Hireko Power Play Caiman Driver Listed In Golf Digest May 2008 Issue!
Update: Golf Digest listed the new Power Play Caiman Driver in an excellent article
on golf club length in the Golf Digest May 2008 issue. The web version of the Golf Digest article is here.
One question that is quite often asked is “What length golf club a person should use?”This is very difficult to address as it is not always a black or white answer.A good example of this can be found when shopping for jeans. For example, a man does not purchase jeans based upon their height, rather two important pieces of information.If that person knows what their waist and inseam measurements are, they can purchase a pair of jeans that will most likely fit (but not always) without having to try them on.Then the jeans can be selected or paired down based upon the color/finish and leg cut – both of which are personal preferences.
The most common method used to recommend the length of a golf club is a height-based chart. Custom golf clubs are usually available in two primary lengths (excluding juniors) and somewhat based on statistics, like the average height of an average male and female.The average woman’s height in the U.S. is approximately 5’ 5” (165.1cm), with about 68% between 5’ 2” and 5’ 7”. The average male is approximately 5’ 10” (177.8cm) with nearly 68% between 5’ 6” and 5’ 11”.The difference between the finished stock men’s and women’s clubs is usually 1” difference in the length.
 |
 |
Build Better Clubs Now! The Modern Guide To Clubmaking In It’s 4th Edition Only $29.95 |
With this in mind, some charts will use these proportions; that is for each 5” or 6” of height differential, the golf clubs should be 1” shorter or longer. Of course, each manufacturer has their own idea for what standard length of their clubs will be that is why the actual lengths were omitted and the Length Factor could be applied to what one would consider to be “standard length”.
Length Based Chart
HeightHeightLength Factor
Feet-InchesCentimeters
6-9 to 7-0206 – 213Add 2″
6-6 to 6-9198 – 206Add 1 1/2″
6-3 to 6-6191 – 198Add 1″
6-0 to 6-3183 – 191Add 1/2″
5-9 to 6-0175 – 183Standard Length
5-6 to 5-9168 – 175Subtract 1/2″
5-3 to 5-6160 – 168Subtract 1″
5-0 to 5-3152 – 160Subtract 1 1/2″
4-9 to 5-0145 – 152Subtract 2″
For instance, we have a 5’ 5” lady and a 6’ 2” man.The difference in height is 9”.Using the ratio of every 6” of height there should be a 1” change in length then there should be a 1 ½” difference between their 5-irons. For example, recommend 36.5” for the lady and 38” for the man (or 36.75” / 38.25”). One might wrongly assume that that we should use the same proportions as is in this case where the women is 87.8% of the height of the man, therefore the length should also be 87.8% (or 33 3/8” which would be extremely too short). Height-based charts have existed a long time and based upon proportionality.
It is interesting in the fact that junior club lengths do not use this same 6” to 1” formula.Rather for each 2” (or 2 ½”) of added height equates to 1” increase in length.
For taller individuals, it is logical to assume longer golf clubs are recommended.But it should be noted that a 1” increase in club length does not necessarily make the club 1” longer from the floor to the ground.It is the sin of the lie angle that is the length component in the vertical direction. In the diagram on the left, a representation of a 1” at 61° amount to a vertical increase 0.874”. This will be important when we discuss methods other than height based charts.
Wrist-to-floor (WTF) Measurement
Wrist-to-floor measurement or WTF for short is a common method in which the golfer stands with their feet together in street / tennis shoes with their arms hanging straight down and relaxed. Then someone measures from the floor to the crease just above the wrist.That reading then is indexed by the golfer’s height to suggest the club length.The most common example of this is the Ping® Iron Color Code Chart.
Statistically, the average WTF measurement is 48.9% of the person’s height.If everyone was proportional to this percentage, then height-based charts would have the same effect.However, statistics are based on averages and not everyone will have proportionate arm lengths to their height, thus requiring not only different lengths than what their height may indicate, but also the lie of the club.
