what length shafts or tall golfer?

[keyser]

help

I custom made clubs for a customer, i measured him on a fitting board needing 2* upright, and I measured his hand to floor just a bit over standard(but I don´t like the idea of static tests), I don´t have different length clubs to measure which one he hits the best. He´s about 6' 4 teen that weighs about 130pounds, so I thought going over a 1/2" would result in having a swingweight of about D5, and I just think that would be too much.

Now his golf teacher says he needs 1" over standard because he thinks that way he can turn better, says he can´t stand tall enough with the clubs as they are now. I´m willing to go with that... but my theory is that if he doesn´t show a tighter impact pattern with that length of club it doesn´t suite him better, and I´m worried about that swingweight.

What do you all think?

[Awsi Dooger]

I'm 6-4, in my late 40s. Throughout the decades I listened to the conventional wisdom that tall golfers should use standard length or only moderately lenghtened, let's say 1/2 inch.

 

Frankly, I think that advice is mass produced by the 5-9 crowd, something they want to believe. Every time I've taken a lesson it's always an instuctor of average height, the perfect stature for golf, and they thrill to make snide wisecracks about my lengthened clubs after swinging them a few times.

 

Only recently have I started lengthening my own clubs and the +3/4 to +1 range is so comfy I can't believe it. For the first time I feel like I can stand up there with an natural athletic stance instead of awkward and cramped. Previously I had + 1/2.

 

I partially compensate for swingweight by using a heavier oversize grip. I have size XXL glove.

 

The only club I don't like lenghtened is the driver. Even 45 is too long.

 

Just my opinion, obviously. But I think we'll see a move in that direction. I read Robert Karlsson's opinions on the topic and I was convinced he's right.

[zzy]

If it works, do it. I was a 6'4" when I started playing at his age. Discovering custom fitting years later was a revelation. I play my irons +4* and +1". It depends on his posture and wrist-to-floor measurement. I don't think it's too extreme at all; in fact I love heavier swingweights. He sounds awfully thin at 130, but will be able to handle the SW as he fills out.

[drdlowc]

I am 6' 4" but have short arms for a tall person. My wife who is 5' 7" wears the same sleeve length as I do. I make my clubs 2" over standard except my driver which is 48". I've tried the standard length. I am actually play better with the longer drive and clubs. I was topping the ball quite a bit. Now I hardly ever top the ball with the longer clubs. My suggestion for this case would be to get a club that could tinker with and tinker with the lies and length to see which one is the best.

 

Dr. D

 

BTW my SW is bent 2* down to prevent hooking. I was hooking it because iI was hit the ball more n the heel than I wanted to do

[Angenend]

I'm 6'4", 175 lbs and actually have a very big armspan... 79".

 

I still play my clubs +1" and a few degrees upright.

 

It's what looks better to his eye, if he's good enough to tell the difference. At that height, I don't think +1" could ever be TOO long, and he'll get used to the swingweight. I've had irons up to E0 before, and i ust got used to them.

[T-Gates]

When I was custom fit for my first set of real good irons (Apex Plus in 2000) my pro fit me 3/4" over standard and 2* up. (I'm 6' 3")

 

I played those irons for about 5.5 years and always stayed a solid iron player with a single digit handicap.

 

Well those irons got stolen and I layed off the golf for awhile since I didn't have as much time as I used to have.

 

In the past year, I got back into it and decided to go to a store in my new city to get fit. This "pro" was under the impression I only needed standard length and 1* up in a set of Toski T-54 blades. Fair enough. He's the "pro".

 

I couldn't get it right with those clubs at all. I eventually measured them up and put them on a lie board and those specs were WAY off for my swing.

 

I ditched that set on principal and returned them. I picked up a set of 962B's for a song and lengthened them to 3/4" over and 2* up and I'm back in the single digits and dropping.

 

So in a nutshell, overlength irons make a huge difference in my game.

[DaveyH]

im a 6''4 teen and atm i play standard length irons.

My wrist to floor is quite short because i have really long arms.

I stand up tall however.

I used to play my old mp-67's which were custom fitted at 1.25'' over!

id say that dynamic fitting is much better as static fitting there are some freak results.

[SDGolfing]

I am 6'3 and I play what is now concedered by many golf companies as standard length clubs (38' 5 iron.) There are of course many methodologies and reasons why people chose to play the length that they do but mine has always been play the shortest club that feels comfortable. I for the longest time played clubs that were around an inch over standard. They were heavy and lets face it the further you are away from the ball the harder it is to hit it straight. After reading an article about how even Bob Tway and Ernie Els choose to play clubs closer to standard for the exact reasons mentioned I made the change. The wear marks now on my clubs are dead in the middle of the club. They never were before.

[toddba11]

I am 6'6" and play +1.25 to 1.50 in the past. My lie adjustment is anywhere from 4 to 2 dgrees upright. I like a little extra lenght and I am a pretty good ball striker so it does not really bother me. The heavier club also helps my tempo.

[Awsi Dooger]

I remember posting in this old thread. I stand by my summation that taller golfers generally need longer clubs than most of the older teachers want to recommend, particularly in the irons. During a driver fitting subsequent to posting in this thread I discovered I was incorrect to play drivers in the 44.5 to 44.75 range. I was fitted to 45.25 in a slightly stiffer shaft and it's produced more consistent contact, with fewer strikes toward the toe.

[Verg]

Good topic - Have any tall golfers tried - shorter "standard" length in the 3 iron and longer 1" in plus in the wedges, 9, 8? I've heard that a 3/8" difference in irons may help the taller golfer. I'm 6'4" and a plus 1" 3 iron is very hard to control... Any advice would be helpful? Would you play a shorter driver, 3W and hybrids?

