How To Choose Golf Clubs — Golf Instructor's Height and Length Recommendations
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Patrick Corley
- 09/26/2022
Are you in the market for new golf clubs? In this article, the experts at Tell Me More Golf will break down how to select clubs that are best for you.
With so many choices for golfers, it can be challenging to navigate all of the club brands. Whether you are a low or high-handicapper, finding golf gear should be an enjoyable experience.
How To Choose Golf Clubs For Your Height
Height plays a significant factor in deciding the clubs you choose.
Your height is part of your profile and has a direct effect when selecting clubs.
Most golf clubs are designed for what they deem a “standard” golfer. However, there are some factors to keep in mind depending on your height
Basic Guidelines
Shorter Golfers
- Find the longest driver in which you can control the clubhead
- Choose fairway woods based solely on how well you control the golf ball
- Typically have slower swing speeds, therefore need more flexible shafts
Average Height Golfers
- Have the largest selection of golf equipment to choose from
- May need customizations based on wrist-floor measurement
- Have an easier time finding the right clubs
Taller Golfers
- Will have longer shafts in a set of golf clubs
- Need to adjust the swing weight for most players
- Usually, need an adjustment to the lie angle of the clubhead
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How To Choose Golf Club Length
The shaft length on your set of clubs is going to be determined by a few factors. Although height is important, the wrist-to-floor measurement is going to be a good indicator of how long your club shafts should be.
In addition, golfers need to take into account how they set up the ball.
If you have a lot of knee flex in your golf swing, your clubs will likely be shorter simply because you are closer to the ground. And if you are taller or stand taller, that will be a factor as well.
The best golf clubs are those that are the ones that perform for the individual golfer. Whether you are trying out hybrid clubs, long irons, or a pitching wedge, the only thing that matters is finding the sweet spot.
Whether your clubs have stiff steel shafts or graphite shafts, the center of the clubface is all that matters. If you can consistently find it with a golf club then that is the club you need.
Golf Club Companies for Taller Golfers
The following companies have good stock shaft options for taller golfers:
- Callaway
- Titleist
- Taylormade
Golf Club Companies for Shorter Golfers
- Tour Edge Golf
- Cobra Golf
- Beginner sets
A good club fitter can get you into the right length club, but if you would like to DIY your set, you can do so by sticking to companies with shorter standard shaft lengths. Cobra drivers are 45″ inches long versus a TaylorMade driver which is 45.5 inches standard.
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How To Choose Golf Clubs For Ladies
The growth of golf is seeing more ladies buy golf clubs that are built for them, instead of cutting down standard clubs. Now companies have selections from sand wedge through the full set to accommodate women’s golf needs. This means that the shaft flex is softer, the grips are thinner, and the overall club weight is lighter.
Ladies’ clubs are built with similar goals in mind to men’s clubs. They are looking to maximize launch angle and minimize dispersion of off-center hits. Typically I recommend both women and men get cavity-back golf clubs because they provide the forgiveness that is needed when learning and improving.
Experienced golfers that are females will have a set makeup with the driver through the lob wedge in the golf bag. Depending on your skill level, a set of irons and woods with a light shaft will help you get the ball in the air, and keep you wanting to come back to play more.
Golf Club Companies for Ladies Clubs
- Callaway
- Cobra
- Wilson
- Aspire
The above companies all have excellent options for women’s clubs. In addition, they can cater to different age groups of women to get ladies into the game and keep them playing throughout their lifetime.
Testing – Playing To Your Strengths
Your ball flight is so important for you to understand. I have played with golfers that say they are great putters and think that is their strength when in reality they are only average.
Golf is strange like that. When I went from a 5 handicap to a +2, it was because I put a practice regimen together that focused on building on my weaknesses and maintaining my strengths.
This is a good exercise for all golfers to do. By identifying your strengths and areas of improvement, you can warm up and practice the areas of weakness.
By playing to their strengths, golfers can stay in every hole. The game is more fun and your scores will be consistently lower. As an example of playing to strengths, I am a good wedge player but could use some work on the greens. This means when I am on a shorter par 4 (under 400 yards), I am looking to have a second shot between 100-125 yards.
So, I play the hole with that in mind. To test your strengths, keep some key data on your scorecard. This could be the number of putts per hole, fairways hit, greens in regulation, and so on. By using a data-driven approach you can identify the consistent parts of your game and your weaknesses.
Picking Out a Set
Going to get a custom fitting is the quickest way to pick out a set. They will measure you, have you try a bunch of heads and shafts to see which performs the best, and they will make a recommendation.
If you do not have a fitter near you or would rather do it yourself, pick out a set that looks visually appealing first. Remember that most clubs are fairly similar to their competitors, but they do look different.
I also recommend trying out as many sets of golf clubs as you can. What might seem like a great set for your best golf buddy might not feel the same for you. When you find a driver, wedge or iron set that feels really great to you, remember that confidence cannot be understated.
In my case, for example, I am still hitting a 16 year old Nike 5 wood that my dad gave to me a long time ago. I have tried and tried to replace this club with a new 5 wood, but I keep hitting this club a consistent 210 yards and straight as an arrow.
I have hit so many great shots with this club, I can’t stomach replacing it!Also, find a club that looks good to you at address and take note of the ball flight. If your new driver is blocking the golf ball to the right when you are used to hitting it straight, you may need to shorten it or put a different shaft in. The same with the irons is true; don’t make it too complicated.
How Do I Choose The Right Golf Clubs For Me?
First, think of your own golf game. Are you a good driver of the ball but need to improve your iron play? Of course, a custom fitter or PGA Professional can assist.
But, I will always go back to the same advice; find the clubs that allow you to hit the center of the club most consistently. This is what PGA Tour players do. They are looking to maximize consistency and minimize the unknown.
When you start your search for clubs, take into account your height, wrist-to-floor measurement, and your skill level. If you find clubs that look visually appealing and you can catch the sweet spot, then go with those clubs. You do not need uniformity in your whole set.
Conclusion: Research by Tellmemoregolf.com
Finding golf clubs does not have to be a chore. It should be a fun experience where you spend time in a simulator and try different clubheads and shafts. This is true for experienced golfers and beginners alike. Enjoy the experience of shopping for new clubs.
Get custom fit if you can and spend time learning your game so you can find ways to improve. The team at Tell Me More Golf comes to you with over 50 years of golf experience, so trust our people and process to get the best set of clubs for you.
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