HeightHeightWTF
Ft. in.in48.9%
4′ 0″48”23.47”
4′ 2″50”24.45”
4′ 4″52”25.43”
4′ 6″54”26.41”
4′ 8″56”27.38”
4′ 10″58”28.36”
5′ 0″60”29.34”
HeightHeightWTF
Ft. in.in48.9%
5′ 2″62”30.32”
5′ 4″64”31.30”
5′ 6″66”32.27”
5′ 8″68”33.25”
5′ 10″70”34.23”
6″ 0″72”35.21”
6′ 2″74”36.19”
HeightHeightWTF
Ft. in.in48.9%
6′ 4″76”37.16”
6′ 6″78”38.14”
6′ 8″80”39.12”
6′ 10″82”40.10”
7′ 0″84”41.08”
7′ 2″86”42.05”
7’ 4”88”43.03”
In the chart above, we can see that a 5’ 10” male on average will have a WTF measurement just shy of 34 1/4”, while the average female that stands 5’ 4” would be just a hair over 31 ¼”. The 6” difference in height equals approximately a 3” difference in the WTF measurement and to 1” length change.Well, at least in theory between men and women stock clubs.If you consider that a 48” junior golfer has a WTF measurement of nearly 12” less than the 70” golfer would suggest that the junior golfer get a 5-iron that is 4” shorter than a typical men’s club.However, the math does not add up as most junior charts will suggest a 48” junior to have a 5-iron in the neighborhood of 9” shorter.
Part of this can be explained by the fact that the WTF measurement coupled with the golfer’s height is only a starting point.The actual wrists at impact will be lower than the wrists in an erect, standing posture as the player will bend at the knees and waist and have a certain arm angle away from their body when swinging a golf club.Each person may have a slightly different comfort zone as to which of these angles feel best, thus the actual person’s wrist at impact will not always be the same proportion to the player’s WTF measurement when comparing one player to another.In addition, at impact the wrists may be slightly higher off the ground than at address.
One of the key things to understand is when the person’s WTF measurement is not proportionate to their height, then the length (and perhaps lie) of the clubs should be different than what their height would indicate.For golfers who have an actual WTF measurement greater than the chart, then the clubs should be longer and/or more upright than their height would indicate.Conversely, for golfers who have an actual WTF measurement less than listed in the chart, then the clubs should be shorter and/or produced with a flatter lie angle than their height would indicate.This explains why a tall individual could use “standard” clubs off of the rack if their arms were disproportionately longer.
For example, let’s say we have a 6’ 2” man that has an actual WTF measurement of 35.75” verses 36.19” in the table, as this person may have a little longer arms or shorter legs than average.We could simply adjust the length by reducing it by 1/2”.Remember above that the 1/2” of club length will not exactly the same as the 1/2” in the vertical direction (0.5” x sin 61° = 0.44”).If we did not make this change, then the golfer would have to grip down on the club, bend less at the waist or knees, or raise their arms higher producing a non-athletic position (in more extreme conditions).At 6’ 2”, the person might have been suggested a ½” longer club, but due to his lower WTF position standard length golf clubs may be fit fine.
Lie
Golf club lie also has an effect on the length as well. The diagram on the right shows the “Triangle” formed by the length of the club (A), distance in the vertical direction from the butt end of the golf grip to the ground (B) and the horizontal distance from the back edge of the heel of the club to butt end of the club (C).In the following charts, the lie angle of each club will be listed as well.
By altering the lie of the club, a manufacturer could theoretically change the B length.Below in the chart are 4 clubs that are the same length, but different lie angles.For each 1° increase in the lie angle, the butt end raised approximately 1/3” off of the ground with the center of the sole touching the ground.In lieu of making the club longer to accommodate a taller individual or one with a high WTF measurement, some golf clubmakers may opt to change the lie angle.
