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how long should a golf driver be

by Prof. Lindsey Moen Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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How Long Should My Golf Driver Shaft Be?

  • Men's Drivers. The standard length of a driver for men used to be 43.5 inches with a steel shaft and 44 inches for a graphite shaft.
  • Women's Drivers. Standard drivers for women are an 1 inch shorter than standard men's drivers. ...
  • Distance. ...
  • Accuracy. ...

around 45 inches

Full Answer

What is the legal length of a golf driver?

The standard length of a driver for men used to be 43.5 inches with a steel shaft and 44 inches for a graphite shaft. However, in the 21st century a standard driver is considered to be 45 inches....

What is the standard length of a golf driver?

 · Driver Length In our experience over the last twenty years, we have seen off-the-shelf driver lengths go from 43 inches to 48 inches, the maximum allowable by the USGA, and back to somewhere around 45 inches. The holy grail …

What driver length should you play?

Drivers - a Standard length driver is usually around 45 inches long. They can range depending on what you get though, for instance a Taylor Made Driver may measure 45-46 inches for men and 44-45 inches for women. Three Wood - Three woods usually measure around 42 inches

What size driver should I use?

Most drivers are actually too long “off the rack” and should be an inch or two shorter. What Is The Legal Driver Length? The most current legal driver length is 46 inches long, which was a new rule as of January 2022 for PGA Tour players, with local clubs having the option to enforce the rule (but who’s actually going to check, it’s really up to you).

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How long should your driver be for your height?

Driver Shaft Length Based Solely on HeightHeight (feet/inches)Driver Shaft Length5'4″-5'7″45.5″5'2″-5'4″45″5'0″-5'2″44.5″4'10”-5'0″44″6 more rows•May 9, 2021

Is a 46 inch driver too long?

“The standard driver length of 45.5-46.5 inches offered by the majority of companies is too long for most golfers and will prevent them from achieving their maximum potential for distance and accuracy.”

What size driver do I need?

LENGTH. The driver is the longest club in your bag. Men's drivers tend to measure between 45 and 48 inches, while women's drivers are typically between 43 or 44 inches. The size used depends on how a golfer feels in terms of overall control.

Should I shorten the length of my driver?

When fitting a driver, it's important to get loft, lie, shaft, and grip sorted, but better driving may be hiding in a shorter shaft. In fact, a shorter shaft should help you find the sweet spot more often and may even add distance.

How do you know if driver is too long?

The longer your driver shaft, the more your swing faults will be exaggerated. Assuming you don't make any other adjustments, your driver shaft will also be stiffer, which will impart less spin on the ball. The result: less curving right and left.

How long is Bryson DeChambeau's driver?

48-inchBryson DeChambeau can only use a 48-inch driver when he's competing in Long Drive Association events. Golf's governing bodies announced a new “model local rule” available Jan. 1 that would limit the maximum length of all clubs except the putter to 46 inches.

How do you size a golf driver?

Simply hold your golf club at 45 degrees to the ground or as in your playing position. At this point take a golf club ruler or take measure and place under the sole of the club. Measure to butt of grip. This will give you you an accurate and USGA standard for measuring your golf driver.

What is the standard length of a driver shaft?

45 to 45.75 inchesAlmost all drivers being introduced by manufacturers now feature a shaft length of 45 to 45.75 inches. Though some manufacturers have introduced drivers with shaft lengths longer than 46 inches, few have been successful.

Is a shorter driver shaft better?

Every golfer is unique. Those with already fast swing-speeds are more likely to enjoy the control benefits of shorter shafts while higher handicappers with slower swing-speeds may be better off with the distance a longer shaft offers. It's a balance and golfers prioritise areas of performance differently.

What happens if I cut an inch off my driver?

Cutting down a driver will have a number of impacts including making the driver more accurate because at a shorter length it is easier to control and make contact in the middle of the face.

Why do I hit my 3 wood farther than my driver?

Players who hit their 3- or 5-wood as far or longer than their driver are typically using too little loft with the driver for their clubhead speed. You know, it's a funny thing with the driver and its loft compared to the other clubs in the bag.

Should I choke down on my driver?

When a shot comes up that requires the best of your accuracy, but you still want to hit your driver, consider choking down on the grip of the club. Even moving down the grip by just an inch or two can go a long way toward improving your accuracy.

How long is a golf driver?

In our experience over the last twenty years, we have seen off-the-shelf driver lengths go from 43 inches to 48 inches, the maximum allowable by the USGA, and back to somewhere around 45 inches. The holy grail for most golfers is increased distance off the tee. With the USGA governing the rebound effect off the face of the driver (CT), it seems logical that adding length to the driver creates a longer swing arc and therefore more club head speed. But, if you do not hit the sweet spot on the face of the driver, you will actually LOSE distance because the efficiency (smash factor) will drop and you will generate less ball speed. In fact, the winner of the 2018 Masters used a driver that is 44.5 inches long and the 2nd place finishers driver length was 44.5 inches as well. Check out our list of 2018 stock drivers at the end of this blog.

