How to Measure your Golf Putter Length (Steps)

measuring golf putter length

 

How to Measure Your Putter Length

To measure your putter length, place one end of a 48 inch ruler at the heel of the putter and the end of the ruler to where grip ends. This measurement will show you the exact length of the putter.

You can measure the length of your putter by following the steps given below.

Determining the Best Length:

  1. Check out a golf store that will help you to measure and decide on the right choice of a putter.
  2. Select a putter that you can hold comfortably when you’re in the putting stance. To arrive at this stance, you must be able to approach the ball using your putter when you’re positioned ahead of the ball.
  3. When you bend your waist forward in a comfortable position, your eyes should be exactly over the ball.
  4. Bend your arms at the elbow area so that they touch your ribcage gently. Aim the putter towards the ball so that it just touches the ball.
  5. Grip the putter in such a way that one thumb is above the other at the front of the grip in the flat section. The putter shaft and your forearms must be in line with each other.

If you grip the shaft downwards to retain the correct position, or your elbows are wedged in between your rib cage, the putter is too long for you.

However, if you tend to hold the putter near the top of the grip, this means your putter is too short!

 

Selecting Other Specifications:

  1. Match the weight of the clubhead to the length of the putter. This is very important for getting the right swing.

Putters that are 35 inches in size usually have clubheads that weigh around 0.73 pounds. Slightly shorter putters with in the 32 to 33 inch range require more head weight between 0.82 and 0.84 pounds.

Putters over 35 inches long will need club heads with weight less than 0.73 pounds.

  1. Check that the lie angle of the putter corresponds to the length of the putter. Ideally, when you assume the correct stance, the toe of the putter must be parallel to the ground as much as possible.

    An upward-facing toe pulls the ball to the left during putting while a toe facing downwards pushes the ball to the right.

  2. Choose the type of putter based on the stroke you plan to deliver with it. Face-balanced putters and putters with mallet head design work best for straight putting strokes whereas toe-balanced putters and putters with blade head design are better suited for arced strokes.

    Long putters or belly putters are ideal if you tend to experience involuntary movements.

 

Measuring the Putter Length:

It’s always advisable to use a 48 inch ruler for measuring the length of the putter. A measuring tape is likely to be too flexible while a yardstick would be too short.

  1. Keep your putter in a position so that only its center has contact with the ground. The heel or toe of the club should not touch the ground for accurate measurement.
  2. Place the starting edge of the ruler just below the heel of your putter. Make sure that you hold the ruler firmly behind the putter and that they’re close to each other. The putter should also be placed evenly on the ruler.
  3. Check the reading on the ruler at the end of the grip cap of the putter. This is the point at which the grip of your putter stops. The reading on the ruler at this point indicates the length of your putter.

 

Factors that Determine the Length

There are 5 main parameters that must be taken into consideration when determining the length of your putter. These 5 factors are:

  1. Height of the golfer – The player’s height determines the size of the putter that he/she uses. The simple logic followed is that the taller a player is, the longer the putter he/she will require.
  2. Gender of the player – Usually, most putters for men come in sizes of 34 and 35 inches. On the other hand, putters for women are designed at a length of 33 inches.
  3. Putting stance – The golfer must be comfortable in this stance when using a putter and delivering a putting stroke with a slight bend of the knees and over the waist while having the eyes over the ball.
  4. Elbow position – The elbows of the golfer should be positioned in such a way that they just touch his/her rib cage in the right stance.
  5. Weight of the clubhead – The clubhead weight must be proportional to the length of the putter.

 

What is the Standard Length of a Golf Putter?

The standard length of a golf putter ranges between 33-35 inches. Like any other golf club, a golf putter should also have a minimum length of 18″.

However, unlike irons and woods, there is no restriction to the maximum size of a putter.  In other words, there is no standard length for a putter. The exact length that you’ll need for your putter depends on your wrist-to-floor measurement and posture.

According to Golf Rules, the width of the clubhead must not be more than 7 inches when you measure the toe and heel of the putter from the outside.

Similarly, the height of the clubhead should not be more than 2.5 inches when measured from the topmost portion of the clubhead to the sole.

 

What Putter Length Do I Need?

There are two factors that you must take into consideration when determining the length of the putter that you’ll need.

If your putter is of the right length, it will help you in positioning yourself so that your eyes are above the ball. This is quite important for delivering a correct putting stroke.

To ensure that the eyes are just above the ball, you’ll have to bend slightly at the knees and waist. Your arms should hang freely under the shoulders.

Additionally, a putter of the right length will allow you to hit the ball from the center, consistently. This is useful for maintaining distance control.

If your putter is too long, you’ll tend to stand away from the ball with your eyes moving inside of the ball.

On the other hand, a short putter will result in positioning yourself too close to the ball with your eyes beyond the target line.

For best results, you can seek the assistance of a putter-fitting professional to determine the exact length that you’ll need for your putter.

 

Correct Way to Measure the Length of a Putter

There are different ways that you can measure the length of a putter. This is because the golf shaft or hosel are positioned differently for the different putters with respect to the heel of the golf club.