ALieBC
38”60°32.91”19.00”
38”61°33.24”18.42”
38”62°33.55”17.84”
38”63°33.86”17.25”
One of the reasons for this is due to the effect of golf swingweight of the club.All the combinations of length and lie in the following chart will produce a situation where the center of the sole of the club is touching the ground and the butt end is essentially the same height off of the ground.If we have a standard weight 5-iron (256g) and a lightweight steel shaft, the swingweights will be approximately that listed in the chart.
Swing
ALieBCweight
38.50”57.75°32.56”20.54”D4
38.25”58.25°32.53”20.13”D2.5
38.00”59°32.57”19.57”D1
37.75”59.5°32.53”19.16”C9.5
37.50”60.25°32.56”18.61”C8
37.25”61°32.58”18.06”C6.5
36.75”62.25°32.52”17.11”C3.5
36.50”63°32.52”16.57”C2
36.25”64°32.58”15.89”C0.5
A common lie angle for a 5-iron is 61°, therefore the length of the 5-iron may be 37.25” to achieve the B length.This combo may be very well for a lady golfer that is 5’ 8” with a 33.25” WTF measurement.A C6.5 swingweight would be perfectly normal in what you would see in a standard length woman stock set.However, let’s say this was a man we were talking about that might have the same proportions of the lady golfer, or perhaps taller but with long arms.Instead of the shorter club with the lighter swingweight, the clubfitter or manufacturer may suggest a 38” 5-iron that had a 2° flatter lie angle.This would make the golf club swingweight in the normal range you would see for a male golfer.
It is easier to control the swingweight by manipulating the lie than by adding (or removing) weight from the head from a production standpoint. Most clubhead are made to narrow weight ranges from one manufacturer to another and there is a limit on how much weight can be added to a club. So you may see tall golfers get a combination of extra length and a more upright lie as not to make the clubs feel too heavy or shorter golfer a shorter length / flatter lie combination so that it does not become too light.
But, more importantly is making sure the golfer has the proper swing plane as a result of the length / lie suggestion that will allow the golfer to make solid contact.Furthermore, not just for one club, but the rest of the clubs throughout the set since most places fit on a mid-iron and build the rest of the set around that using normal progressions in length (i.e. 0.5” length increments).
A few years ago I fitted an individual that presented a unique challenge. His name was Mike and a professional in the medical field.Through referrals, he contacted me for a fitting.He explained on the phone that he had a birth defect in which his whole arm length was only the length of that to a normal person’s elbow position.He wanted to play golf, but physically could not bend far enough down to grip a club.I asked him to stop by as I had some ideas that I thought would help him out.
Mike was approximately 5’ 8”, but a WTF measurement of 43”.To put this in perspective, his WTF might be more equivalent of someone standing 7’ 4”.In addition, he was of average strength at best and not built like that of an individual much taller and physically stronger in which to compensate for heavier weights caused by the need for longer clubs.After some calculations, experimentation and fast-stetting epoxy we ended up making a partial set – a few of which I would like to share.His driver was only 2” longer than normal (47”), his 5-iron was 43.5” (5.5” longer than average) and his PW was 42” (6.5” longer than average).
Today, what I remember most about Mike was not his unique physique or the challenging fitting process, rather he was by far the happiest customer I could every remembered who picked up their clubs.He was so proud of “his” set of clubs. Finally he had something that fitted him that he could enjoy that the majority of golfers take for granted.
So unless you have average proportions, you might find that slight alterations in the length and lie might allow you to make better contact with the ball, lower your score and make the game more enjoyable.
Tags: driver length, Golf Club length, junior club length, what length golf clubs do you need
Martin:
It is an awful lot of expense (extenders and new grips) to make the club 1/4″ or 1/2″ longer when there is the option of making them more upright. I should qualify that by saying most irons and wedges can be altered, but not very many woods or hybrids.