How to determine driver length?

To determine your optimum driver length, look at where you hit the ball on the face of your driver. If your hits are mostly towards the heel, your driver is too long. Another possibility is that the shaft is too light. Try choking down on the shaft and see if your contact improves. If you have difficulty seeing where your ball makes contact on ...

Why is it important to have a shorter driver?

For most golfers we fit, a shorter driver creates more consistent contact on the face and actually helps not only gain distance but accuracy and consistency. In our opinion, driving for show is fine if you can hit great shots out of the rough or from behind a tree. If your fairways hit are less than 50% and you have an OB or two off the tee during a round, it is time to get your driver fixed!

How much heavier is a golf driver shaft?

If you are playing a shorter driver, say 44 inches instead of the “standard” 45 inches, you should consider a slightly heavier shaft, say 10 grams heavier. This will help create a more balanced feel and gain back some of the swing weight lost when cutting down the length of the club.

Should you go shorter or longer in flex?

As you go shorter in length, you should consider a slightly softer flex. Also, if you go longer in length you should consider a slightly stiffer flex. Our BGF Fitting System and TrueFitClubs Fitting Wizard take this into account when making our initial recommendations.

Does adding length to a driver increase swing arc?

With the USGA governing the rebound effect off the face of the driver (CT), it seems logical that adding length to the driver creates a longer swing arc and therefore more club head speed. But, if you do not hit the sweet spot on the face of the driver, you will actually LOSE distance because the efficiency ...

How long is a golf driver?

Standard, off-the-rack drivers usually check in around 45 inches, while the USGA limits driver length to 48 inches for its competitions. So, why doesn’t everyone max that out?

How long is a driver's check in?

Standard, off-the-rack drivers usually check in around 45 inches, while the USGA limits driver length to 48 inches for its competitions.

Is driver length important in golf?

Make sure you leave that task to a professional. Regardless, of how you make the final decision, driver length is important, and maxing out the club’s performance has never been easier. There may be no better way to quickly improve your performance off the tee.

Is driver golf club more important than club fitting?

Getting fit for the right clubs has never been more important. Actually, that’s not true – it’s always been important, but now there are more businesses built around club-fitting than ever before. Ultimately, driver is the club that tends to keep golfers the most captivated (and frustrated). Everyone who tees it up would love to hit the ball higher, straighter and father than ever before. But how to know what driver is best for you?

Do you need to carry a longer golf club?

If not, there’s no need to carry a longer club. And before you have a couple inches chopped off your driver shaft in the name of finding fairways, just remember that cutting those inches can recalibrate the club’s swing weight and overall feel. Make sure you leave that task to a professional.

How long is a standard golf club?

5 foot 9 inches to 5 foot - A standard club length will suffice.

How do you know if your golf clubs are too long?

To start with, if your club is too long then you are going to find yourself forcing your body to be pretty much completely straight when you are taking a shot.

Why is it so hard to make contact with the golf ball?

As the length of the shaft increases, a lot of golfers can have a difficult time making their delivery consistent with the club, and this means that it can be more challenging to make contact with the ball. In this case,

What to do if you aren't sure what fit is best for you with a putter?

If you aren’t sure what fit will be best for you with a putter then you should try to have a proper fitting with somebody who knows what they are doing. Again, length can have a big impact on this particular golf club.

What happens if you have a shorter shaft?

If you have a shorter shaft then it is going to feel stiffer, so you are probably going to need to change your power and swing to work with a stiffer club.

How to tell if a golf club is too short?

First of all, the path of your swing goes from in to out. You will find that when you are trying to take your shot that you are needing to excessively bend at the waist area.

What happens if your golf club is too long?

If your club is too long, then you will also find it difficult to move the lower half of your body when you are using the correct swinging mechanics. You will also find that when you are taking a shot that the ball is going to move too far to the left and much too high than what you need.

How long is a golf driver shaft?

The standard length for a male driver shaft used to be 43.5 inches for a steel shaft and 44 inches for a graphite club. However, in recent times, the standard driver length has been accepted as 45 inches. Typically, the length of a female golfer’s club is an inch lesser than that of a male golfer’s club.

How long is a golf club?

Typically, the length of a female golfer’s club is an inch lesser than that of a male golfer’s club. While the standard length for this club was initially 43 inches, it was revised to 44 inches in 2012.

What is flex in golf?

The flex refers to how much your golf shaft is capable of bending when a force is applied to it during a swing. It plays a key role in determining the squaring of the clubface at impact. Without flex, there are high chances of not being able to render a solid and good contact consistently. This, in turn, affects the distance and direction of the shot.

Why is grip size important?

Grip size is just as important as the size of the shafts of your driver and other golf clubs for a perfect game. Big grip size can inhibit your wrist release through the impact area and cause a fade or a block.

How to shorten a golf club shaft?

