Putter Length By Height (Read this Chart)
Meet Jake
Jake was a competitive golfer for over a decade dating back to the days of being the Captain of his high school golf team. He has played more than 200 courses across 32 different states in the US. Now semi-retired, Jake continues to golf 3-4 days a week with a current 2 handicap, gives golf lessons to his friends and family, and provides a wealth of knowledge to Golf Circuit from his competitive playing days. Jake combines practical expertise with technical knowledge to create golfing strategies and training techniques for both beginners and scratch golfers.
Are you an intermediate golfer looking to elevate your golf game? Then this guide is for you! Once you’ve reached a certain level as a golfer, even slight changes to your game and equipment can have a significant impact on your game.
Choosing the right putter length based on your height can be a game-changer for many golfers, especially short or tall players. Read on to learn more about what this means and how you can use it to your advantage.
Putter Length By Height
There are several factors that help golfers find the right putter length, but height is one of the primary concerns. The standard putter length is 33 to 35 inches.
Beginner or novice players will often not notice any difference in their play, even if they add or reduce a whole inch. However, experienced golfers will want to invest in the perfect golf equipment to help their game. So here are a few putter-length guidelines to get you started.
| Height | Putter Length |
|---|---|
| Under 5ft | 32” |
| 5’ to 5’2” | 32.5” |
| 5’2” to 5’4” | 33” |
| 5’4” to 5’6” | 33.5” |
| 5’6” to 5’8” | 34” |
| 5’8” to 6’0” | 34.5” |
| 6’0” to 6’2” | 35” |
| 6’2” to 6’4” | 35.5” |
| Over 6’4” | 36” |
Keep in mind that you can get your putters custom-fitted when you need to. Of course, this is a complex process that involves several steps. And you will need to consider other factors like the club’s weight while making this decision.
What Is Standard Putter Length?
The standard putter length is around 34 inches. If you bought a regular club set off the rack, chances are they’re 34 inches long. Go ahead and check!
However, what you may not know is that manufacturers have putters ranging from 32 to 36 inches in length. These variations are meant to cater to differences in height, stance, and various other player requirements.
Essentially, standard putter length just means the most commonly stocked putter length. And if you’re a serious player committed to the game, you’ll want to invest in clubs that are tailor-made to your needs.
We’ll start by asking a few major questions:
- what is putter length?
- why does it matter?
- how can you find your ideal putter length?
- what methods can you use to adjust your putter length?
This detailed guide will cover everything you need to know about putter length in golf.
Does Putter Length Matter?
The correct length putter can transform your golf game. Primarily, it helps with proper alignment and setup posture. It is easier for golfers to correctly position their hands, arms, and body when they’re holding a putter that works well with their height.
Getting your eyes over the ball can improve your strokes since you’re able to see down the line. Plus, golfers with straight-through strokes are able to consistently play winning shots.
Contrarily, playing with a putter that is too long or too short can negatively impact your swing, trajectory, and hit accuracy. When you’re playing golf with a wrongly sized putter, it won’t lie flat on the ground. As a result, the loft will push the ball offline.
How does this work?
If your putter is too long, the upright lie angle of the club will push your ball to the left of the target line. And if your putter is too short, the downward lie angle will push your ball to the right of the target line.
Using a correct putter length will increase both your control and accuracy by ensuring a proper lie angle.
Also check out our article on figuring out driver length by height.
Ways To Alter Your Putter Length
If your putter is too long, there are several ways to fix the issue. One way is to grip your putter lower in order to get your eyes over the ball. This is neither a foolproof method nor entirely convenient since it restricts your shots.
A better method is to consider putter lengths while you are buying your clubs. An understanding of the putter length by height relationship can help you shop for your golfing needs.
Finally, golfers can get a putter extension or custom fitting to alter their current putter. This allows you to get the right putter length without spending the money on a whole new set.
Determining Putter Length
While height is definitely one factor to consider when deciding on putter length, it is not the only factor. Once you have a general idea of where you fall on the scale based on your height, you’ll need to consider details like arm length, posture, and putter style.
Arm Length
If you have longer arms, you’ll need a shorter putter. So a golfer who is 5’7″ tall may use a 33-inch putter instead of the recommended 34-inch putter. How can you judge whether you fall into this category?
Stand in the proper position to make a putting stroke. Do your hands fall significantly below the waist? If so, you may need a shorter putter than is standard for your height.
When you have longer arms, you need to make sure your putter leaves enough room for you to comfortably make a pendulum stroke. That’s when your upper arm remains completely still while only your lower arm (below the elbow) moves to make the shot.