This is the only site I found that made some sense of it all I am a female 5’1″ and a very crude beginner in my early 60s. Buying a set of used clubs tomorrow, this information has helped me determine if I am even close to what I need. Thank You! I will Only golf for good exercise and the enjoyment of being with family and friends.
My arms are short WTF 38″ and my height is 6′-0″. I have an old set of PINGs, Blue dot, 1º upright and +0.5″.
My sense is my clubs are too short. I cannot take a divot at impact, i.e. I cannot get the face of the club on the ball when I take a full swing.
As far as I can tell I need an 1″ and a lower lie angle.
Help
Leo:
The best thing to do it take one of your irons and extend it 1/2″. If that makes hitting the ball more solid, then have all the irons extended the same. However, I would not lower the lie angle yet until you have had a chance to evaluate ball flight. If you start pulling the ball, then you might need the lie flattened.
I’m a 60yo 20 handicap. I had a 45.5″ Callaway driver that I had cut down to 44.0″. I’m very happy with it, although I only hit it about 200yds (but straight).
I’m “long waist-ed” (shorter legs). I wonder if I should cut down my Fairway Wood (#4) and Hybrid?
Bob:
Try choking or gripping down on the club at 1/2″, 1″ and possibly 1.5″ and try hitting balls at the range. If you find one condition that produces better results,note how much you choked down on the grip and you can removed that amount from the butt end.
I’m 5’5″ tall with WTF of 28.5″ (low to ground). Was sold a set of women’s Adams based only on my height. Driver is 45.5″ & seven iron is 38″. I’m learning to hit faily well with them, BUT might I do (consistently) better if they were shortened due to my WTF length?…and if so, how much? Jacksun
Jacksun:
If you have excellent hand-eye coordination you may very well be able to hit the ball solidly even though your height and WTF measurement might suggest ladies standard length. The best thing to try is choke or grip down 1/2″ and hit some balls after you have warmed up and see if it makes a difference versus full length. Repeat exercise at 1″ shorter and possibly 1.5″. If you find one length that performs better than others, note how much you gripped down and remove that much material from the club.
Hi,
I am a long-torso 77″ with a wtf of 40″ for a 52 percent ratio (both taken in running shoes). Std clubs definitely feel quite short. At a ping angle, where should my club length be”
Thanks,
Tom
Tom:
If you look at Ping’s chart, they will tell you very upright and 1″ longer, but my suspicion based on your height and WTF measurement will be something even longer than that. I might start out with a single club (like a mid iron) that is 2″ longer and see how comfortable you feel with it and how well you hit it. You can always choke down to simulate a shorter length. Once you find the length, you might have the lie checked to. Once you have that one club nailed down, then I would do the same with the rest.
Jeff,
Hi, I’m 5’4, wtf is 30.5, Ive had a problem of hitting behind the ball several inches. I hit standard nike vr blades. Do you think shorting would benefit me at all? I cut my driver down to 44 and really feel more confident with my control now. (hit average of 265)
John:
Try choking or gripping down first to simulate the shorter club. Try 1/2″ and then 1″ and see where you make most solid impact. You can always add lead foil tape to the back of the head if it feels a little light, but make sure to get the length dialed in first.
My wrist to floor is 37″ and I am 6’5″ If my clubs should be 1″ longer- the swing weight get out there about D8-9. Should I be concerned about the clubs being way to heavy to play. I am also 63 years old and was a 2hdc – but have lost my game trying shorter clubs and wrong lie angles and can’t seems to get it back. How important is the swing weight at 1″ over. Thank You
Rodney:
A swingweight that high is only heavy at standard length. Just like ladies clubs are a lower swingweight due to their shorter length, it all makes sense that a longer should club should have a proportionately heavier swingweight. I would be more concerned with overall weight and just making sure the swingweights match.
