Last Updated on: 10th July 2023, 11:13 pm
Choosing a brand-new set of golf clubs seems pretty simple, but it’s easy to get lost in the trees — especially when finding a standard golf club length.
You have to dig through manufacturers, price ranges, and specs pages just to get an idea of particular club dimensions. And while the first two aspects might be simple enough, finding specific lengths requires a few more clicks.
Part of the reason for confusion stems from the fact there is no standardization. Club manufacturers don’t follow a prescribed set of lengths for each club. In other words, one brand’s driver might be longer than another’s. And then there are the clubs themselves.
Your driver will be longer than a 9-iron just as your 3-wood will be longer than a sand wedge — but you likely already know that. So, let’s get into the standard club lengths you can expect to find when shopping for your next set of clubs. Or perhaps you’re just curious and want to see how long standard-sized clubs are.
Either way, away we go.
What is the Standard Golf Club Length?
That depends on the type of club you’re looking at. We’ll start with what’s likely the longest club in your golf bag, the driver.
Just for a frame of reference: The United States Golf Association, or USGA, recently (as of 2022) enacted a model framework for competitions that declares golf clubs cannot be longer than 46 inches (unless it’s a putter).
But, it’s up to independent contests to enforce the rule, which can lead to disqualifications, but for our purposes, it’s just a good baseline number.
Drivers
For some, drivers are the most fun club to hit. For me, it’s touch and go. Nonetheless, let’s look at how long standard golf club lengths are from three popular brands so you can get a feel for how equipment manufacturers vary.
Men’s Sizing
We’re going to start with some popular brands and how each measures up for standard driver length.
Taylormade / Callaway / Cleveland / Ping: 45.75 inches.
Titleist / Cobra: 45.5 inches
Srixon: 45.25 inches
I chose these brands because they’re some of the most popular. But keep this in mind, the average driver length on the PGA Tour is well below those marks and measures up around 44.75″ according to a 2019 Golf.com article. Of course, there are outliers, and Phil Michelson swings a 47.5″ big stick.
All of this points to the question of whether or not golfers should get a fitting. In most cases, a fitting can help your swing and lower your scores. Alternatively, you might benefit from choosing a brand with a shorter or longer shaft. It depends on if you know your swing and what length works for you.
Ultimately, a shorter club results in greater control. If you value control over your drives, consider shortening your club.
Now, let’s get to the ladies.
Women’s Sizing
We’re going to use the same seven manufacturers and see how they differ in women’s golf drivers. Let’s dive in.
Ping: 44.75 inches
Callaway / Titleist: 44.50 inches
Cleveland / Srixon: 44.25 inches
Cobra / Taylormade: 44 inches
Just like in the men’s standard lengths, you’ll find variations between each brand.
Now that we’ve established fluctuations in length among brands, I’ll give you some general numbers to consider for each length for the remaining clubs.
Fairway Woods
For men’s woods, you can expect your 3, 4, 5, and 7 woods to be between 43 and 41 inches.
That number drops to 40-42 inches for women’s golf clubs.
Hybrids
Men’s hybrids typically range from 39 to 41 inches in length.
On the women’s side the length drops to between 37 and 39 inches.
Irons
As some of the most numerous clubs in your bag, I don’t think it’s quite as easy to toss out a few numbers for standard iron length and send you on your way. So, I’ve created a handy chart for you to get a better idea.
| Iron | Men’s Standard Length (Steel or Graphite) | Women’s Standard Length (Steel or Graphite) |
| 2 | 39.5/40 in. | 38.5/39 in. |
| 3 | 39/39.5 in. | 38/38.5 in. |
| 4 | 38.5/39 in. | 37.5/38 in. |
| 5 | 38/38.5 in. | 37/37.5 in. |
| 6 | 37/38.5 in. | 36.5/37 in. |
| 7 | 37/37.5 in. | 36/36.5 in. |
| 8 | 36.5/37 in. | 35.5/36 in. |
| 9 | 36/36.5 in. | 35/35.5 in. |
As you move up to the longer-distance irons like 2 and 3, you’re gaining some length. That’s because these clubs are meant for longer-distance shots so you’ll need faster clubhead speeds which you generate from a longer shaft.
As with all clubs and their manufacturers, beware that this chart is not gospel. You’ll find different lengths across brands, so be sure you know what you’re buying before you put your credit card down. Of course, this gets back to the case for a fitting, which we’ll discuss shortly.
