Are the taller Tour players using shafts longer than std on their irons?

Hello I am interested to know if the taller Tour pros (such as Bubba Watson, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Keegan Bradley, Dustin Johnson et al., all 6'3"+) are playing shafts longer than standard length on their irons, and if so how many inches longer?

I tried to look it up but I couldn't find anything.

Thanks in advance.

[quote name='alvesm' timestamp='1352879788' post='5931671']
Hello I am interested to know if the taller Tour pros (such as Bubba Watson, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Keegan Bradley, Dustin Johnson et al., all 6'3"+) are playing shafts longer than standard length on their irons, and if so how many inches longer?

I tried to look it up but I couldn't find anything.

Thanks in advance.
[/quote]


Interesting question.

I'm not extraordinarily tall but I used to play longer shafts in my Irons. On the other hand, a B Ball player friend played regular length shafts in his set and easily hit much farther and higher than I could on my best days. I'd be interested in any answers to this question.


Shambles

Bradley's shafts look shorter than Kruger's

Edit: grammar

Height is part of it but so is arm length or wrist to floor measurement. I am 6'4" (and a half ) and i play my irons at .5 over standard, I used to play 1" but that was a guess simply based in my height. There are some shorter players with short arms who will need longer shafts and there are taller players with very long arms who will use standard or even less. Height is a starting point but is in no way the thing that determines if any additional length over standard is necessary.

First of all, there is no real "standard" - but in general they probably do. And, as others have said, it depends on your build and your swing.
Do you have long arms for your size?
Is your swing a flat swing? - etc

I am tall with long arms - but use an upright 38.5 inch 5i (which is not much longer than what a player of average size might use.)

Forget about what other people might use and any related distance factor. Irons are about accuracy so get clubs that fit [u]you[/u]. Low scores win.

Don't know if it's true or not but a good friend of mine has always told me that the golf clubs on the shelf were built for someone who is 5'-10". He has worked for Golf Etc. for years and is somewhat of an equipment guru. I am 6'-1" and my irons are 1/2" over standard. I couldn't see how the taller pro's wouldn't have theirs a little longer as well.

I'm 6'1" with long arms, longer irons have been nothing but trouble for me.

I don't know either, I would echo what other have said. I'm 6'5" with relatively short arms so I play longer than "standard" as well.

6-4 and my irons are + 1 inch over standard.

I would imagine they don't play as much over standard as you think. I see amateurs who are 6'4" or 6'5" and they have clubs that are 2 or more inches over standard length. What?!? The clubs just look insanely long, I've never seen anyone on tour with clubs that long.

Tiger is 6'1", and if you look at his lofts (not club number), he pretty much plays 1/4 inch over standard on a modern set. Standard being 35.5" PW and GW.

I don't know specs but if you look at some of the taller players they look like they are playing children's length - Bradley was mentioned and Cink comes to mind. It really does depend on arm length - I am 6'3" w/ longish arms and while I have played up to 1" over I have experimented with standard and am very happy I did.

Cink now uses longer than standard clubs...was mentioned in either GOLF or GolfDigest magazine within the last few months.

Most are using between 1/2" and 1" and standard lie angles or even a little flat. Cink may be the best example of this when his clubs were 5* upright they were standard length. When he switched to longer clubs he went, if memory serves me, 1* upright or standard.

Fitting tall people may be the most misunderstood element in the fitting world. Taller golfers who have [b][u]shorter arms/longer wrist to floor lengths or wide chests[/u][/b] need longer clubs. Lie angles after getting fit for the proper length usually end up standard or a little flat. Honestly I've never seen a club that was too long for a tall golfer, but have seen plenty of wedges, PW's and 9 irons that were too short! Everybody has a 5 iron in their bag and can hit with some consistency. So if the shortest club a taller golfer feels comfortable with is say an 8 iron then make that shortest club. Most 8 irons have a lie angle of around 63* and are 36.5" in length. So to make a wedge play as comfortable as that 8 iron it would have to be 36.5" long with a 63* lie angle. 1" long and 1* flat!

I'm F601 (though with short legs & long arms) and the perfect fit for me is 1/4" longer than standard but I have played standard length clubs in all but one of the sets of irons I have ever owned - If you are in doubt as to what is right for you then a fitting is the way to go imho ... Paul

[quote name='rybo' timestamp='1352903461' post='5932231']
Most are using between 1/2" and 1" and standard lie angles or even a little flat. Cink may be the best example of this when his clubs were 5* upright they were standard length. When he switched to longer clubs he went, if memory serves me, 1* upright or standard.

