Golf Club Length 101: Chart to Determine Your Ideal Length Your golf club length is vastly important to having a good game. If you’re using clubs that are too long for you, you’re going to have a rough time closing the gap between your tee and the hole.

Measuring Golf Driver Shaft Length
How To Measure Golf Shaft Length
Golf Driver Shaft Length Calculator

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.
Even though the Rules of Golf for competition allow the club shaft length of up to 48 inches, Golf Monthly notes that the average driver length used on the tour is ‘only’ 44.5 inches, while the average driver length in golf shops is about 45.5 inches.

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 distancebecause 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.

So, how do you determine YOUR optimum driver length? There are several factors that you should consider:

Arm length and Posture.

In both our BGF Fitting System and the TrueFitClubs Fitting Wizard, we use wrist-crease-to-floor measurement to determine a good length. Our system is designed to give the “average” length for a driver of 44.5 inches. We have found in thousands of fittings that a driver that is too long will result in more hits off the heel of the club causing higher spin and loss of distance. Another factor is posture at address. If you stand very tall and have a steep swing plane, you could use a slightly longer driver.

Impact of Length on Shaft Weight

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. Also, we add head weight to bring the swing weight back up to a more comfortable feel for more consistency.

Impact of Length on Shaft 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.

So What is the Right 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 the face, you can use Dr. Scholl’s Foot Powder or some face tape. If your hits are mostly on the toe, your driver could actually be too short.

The Short Answer is Shorter is Better

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!

Dan Sueltz and Eric Touchet

Driver Lengths for Popular Stock Clubs

Every golfer wants to hit the ball farther, and the quest for maximum length has led many 21st century golfers to opt for drivers with shafts that are 1 to 3 inches longer than the standard recommended length.

However, the longer the shaft the harder it is to control the club and hit the ball squarely. You might hit the occasional drive farther with a longer shaft. But you run the risk of finding yourself chopping the ball out of the rough and fairway bunkers -- if not flirting with out-of-bounds stakes -- on a regular basis.

Men's Drivers

Measuring Golf Driver Shaft Length

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. Most male golfers are wielding drivers that measure 45 to 48 inches, the maximum allowed under the United States Golf Association's Rules of Golf.

Women's Drivers

Standard drivers for women are an 1 inch shorter than standard men's drivers.

Previously, the standard length for a woman's driver was 43 inches. As of 2012, it's 44 inches. You will see some smaller players on the LPGA Tour using 48-inch drivers that come up to their chin, but the average woman amateur won't be able to control such a club.

Distance

According to LearnAboutGolf.com, if you hit a 43-inch driver on the screws, the ball should travel 250 yards. A 43 1/2-inch driver yields 262 yards and a 44-inch driver 270 yards. Hitting the ball 20 yards farther -- especially if it comes to rest in the fairway -- is a significant advantage, allowing you to hit, for example, a 7-iron instead of a 5-iron to the green.

A 44 1/2-inch driver can send the ball 275 yards and a 45-inch driver 275 to 280 yards. As the drivers get longer, there is a diminishing return in increased yardage.

Accuracy

How To Measure Golf Shaft Length

In 2006, 'Golf Magazine' equipment editor RobSauerhaft tested four drivers with lengths of 44, 45, 46 and 48 inches. While Sauerhaft didn't bomb any drives with the shortest driver, he kept the ball in the fairway more often than with the longer sticks. Conduct your own test on the range or get professionally fitted by an expert. If you have a smooth, rhythmic swing, you might be able to control a driver that's longer than a standard length. But if longer shafts compromise your accuracy, you're driving for show instead of for score.

Golf Driver Shaft Length Calculator

It's also vital to match your swing speed and driver length with the correct shaft. The right shaft flex coupled with the right shaft length will help you achieve the best mix of distance and accuracy.