Remove the grip from the driver using a hook blade or a utility knife, as well as the grip tape on the shaft. Measure the length that you want to shorten on the shaft. Add an extra 1/8 inch to this and mark the position using a permanent marker. Fix the golf club in position in a vise.

How to make a golf club more upright?

By increasing or decreasing the shaft length by an extra half an inch will result in the club playing 1 degree more upright, or flat respectively. With a standard-length club, tall players tend to stoop quite a bit while short players will find themselves having to stand in a more upright position than required.

How tall is a standard golf club?

Standard golf clubs are generally designed keeping in mind golfers of average build with a height between 5’8” inches and 5’9”.

What golf clubs do you need if you are shorter than the beginning height?

If you are shorter than the beginning height on the club measurement guide, then you will need to purchase "Ladies Junior" or "Petite" golf clubs.

How to measure wrist for golf club?

Step 2. Stand with your hands hanging loosely by your side. Have your assistant measure the distance from where your wrist hinges to the ground, going straight down. This is your wrist-to-floor measurement. Step 3. Use the "Golf Club Measurement Guide" (see Resources).

What is the average size of a golf club for women?

As a result, the standard size of golf club for women is shorter in length and is designed for women that are between 65-inches (5'5") and 69-inches (5'9") tall. For women who are shorter than 5'5", golf manufacturers produce a "petite" golf club that is both shorter and lighter than the standard length club.

How long is a golf club?

The standard length for a men's driver is in the 43-inch to 45-inch range ; graphite clubs are often an inch longer, or 45 to 46 inches, since steel shafts weigh more and the length of the graphite shaft balances the shaft. Players can be custom-fit at a golf shop for the proper length of their club shafts.

How long do putters have to be in golf?

Clubs must be at least 18 inches long and cannot exceed the 48 inches. Lengths of putters is now a concern due to the proliferation of long putters in golf; however, the 48-inch limit of shafts in the Rules of Golf does not apply to putters.

What is the maximum shaft size for trick shot golf?

Trick-shot artists often use drivers with shafts of 65 inches or longer. However, these clubs do not conform to the 48-inch limit in the Rules of Golf and cannot be used in official tournaments.

What is the longest shafted club in a golf bag?

By Joe Miegoc. The driver is often the longest-shafted club in a player's bag. In its role as the governing body of the game of golf in the country, the United States Golf Association annually tests more than 2,000 articles of equipment each year, including golf clubs, club components, tees, balls and even golf gloves.

How many inches to a standard length golf club?

Six feet, five inches-add one and a half inches to the standard length of the club. Six feet, three inches to six feet, five inches-add one inch to the standard length of the club. Six feet to six feet, three inches-add half an inch to the standard length of the club.

How to tell the length of a golf shaft?

The straight edge should be pressed as close as possible to the shaft. Now, read the measurement at the bottom of the grip cap. This should tell you the length of the shaft.

How to tell if a golf club is too long?

Below you’ll find common signs that indicate the clubs you’re using are too long: 1 You have to stand up almost completely straight. 2 You’re unable to move your lower body using proper swinging mechanics 3 The ball often flies off to the left and too high. 4 The club’s shaft feels very weak 5 You’re constantly hitting the ball with the toe of the golf club.

How tall should a golf iron be?

Height Recommendations for Irons. Here you’ll find the standard recommended measurements for golf clubs based on height: Six feet, six inches and taller-add two inches to the standard length of the club. Six feet, five inches-add one and a half inches to the standard length of the club.

What is the most important spec to pay attention to when you’re shopping for a new set of golf clubs

According to the pros, the length of golf clubs is the most crucial spec to pay attention to when you’re shopping for a new set of clubs or an extra driver or hybrid.

What should be taken into account when buying a new golf club?

When you’re getting fit for a new set of clubs, launch angle, dispersion, spin rate, and ball speed should also be taken into account in order to ensure you purchase the correct length.

When a player is fitted for new clubs based on length, what is the posture at setup?

When a player is fitted for new clubs based on length then their posture at setup is an important factor. Ideally, the shaft of the club should pass through the golfer’s waistline. If a golfer bends forward too much at address then the club’s shaft will fall below their waistline.

What is the biggest lie in golf?

The first question, the answer to which Max Homa calls the “biggest lie in golf”, is something every golfer should know. Just because you have hit a drive 280 yards one time does not mean you hit your driver 280 yards. That goes all the way down the bag. Take more club than you think, because there’s no pride in leaving 99 out of 100 shots short ...

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Is Instagram a good golf guide?

Instagram. It’s not perfect, because it assumes a few things: That you’re hitting the ball consistently well, without much curve and with a driver that’s fit to your swing. But nevertheless, it can provide a good guidepost for golfers.

Do golfers want to hit the ball longer?

As soon as golfers accomplish the act of hitting the golf ball, they want to hit further. It’s only natural and in some ways, inescapable. But while many golfers want to hit the ball longer, there are often two related questions that sometimes escape them: How far do they hit it?

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