Fitting tall people may be the most misunderstood element in the fitting world. Taller golfers who have [b][u]shorter wrist to floor lengths or wide chests[/u][/b] need longer clubs. Lie angles after getting fit for the proper length usually end up standard or a little flat. Honestly I've never seen a club that was too long for a tall golfer, but have seen plenty of wedges, PW's and 9 irons that were too short! Everybody has a 5 iron in their bag and can hit with some consistency. So if the shortest club a taller golfer feels comfortable with is say an 8 iron then make that shortest club. Most 8 irons have a lie angle of around 63* and are 36.5" in length. So to make a wedge play as comfortable as that 8 iron it would have to be 36.5" long with a 63* lie angle. 1" long and 1* flat!
[/quote]

Good post Rybo !

A fitting is often done with a #6 iron, a club anyone should be able to hit, but what we find is the longest club length this player should be playing, but the shorter clubs is just as important as Rybo tells, so a good fitting also takes the shortest club into the math. Thats why there might be several different set ups in length and length difference when we get to wedges.
Some players could play them with 0.5 difference all the way, other goes 0.25 from #9 and down, and some might even end up like Rybo says, with the #8 iron as the shortest club and the wedges the same as the #8 iron.

There is also possible to make them with 3/8 difference instead of the classic 0.5, to prevent them from being to short when we get to wedges, but this is a Custom brand option, and not common on OEM brands. There is nothing "Right or wrong" here only good or bad fit for the specific player and we are all different, one way or the other, so get fitted right to the HOLE set.

if i hit a a standard length club on lie board and was suggested to go 2* upright, if my next set i order is 1/2"+ should i keep the 2* upright or should that be changed back to standard now that i'd have extra length. i know i can remeasure once i have my clubs, but if i order i'd like to try to get as close to possible.

I'm 6'5 with a wide chest & shoulder combo. I have a standing 8' reach. Being a natural bodybuilder my lats are wide which tends to let my hands hang a little higher at rest than an average 6'5" guy. My point is, is that everyone is different and you should be properly fit...not to match up your height with a pro on and go from there.

All my irons and 3 wedges are +1.5" and 3.5* upright

Static measurements aside you need to fit dynamically as well. Feel and ball flight become important after static measurements give you a starting point. I will certainly agree with some of the comments that have been made previously. I am 6'4" and had played years ago with as much as 1" over standard and 2* upright. Swings change and as mine became more flat and less upright I have more recently adjusted the lie back to standard with a remarkable improvement in ball flight (markedly more greens in reg. rather than always left of the green) I also play to just 0.5 over standard length. Additionally I started having all wedges at the PW length and have been much happier with full wedge shots,

As mentioned before, chest size, shoulder width also play a role. I am 6'1" with long arms, and wide shoulders. I play my irons at +1/2 and 2* up. This bozo that worked at Golf Galaxy tried to tell me once that I didn't need longer clubs due to my wrist to floor measurement as that measurement was exactly the same as his even though he was 6'3" and he played standard length. I didn't want to argue with this guy about static vs dynamic fitting, but he just kept at it. Finally, I said look, your shoulders aren't as wide as my leg and my shoulders are three times wider than yours, common sense tells you that when you make a triangle with your arms and shoulders by putting your hands together my hands are going to be a few inches farther from the ground than your triangle that has one side that is 12" wide, ie your shoulders. DUH! The guy just wouldn't leave it alone. I weigh 250 and he weighed about 150 even though he was taller than me. This jerk thought he knew everything.

Luke Donald is not really tall, but he plays +0.25" and standart (flat) lie.

IMO there is no gerneral rule about length.

[quote name='rybo' timestamp='1352903461' post='5932231']
Fitting tall people may be the most misunderstood element in the fitting world. Taller golfers who have [b][u]shorter arms/longer wrist to floor lengths or wide chests[/u][/b] need longer clubs. Lie angles after getting fit for the proper length usually end up standard or a little flat.
[/quote]

[quote name='Hstead' timestamp='1352923797' post='5934137']
Finally, I said look, your shoulders aren't as wide as my leg and my shoulders are three times wider than yours, common sense tells you that when you make a triangle with your arms and shoulders by putting your hands together my hands are going to be a few inches farther from the ground than your triangle that has one side that is 12" wide, ie your shoulders.
[/quote]

I am so glad to finally read this in a discussion about shaft length. I always thought it was a little primitive to base shaft length on the wrist to floor measurement with the arms hanging at the sides of the body and not with the hands actually put together in front of the body like they are when holding a golf club.

[quote name='HoosierMizuno' timestamp='1352920179' post='5933805']
if i hit a a standard length club on lie board and was suggested to go 2* upright, if my next set i order is 1/2"+ should i keep the 2* upright or should that be changed back to standard now that i'd have extra length. i know i can remeasure once i have my clubs, but if i order i'd like to try to get as close to possible.
[/quote]

For every 1/2" you add in length it adds 1* upright. So you would add the 1/2" and then bend the irons only 1* upright.