My son (10 years old) – and taller/bigger than most kids his size – recently was given a new set of irons (Nike Slingshot 4D Juniors with lightweight steel shafts 4-GW). He is becoming quite accomplished – but seems to have outgrown his previous set of irons (Bazooka youth 9-11 years old with graphite shafts). As I measured the club lengths – the new Nike’s seem about 3 inches longer/club. It is difficult to determine if that is indeed the correct difference per club – the Bazookas are not a full set and they also are combo irons 9/PW and 7/8 irons. Do you feel i should cut these down at all (I am a club maker by hobby) – and then add length to them with extenders as he grows? I know he could choke down on them an inch or so – I don’t want to affect swingweight too much by cutting them down. Thoughts?
Wayne:
Look at his impacts on the face and also if he hits the turf before the ball. If he is not taking divots prior to impact and the impacts on the face are centered, then I would not touch a thing. If he is hitting the turf first or impacts are not clustered well, then it is too long. He can choke down on the grip 1/2″ and hit shots and repeat at 1″ to see if impacts improved. You can always extend the clubs – but only once as you cannot extend a club that has been extended.
Jeff,
I am 6ft tall and my wtf is 32in. I feel like i have to stand so far away from the ball because of my arm length that i loose controll. Is it safe to have a half or a full inch cut off?
Todd:
You definitely have disproportionate arm lengths for your height. There are a couple things you can do. One is to shorten the club. Before you do that, experiment by choking down 1/2″ and hit balls. Repeat, but this time 1″. Lastly, repeat again at 1.5″. Take note of comfort, feel and solidness of contact. Once you find out what length you like, you can have it cut down since you have simulated it.
You could also have the lie flattened, but the most you can safely have bent is likely 2 degrees, which is about the equivalent of shortening 2/3rds of an inch of length off the club. The 3rd option is a combination of the 2, especially if you feel you have to go 1″ or 1.5″ shorter and the club feels too light.
Hi Jeff,
I’m 33 yrs old and have never been fitted for irons, always played off the rack. I’m 5’11″ and my WTF is about 36.5″, which leads me to believe I need longer/more upright clubs. I played high school nd college golf and 10 years ago I was a scratch golfer and pretty good ball striker. But even when I missed shots (more frequent today with less practice), I miss towards the toe, a little thin, and leave shots out to the right (not exactly a slice, just I miss right with a little fade). I’m going to get fitted for some new irons, but does that miss pattern lead you to believe I need something a little longer and/or more upright?
Thanks,
Andrew
Andrew:
The thin shots are a very good indicator that the clubs just aren’t long enough. You may only need extra length or a combination with a lie angle adjustment. However, you won’t know that until after your fitting which is a great first step.
I am 5 ft 5 inches and a WTF of 29. I play to a single digit but recently
found choking down 1 inch has made quite a difference. If I remove
an inch what should I do about swing weight?
Doug,
By choking down 1″, you have already simulated the lighter swingweight or the same as you would have lopped off 1″ from the butt. You could play around and add lead tape to see if it makes any difference or if it is fine the way it is.
My wifes father just passed away . He had a set of standard senior graphite shafted clubs. My wife would love to use her fathers clubs for sentimental reasons. She is 5ft 2 inch tall how much would she need to cut down these clubs to use them.
Eric,
Assuming the clubs are “standard men’s length”, I might suggest cutting 1.5″ off the butt for her size.
I am 5’11 and have a WTF of 35.25 inches. I am looking at buying some blue dot irons online that are .5″ long. I tried out some friend’s black dots that were .5″ short and hit them pretty well at the range. What should I really be looking for/are the long blue dots too much of a departure from standard clubs?
Blaine:
The blue dot represents a 1º upright lie angle and not that much of a departure from the black (standard). However, going from 1/2″ short (and hitting them well) to 1/2″ longer will be a big departure without actually being fitted for that along with the upright lie. The worst that can happen though is the clubs will be too long and you have to choke down to simulated a shorter length, which then can be cut off later. As for the lie, that can always be adjusted after you have had time to him them and see whether you are consistently pulling or pushing the ball to warrant a change.