The following are three types of putters you can measure using a 48 inch golf club rule.

 

Heel-shafted putters

  • The length of this type of putter can be measured just like how you would measure the length of a wood or iron golf club.
  • To do this, the putter must be kept in the playing position in such a way that the center of the club sole touches the ground.
  • Keep a ruler behind the putter so that the ruler tip touches the ground in line with the heel of the club. Measure the length from the grip cap’s edge to the ground.         

 

Non-offset center-shafted putters

In this case, the measuring length is referenced at the shaft axis and not the heel. Keep the ruler parallel to the shaft of the putter at the point of intersection with the ground, up to the grip cap’s edge.

 

Offset putters

Place the ruler behind the shaft of the putter like you would do for measuring the length of an iron. The ruler will touch the ground at some point other than behind the club heel. Take this measurement.

 

Does the Length of a putter matter?

Yes, the length of the putter does matter as it plays a vital role in having the right putting stance, and delivering the perfect putting stroke.

The correct length depends on the following 3 factors:

  1. The distance between the floor and your palms
  2. The angle formed by your spine when you lean over the ball
  3. The bend formed by your elbows when you position your grip over the putter

Apart from the above-mentioned aspects, the consistency you achieve with your putter lessens as you make more and more compensations using your putter. This will, in turn, affect your confidence in putting.

For example, short players may find long putters to be unresponsive and heavy, resulting in limited feedback and feel when using the golf club.

If the putter length is too long, it may result in the putter head getting extended away from the stance. Your eyes tend to move back from the golf ball and this could result in defective sighting angles. As a result, the target will seem to be to the right of where it is actually positioned.

Your hands will be at quite a distance from your thighs and the lie angle of the putter gets flattened. This prevents you from making a smooth back and forth stroke. You will have to lift the putter and take it backward causing tension to your grips and arms.

 

How long should my putter be?

The length of most putters should be between 32 to 35 inches long.

The length of the putter should be such that it helps you render your putting stroke accurately by keeping your eyes above the golf ball. Moreover, in the address position, your forearm and the shaft of the putter must be parallel to each other. Choosing the wrong size putter can result in the ball getting thrown away from the putting line.

You can choose the correct length for your putter with three simple steps.

  • Stand in your putting stance or address position.
  • Keep your arms so that they hang naturally by your side.
  • Request a fellow player or a friend to measure the height from just above your hand to the ground.

The height measured above represents the desired length for your putter. It can help you avoid making the mistake of selecting a putter that is either too long or too short.

Once you have your length determined, you can buy a putter off the shelf if the length is readily available. If not, you can opt for a custom-made putter or seek the assistance of golf stores so that the directional control and distance of the ball is not affected.

Although there are putters as small as 32 inches long and as large as 52 inches, the average length of a traditional putter for PGA Tour professionals is set at 34 inches.

 

Putter Length Vs Height

Often, the desired length of your putter is directly proportional to your height. In other words, short players benefit from using short putters while tall golfers can play better with long putters. The following are some experiences of players using putters for their game.

Golfers who are between 5 feet 9 inches and 5 feet 11 inches tall are comfortable using a putter of size 34 inches as they find 33-inch putters to be very short. Players with a height of 5 feet 10 inches should use putters in the range of 28″ to 31″.

Some players over 6 feet tall either use a 36 inches putter or choke down one inch on a 39 inches belly putter. However, a few of them have cut down from using a 36″ putter to a 35″ putter.

On the other hand, there are also 6 feet 2 inches players who prefer choking down an inch on a 34″ grip rather than gripping a 33″ putter at the end.

Putter Length by Height (Fitting Chart)

The length of a putter is usually between 31 and 35 inches. The chart below shows putter length and golfer height to help with fitting your putter.
Golfer HeightHeight (cm)Putter Length
4′10″ and shorter14731"
5′4″ - 5′2″152-15732"
5′5″ - 5′8″165 - 17333"
5′10″ - 5′11″178 - 18034"
6ft and taller18335"

Belly Putters

The shaft of a belly putter is between 38 inches and 47 inches. The recommended putter length and golfer height for this type of putter is given below.

  • 40-inch putter – 5 feet 8 inches or shorter
  • 41-inch to 44-inch putter – 5 feet 9 inches to 6 feet 1 inch
  • 44-inch to 47-inch putter – 6 feet 2 inches and taller

 

Long Putters

These putters are longer than traditional and belly putters. Their sizes can range between 45 inches and 53 inches. The appropriate putter length and golfer height for this putter is given below.

  • 45-inch putter – 5 feet 6 inches and shorter
  • 47-inch putter – 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 8 inches
  • 48-inch putter – 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 9 inches
  • 49-inch putter – 5 feet 9 inches to 5 feet 11 inches
  • 50-inch putter – 5 feet 10 inches to 5 feet 11 inches
  • 51-inch putter – 5 feet 11 inches to 6 feet
  • 52-inch putter – 6 feet to 6 feet 1 inch
  • 54-inch putter – 6 feet 2 inches and taller

Ernie

Ernie loves documenting interesting facts about golf.

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