IMO shaft length is whats comfortable for you, I dont think all of the taller PGA pros use shafts with extra length especially with the driver Bubba for example. I dont think that DJ, Cink, Tiger and Figjam have iron shafts that are far from standard length, those guys are more concerned with lie and loft angles being dead on.

[quote name='J13' timestamp='1352933774' post='5934953']
[quote name='HoosierMizuno' timestamp='1352920179' post='5933805']
if i hit a a standard length club on lie board and was suggested to go 2* upright, if my next set i order is 1/2"+ should i keep the 2* upright or should that be changed back to standard now that i'd have extra length. i know i can remeasure once i have my clubs, but if i order i'd like to try to get as close to possible.
[/quote]

For every 1/2" you add in length it adds 1* upright. So you would add the 1/2" and then bend the irons only 1* upright.
[/quote]

It's stuff like this that shows the misconceptions for fitting the tall golfer!! Every 1/2" [u]does not[/u] make a club more upright for the golfer who needs longer clubs!! If a club is too short, it's too short, sure you can make it kinda work by making it more upright but posture and comfort will suffer. It's truly a band-aid fix and never properly addresses the length issue. Maintaining posture and proper swing path is impossible if you are hunched over with a ball that is too close. Take two clubs both have 62* lie angles one has a length of 37" the other is 38". Did the lie angle change, NO! Length and lie are separate fitting variables. Length fits the body and posture, lie fits the swing. This is why fitting for length comes prior to fitting for lie angle.

From my experiences those golfers who needs longer clubs usually will have the best performance with lie angles that are standard to the flat side. It really makes no sense to make a club longer and then more upright. Well it is if you want to force an over the top swing and a steep angle of attack. Hence the reason why most tall players are diggers and not sweepers. Flattening out the lie angle forces the golfer to use a proper inside out swing that is not so steep. For you fitters out there when fitting tall golfers be very accommodating fitting for length and be stingy as hell when increasing the lie angle.

For all those mentioning Tiger in this post, he is maybe 6' tall on a good day. I am 6' 4" and have been shoulder to shoulder with him. He should not be mentioned as a tall golfer.

[quote name='rybo' timestamp='1352947409' post='5936069']
[quote name='J13' timestamp='1352933774' post='5934953']
[quote name='HoosierMizuno' timestamp='1352920179' post='5933805']
if i hit a a standard length club on lie board and was suggested to go 2* upright, if my next set i order is 1/2"+ should i keep the 2* upright or should that be changed back to standard now that i'd have extra length. i know i can remeasure once i have my clubs, but if i order i'd like to try to get as close to possible.
[/quote]

For every 1/2" you add in length it adds 1* upright. So you would add the 1/2" and then bend the irons only 1* upright.
[/quote]

It's stuff like this that shows the misconceptions for fitting the tall golfer!! Every 1/2" [u]does not[/u] make a club more upright for the golfer who needs longer clubs!! If a club is too short, it's too short, sure you can make it kinda work by making it more upright but posture and comfort will suffer. It's truly a band-aid fix and never properly addresses the length issue. Maintaining posture and proper swing path is impossible if you are hunched over with a ball that is too close. Take two clubs both have 62* lie angles one has a length of 37" the other is 38". Did the lie angle change, NO! Length and lie are separate fitting variables. Length fits the body and posture, lie fits the swing. This is why fitting for length comes prior to fitting for lie angle.

From my experiences those golfers who needs longer clubs usually will have the best performance with lie angles that are standard to the flat side. It really makes no sense to make a club longer and then more upright. Well it is if you want to force an over the top swing and a steep angle of attack. Hence the reason why most tall players are diggers and not sweepers. Flattening out the lie angle forces the golfer to use a proper inside out swing that is not so steep. For you fitters out there when fitting tall golfers be very accommodating fitting for length and be stingy as hell when increasing the lie angle.
[/quote]

Fitting tall golfers has many many factors, stance, posture, arm length, swing path, attack angle, lat size, etc. if you make clubs longer AND flatter you are talking about HOOK city. Every tall golfer I know that has longer clubs also has then more upright. It's simple physiology. There is nothing wrong with digging...that's just a thing most tall golfers have to deal with. Trust me I know all about it.