Wedges
As some of the most versatile clubs in your bag, the various wedges golfers use serve individual purposes. And while it’s not quite our purpose to break them all down here, know they’re some of the most versatile clubs in your bag.
That said, they’re not made for long distances. So, for men, wedges will average around 35 inches in length. For women, you’ll see a decrease to around 34 inches.
Putters
As we mentioned, putters aren’t subject to the 46-inch USGA rule. That said, it isn’t likely you’d have a long putter, except if you like to rest the grip against your lead forearm for more control and stabilization.
At any rate, the standard putter length for men is between 33 to 35 inches while women’s lengths are between 30-34 inches. Depending on your height, you may want a shorter or longer putter.
All these variations on golf club lengths lead to a few simple questions, the first being “Should I get a fitting?” And the second, “How can I buy clubs without getting a fitting?” We get into both below.
Should I Get Fitted for Clubs?
Really, this question comes down to how serious you are about golf. If you don’t golf a lot, it might not be the best idea. That said, if you take the game seriously, getting a proper fitting can make a world of difference in your game — and for my cousin, it shaved 5 strokes off his game.
Not only will a fitting help you find the right length golf clubs for you and your swing, but you’ll learn important facets of the swing like its speed. Knowing your swing speed makes it easy to decide what type of shaft to pair with your clubs (graphite or steel).
Plus, the pro can go over more nuanced details like grip, clubhead size, shot shape, and shot distances to dial in your clubs for your particular swing.
If you don’t have time for that and just want to get yourself into some clubs, we’ll provide a handy chart below so you can pick the best-sized clubs for you, your height, and wrist-to-floor measurement.
How to “Fit” Yourself
Much to do with club length has to do with your height. So, with a firm understanding of how tall you stand, you can get a good idea of which clubs to use.
But, height isn’t the only determining factor. Measuring the distance between your wrist crease and the floor is a great measurement to use in addition to your height. This number is more accurate because not every 6-foot guy will have the same arm length.
With that in mind, when you take the measurement, be sure to have somebody else take the distance. And, wear your golf shoes. If you don’t wear them, you won’t get an accurate reading of how far your arms are from the floor.
Height and Wrist-to-Floor Chart
| Height | Wrist-to-Floor Measurement | Club Length Adjustments |
| Under 4’10” | 25 inches and below | – 2 in. |
| 4’10” to 5″ | 25 to 27 in. | – 1.5 in. |
| 5′ to 5’2″ | 27 to 29 in. | – 1 in. |
| 5’2 to 5″4 | 29 to 34 in. | -.5 in. |
| 5’4″ to 5’7″ | 32 to 34 in. | – .25 in. |
| 5’7″ to 6’1″ | 34 to 37 in. | Standard Golf Club Length |
| 6’1″ to 6’2″ | 37 to 38.5 in. | + .25 in. |
| 6’2″ to 6’4″ | 38.5 to 40 in. | + .5 in. |
| 6’4″ to 6’6″ | 40 to 41 in. | +1 in. |
| 6’6″ to 6’8″ | 41 to 42 in. | + 1.5 in. |
| 6’8″ and taller | Over 42 inches | + 2 in. |
If you get accurate measurements, you’ll have a better chance of finding clubs that work for you without a proper fitting. And, you can always shorten the clubs yourself if they’re too long. Just know that trimming from the grip and from the tip have different effects.
If you trim from the grip, it’ll impact the stiffness of the shaft less than trimming from the tip. So, make sure you understand that before breaking out the tools.
Now, with all that in mind, I hope that you’ve gotten a good idea on how to proceed with the understanding of standard length.
Conclusion
Knowing how long standard clubs are from manufacturers helps you to make the best decision on what to buy. But, it isn’t as easy as just picking some cool-looking clubs and calling it a day. Doing a bit of work to find out exactly how tall you are, plus your wrist-to-floor measurement can do wonders to help improve your game in place of getting a professional fitting.
That said, the standard golf club length sure seems to fit the majority of golfers out there. So, if you’re lucky enough to fit in that group, finding a set of quality clubs might not be too difficult. On the other hand, if you’re taller or shorter, having an idea of what the standard gives you a good place to start.
I know, it’s a lot of information to process, but if you take the time to do a few measurements and try some different length clubs, you’ll find out whether the standard length is a good fit for you.