I am 5″ 8 inches with a short leg would I need my Irons & woods shortened
Barry,
The acid test is if you feel more comfortable choking or gripping down on the club. If so, then I would pay close attention to how much sticks up above (or past) the heel of your upper hand and have that removed from the butt end. If you are making solid contact now and the ball is going straight, then I wouldn’t touch a thing.
I have a daughter that has down`s syndrome at is in special Olympics. She is left handed. she is four feet 8. what is the size of golf clubs that she would need?
Janie:
If you are going to use adult clubs (as LH junior head are lighter and almost impossible to find), I might suggest 4-5″ shorter than standard ladies. To be sure, I would have a local club fitter or pro try build or cut down one club first to get a length she is comfortable handling before proceeding with the rest of the clubs.
Hi I was thinking if getting pings, my RAC taylormades are a bit old, I’m just over six foot and have a very upright swing , would a white dot be the ones? My mate who’s got titleist is six foot and is 2 up
Richard,
If you are continually pushing the ball, then I would say, yes, have them adjusted upright. If you buy Pings, get fitted as the fitting carts will have the different combinations for lie as well as length to tell you for sure what the actual numbers should be.
I’m 6’2″ and was fitted for ping irons at a white dot and 1″ longer clubs.
According to the Ping chat I should be 1/2″ longer. What should I go with?
BJ,
I would trust the fit far more than what the chart says. The chart is merely a starting point the fitter may use and work up and down in length or try different lie angles in order for you to strike the center of the face most often and get the ball to go toward your target.
Hi. I’m just over 6’3 and have a wtf close to 38″. I have very long legs and seem to have gotten worse at my golf game. I’ve decide to lengthen my irons to try and help my back issues. Do u think I am correct in lengthening my clubs. I added 3 inches since I figure I can always choke down on my clubs. I’m super excited about trying my clubs out but I’m not sure if this is going to make my game even worse. I seem to play alright until my back starts to hurts and now my wife is beating the crap out of me. Do u think it was a good idea to get them extended. I figure I can’t get any worse
Marc,
I would try to extend one of the clubs first – like a mid iron. Practice with it so see if you can make solid contact and your back doesn’t hurt. 3 inches might had gone from one extreme to the other. If you are choking down, gradually cut the length down until you find the correct length and then apply the same length (example, 1.5″ overlength) to all your clubs.
Hello! I am looking to buy my husband a new set of golf clubs for our anniversary. Can I just buy some based off his height?
Shana:
How tall is he and does he have disproportionate arms or legs for his height? I can probably give you some guidance as what to order.
He is 6′ and he is pretty proportionate. He was a football player in high school and had shoulder surgery. His knee is messed up too, I am not sure if that will play a part in it!
Shana,
If you are purchasing the clubs from us, I would suggest standard length as he is only slight taller than the average height US male and may not warrant 1/2″ over. The other consideration if his current set of clubs seems to work fairly well, is to take one of his clubs (like a 6-iron) and take it to a local shop to have it measured. If it is a steel shafted 6-iron, our standard length would be 37.5″. If he is using a standard, off-the-rack set of clubs from a major manufacturer, don’t be surprised if the length is 37.25″. This is another reason why our standard length (rather than over length) would probably be a good fit.
Hi Jeff. I am 6’4 38″ WTF. I currently have +1″ Taylormade Burners, Regular Shaft. My swing speed is 115+… I know I need a stiff/x-stiff shaft.But even with the +1″ clubs I currently am hitting all over the place. Is the main reason because of my shaft or could there be a length/lie issue as well?
Lance,
Why you are hitting all over the place could be a number of maladies, but based on what you stated I would look at flex first. The three most common problems are an incorrect length, not the right flex, inadequate weight (swingweight and overall weight) or a combination of any two or all. If your impact pattern on the face is generalized in the size of a quarter, then the length will most likely be OK and that is where to look at the flex and then weight as well.