[quote name='somaplr' timestamp='1352950783' post='5936333']
[quote name='rybo' timestamp='1352947409' post='5936069']
[quote name='J13' timestamp='1352933774' post='5934953']
[quote name='HoosierMizuno' timestamp='1352920179' post='5933805']
if i hit a a standard length club on lie board and was suggested to go 2* upright, if my next set i order is 1/2"+ should i keep the 2* upright or should that be changed back to standard now that i'd have extra length. i know i can remeasure once i have my clubs, but if i order i'd like to try to get as close to possible.
[/quote]

For every 1/2" you add in length it adds 1* upright. So you would add the 1/2" and then bend the irons only 1* upright.
[/quote]

It's stuff like this that shows the misconceptions for fitting the tall golfer!! Every 1/2" [u]does not[/u] make a club more upright for the golfer who needs longer clubs!! If a club is too short, it's too short, sure you can make it kinda work by making it more upright but posture and comfort will suffer. It's truly a band-aid fix and never properly addresses the length issue. Maintaining posture and proper swing path is impossible if you are hunched over with a ball that is too close. Take two clubs both have 62* lie angles one has a length of 37" the other is 38". Did the lie angle change, NO! Length and lie are separate fitting variables. Length fits the body and posture, lie fits the swing. This is why fitting for length comes prior to fitting for lie angle.

From my experiences those golfers who needs longer clubs usually will have the best performance with lie angles that are standard to the flat side. It really makes no sense to make a club longer and then more upright. Well it is if you want to force an over the top swing and a steep angle of attack. Hence the reason why most tall players are diggers and not sweepers. Flattening out the lie angle forces the golfer to use a proper inside out swing that is not so steep. For you fitters out there when fitting tall golfers be very accommodating fitting for length and be stingy as hell when increasing the lie angle.
[/quote]

Fitting tall golfers has many many factors, stance, posture, arm length, swing path, attack angle, lat size, etc. [b][u]if you make clubs longer AND flatter you are talking about HOOK city.[/u][/b] Every tall golfer I know that has longer clubs also has then more upright. It's simple physiology. There is nothing wrong with digging...that's just a thing most tall golfers have to deal with. Trust me I know all about it.
[/quote]

A flatter club = more hook? What am I missing?

And every tall person you know has longer and more upright clubs because this has been the standard operating procedure of the OEM's for too long.

I meant fade...sorry...anyways

I'm not sure how tall you are, but I'm 6'5" and most of my buddies that I'm referring to range from 6'3" to 6'8". I think its presumptuous for you to say that without ever seeing anyone swing, how they hold the club, knee bend, bend at the hips, etc.

I wasnt fitted by an OEM either, it was an independent fitter. I just happened to buy OEM clubs. And I think my club length works out fine for me. I'm damn near a scratch golfer.

[quote name='somaplr' timestamp='1352952546' post='5936479']
I meant fade...sorry...anyways

I'm not sure how tall you are, but I'm 6'5" and most of my buddies that I'm referring to range from 6'3" to 6'8". I think its presumptuous for you to say that without ever seeing anyone swing, how they hold the club, knee bend, bend at the hips, etc.

I wasnt fitted by an OEM either, it was an independent fitter. I just happened to buy OEM clubs. And I think my club length works out fine for me. I'm damn near a scratch golfer.
[/quote]

I'm 6' 4" and have been a professional golfer for the last 5 years. Not trying to be presumptuous at all, truly attempting to be helpful so let me try to explain. There is one thing an upright lie angle does that can not be disputed as it's pure geometry, it moves the ball position closer to the golfer regardless of length. Think of a right triangle, angle A is the lie angle and the hypotenuse is the clubs length. As angle A(lie angle) increase the horizontal leg (ball position) of the triangle becomes shorter for a given length. This is about the worst thing that could be done to a tall golfer because the closer ball position does not allow enough space for a proper release of the club into the ball and forces a steep almost over the top move that impedes a proper inside out swing path. This is why so many tall golfers hit the ball towards the toe even with an upright lie angle.

The club itself will dictate how the golfer swings to some extent. Too short and/or too upright only magnifies these problems. Hence why I stated be generous when adding length and very stingy when increasing the lie angle. I'm looking at the golfer, how the golfer generates swing dynamics and how the club fits into all of this.

The OEM's are very reluctant to add length due to swingweight increases and shaft flex issues. They are only protecting their own interests and not the golfers.

Ryo, I agree with you 99% but there are many Tour Pros like Ernie Els that uses plus 1/2" and 1 degree up. I am near scratch as well and play 1/2" and 2 up on some irons. My swing path is far from OTT, instead I fight swinging too far from the inside. The farther I stand from the ball, the more inside the swing path becomes and exaggerates this problem. I have a lie loft machine and measure my angles often. I have been fit by four places, all exactly the same, two by teachers that you have heard of, and one my a Taylor Made Performance center where they put the reflectors all over you etc. Every time I come out the same 2* up plus 1/2". I play a draw too, not OTT.

By the way, I am a real 6'1", which is one inch taller than a lot of my 6'2" buddies, and Tiger is not 6'1". Tiger is 6' on his best day with new spikes on. Ernie on the other hand is a real 6'3". Big dude.