putter meets your hands exactly where they want to hang naturally, eliminating the need for any awkward compensations.
Since most manufacturers produce putters in full-inch increments (e.g., 33", 34", 35"), you'll want to choose the closest standard length. If your measurement was 33.5", you should try both a 33" and 34" putter to see which feels more comfortable. Often, being a bit shorter is better than being a bit longer.
If your perfect length is something like 32 inches, don't worry. A reputable golf shop can easily cut down a longer putter. A one- or two-inch adjustment is common and rarely has a significant negative impact on performance, although shortening a putter may slightly lighten its swing weight, which some golfers notice.
Your at-home measurement is the absolute best starting point - it will get you 95% of the way there. But there are a couple of other things to consider when you’re on the practice green or in the store confirming your choice.
With a putter at your ideal length, address a few putts. Does the length allow you to get your eyes where you want them? The traditional advice is to have your eyes directly over the target line, but many great putters have their eyes slightly inside the line. The key is that the position feels comfortable and allows you to aim correctly. If the putter length is forcing your eyes somewhere awkward, it may not be the one.
The lie angle is the angle between the shaft and the sole of the putter. If your putter is the correct length, the sole should sit perfectly flat on the ground at address. If the toe of the putter is sticking up in the air, the lie angle may be too upright. If the heel is up, it may be too flat. While often connected to length, this is a separate specification that a club fitter can easily adjust for your individual setup.
At the end of the day, you have to stand over a putter that gives you confidence. Your measurement will put you in the right ballpark, but take the time to roll some putts with putters at and around that length. One might have a balance or head shape that just feels better in your hands. Trust that feeling. Once the technical fit is right, personal confidence seals the deal.
Finding your correct putter length boils down to one simple concept: fit the club to your body, not your body to the club. By taking a few minutes to measure your natural, athletic posture, you can replace guesswork with a precise specification that builds a solid foundation for your alignment, stroke, and overall consistency on the greens.
Of course, once your equipment is dialed in, the real work of sinking more putts begins with sharpening your skills like green reading and pace control. For those in-the-moment questions on the course, whether you're debating the line of a tricky double-breaker or trying to gauge the speed of "a little uphill" putt, it helps to have an expert opinion. That’s where I built Caddie AI to act as your 24/7 on-demand golf expert, helping you make smarter decisions and take the uncertainty out of your game so you can play with full confidence.
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