Posture
Posture also plays a key role when you’re choosing golf clubs. All golfers have their own way of playing the game. However, if your setup posture places you closer to the golf ball, you’ll need to adjust the putter length to increase directional control.
With putter length adjustments, you can don’t have to go through the extra effort of adjusting your natural swing. Instead, the perfect putter will compensate for any specific player’s requirements.
Putter Style
The size and style of the putter head are additional factors to consider. Larger heads may require a longer putter so the golfer can move closer to the ball without changing their setup.
This isn’t a concern with smaller profile blade putters, only mallet-sized putters. Overall, making a half-inch adjustment can compensate for any negative impact the putter style may have had on your game.
Measuring Proper Putter Length
Now, you may be wondering how you can measure putter length based on your height and posture. There is an incredibly simple way to do this.
Method 1
Step 1: Grab A Firm Ruler
You want to start with a firm ruler. This will help you take accurate measurements and is easier to handle than a tape measure. Of course, if you can find someone to help you out, a tape measure will work just as well.
Step 2: Get In Putting Stance
Get in your natural putting stance. This step is incredibly important. Don’t adjust your posture or try to achieve some “ideal” form. Instead, let your arms hang naturally as you normally would. Don’t hold a putter while you do this.
Step 3: Measure Putter Length
Now, use the ruler to measure the distance between your top wrist and the ground. You’ll get a value between 32 to 35 inches. That’s your ideal putting length accounting for height, posture, and playing style.
Method 2
Step 1: Get In Setup Stance
Once again, you get in proper setup posture without actually holding your putter. Keep it as close to your regular stance as possible. That means hands and arms hanging loose, hips over heels, and eyes above the golf ball.
Step 2: Measure Distances
With this method, you measure two sets of values. The first is the distance between the ground and your top wrist. Let’s call this A. The second is the distance between the ground (from the previously measured point) and the inner side of the ball. Let’s call this B.
Step 3: Calculate Putter Length
In this method, you can calculate the correct putter length through an easy formula called the Pythagorean theorem.
So A^2 + B^2 = C^2
where A is the first value, B is the second value, and C is the putter length
Solve for C, and you’ll get an exact value for your putter length. For example, if A is 32 and B is 12:
A^2 + B^2 = C^2
(32)^2 + (12)^2 = C^2
1024 + 144 = C^2
1168 = C^2
34.18 = C = putter length by height
Pretty easy right?
FAQs
Should You Get A 34 or 35-inch Putter?
Golfers that are between 5’6″ to 6’2″ can play with a 34 or 35-inch standard putter. This is the ideal height range most golfers fall under. If you do not fall within this range, you may want to explore custom putter lengths.
For golfers under 5 feet tall, putter lengths may be as short as 32 inches. While golfers that are over 6’4″ may prefer longer putters that are 36 inches in length. You can have your current clubs adjusted to fit your needs or invest in a proper putter fitting.
Is A 35 Inch Putter Too Long?
A 35-inch putter is too long for players under 6 feet. Many beginner golfers mistakenly pick up 35-inch clubs, thinking they are the standard length. However, if you play with clubs that are not the proper length based on your height and posture, you’ll have trouble making accurate shots.
In fact, if your putter is too long, the upright lie angle will frequently push your ball to the left of the target line. You can easily correct this error by cutting down your clubs and gripping them to make them shorter. This is a convenient alternative to a putter adjustment.
Are Putter Fittings Worth It?
If you are an intermediate golfer looking to drastically improve your game, putter fittings are definitely worth it. Having an expert properly assess your height, club type, weight, playing style, posture, and grip to recommend an ideal putter length can definitely help your game if you’ve been stagnating.
However, golf club fittings are unnecessary for novice or beginner golfers. If you’re new to the game or a casual player, you won’t notice the slight difference an inch or so will make to your putting stroke. This is only a recommendation for the experienced golfer.
Does The Putter’s Length Affect Its Weight?
The length of the putter will most definitely affect its weight. Shorter putters are lighter than longer putters. This addition or reduction in weight can have a significant effect on your game and definitely takes a while to adjust to.
To counter this change, golfers should use a lie loft machine while buying new clubs. Try out the clubs to make sure distance control won’t be a problem.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know exactly what putter lengths are, how they can affect your game, and the options available to you as an intermediate golfer, you are in the best position to decide how you want to proceed.
If you feel like your game has been stagnating as of late, changing your putter length based on these guidelines can help you improve control, increase distance, and play at a higher level!