[TLT_Dan]

[quote name='keyser' timestamp='1218139932' post='1202291']
I custom made clubs for a customer, i measured him on a fitting board needing 2* upright, and I measured his hand to floor just a bit over standard(but I don´t like the idea of static tests), I don´t have different length clubs to measure which one he hits the best. He´s about 6' 4 teen that weighs about 130pounds, so I thought going over a 1/2" would result in having a swingweight of about D5, and I just think that would be too much.

Now his golf teacher says he needs 1" over standard because he thinks that way he can turn better, says he can´t stand tall enough with the clubs as they are now. I´m willing to go with that... but my theory is that if he doesn´t show a tighter impact pattern with that length of club it doesn´t suite him better, and I´m worried about that swingweight.

What do you all think?
[/quote]

You can try lighter shafts as this will keep the total weight down as well as help the swing weight a bit.
At 6'4 and only 130 lbs, a heavier club may not be his friend?

[T-Bone84]

I'm a little over 6'6" and I just got new irons this winter at 2" over standard and ranging from a E4 to E6 swingweight FWIW.

[csiachos]

I for one think the wrist to floor measurement is a bunch of BS. It doesn't make sense. Shouldn't a player be measured from wrist to floor in their golf stance. Having a static number to go by just puts alot of wrong ideas in your head before you even get started with the fitting. I am 6'6" and have extremely long arms. I measure to +1/2" on the chart, but play my irons at +1 and 1/4"(measured to the end of the grip-so they are extended really +1 and 1/8"). I choke up on the club about 1/4 to 1/2" so that my palm does not overlap the end of the grip. My clubs are about D6 but that has always led me to be very consistent. I always have believed a new measurement chart should be made from the wrist to floor in the proper stance, b/c some people don't bend their legs as much. Just my 2 cents.

[Smokey1226]

[quote name='Verg' timestamp='1296508550' post='2940538']
Good topic - Have any tall golfers tried - shorter "standard" length in the 3 iron and longer 1" in plus in the wedges, 9, 8? I've heard that a 3/8" difference in irons may help the taller golfer. I'm 6'4" and a plus 1" 3 iron is very hard to control... Any advice would be helpful? Would you play a shorter driver, 3W and hybrids?
[/quote]
Im 6'4" and im actually having my new X200's put in my Irons as we speak. I went + 1" in my wedges, +3/4" in pw-7 iron and 1/2"+ the rest.

I could go longer but for whatever reason my arms are really long and i like my hands closer to my body and the ground so it almost makes me go flatter instead of upright with my lies.

[mckennwa]

I am 6'7" and play my irons +1 and 1/4 over length. Still just a 45" driver though.

[NWS Alpine]

I'm 6'1" and play standard length 2* upright. I stand close to the ball and keek my hands close to my legs like most pros (~2"). Driver I play 44.5".

[Blaiser]

A golf pro in AZ, who is also a Mizuno fitter, regularly puts guys into +1.5 to +2 inches. If you asked a PING or Titleist fitter, they would say he is mad. Although he just did a fitting for my Dad who is 6'3 and got him at +1.75, my Dad thought that was too long, so went with +1.5 and couldn't be any happier. He feels like he isn't fighting his swing anymore and can have a more natural, fluid motion. He is also a club longer. So it can be a good thing.

[Metalhead]

I'm 6'2" and have progressed over the years from +2* up and 1/2" over to now STD, -1/2" ....and the still feel too long. I have long arms and statically I measure to these current specs. I have gained yards and most importantly find the middle of the face for now

[Howard_Jones]

Here is the recipe I gives to players that wants to find out what shaft length they fit the best, without having the option of changing to different shaft lengths in a test to find out.

- You need face tape, or a whiteboard pen
- Tape -any sort.
- Some lead tape, or balancing weights for car rims (double sided tape weights for light alloy wheels)
- A static fitting chart to find out what might fit, and where to start. ( I use Tom Wishon's charts)

Shaft length is adjusted by adding a piece of tape to the but end, like you where cutting of that part.
- The player takes grip LOWER than this tape, to simulate a shorter club length.

Let the player hit with the "new" shaft length and look for impact spot on face.
-If you don have face tape, use the white board pen to make a mark in the golf ball, pointing at sweet spot at address.

If the player feels the SW to light from "Taping down shaft length" ( the effect of swing weight change is more or less equal to the change a cut of will provide)
Then you ads weight to the club head, until SW is OK for the player.
- This way you are adjusting both swing weight and shaft length in the same routine, and you will find both the right shaft length (if its shorter), and the Swing weight that fits this player.
- If you wants to, also try counterweighting along with swing weighting, and look for dispersion to decide together with feedback from how it feels for the player.

You cant imitate a LONGER shaft, only a shorter shaft, and the only thing "out" when you do this, is grips size (to small when grip is lower down)
- and some miss read due to the Counterweight effect of a possible 1-1.5 long but with a heavy piece of grip, coming out on top of the players hand.

When impact pattern, and the players FEEL control are optimized (swing weight and so on), you have found his spec's to play with.

EDIT- For those who don't know how to read impact marks on the face , follow this
- Hits against the heel side = To long club
- Hits "al over the face" = To long club
- Hits against the toe (most of the time) = to short
-Sweet spots most of the time = FIT

If you measure the wideness of the score lines on the face, and mark the centre, you can also test lie angles.
- Painters tape with colour (from a pen) on the sole of the club, an a piece of plywood big enough for you and the ball to stand on (like on the range)
- Hits balls where you gain contact to the plywood you are hitting from (you have to stand in the same level, ON this plywood plate)

- Read impact marks on sole this way:
- If contact is in the centre of the sole - Lie angle is right
- if contact is 1/4 against the toe, you need 1* more upright no matter what it is now ( 0.5 from centre is 2*)
- if contact is 1/4 against the heel, lie angle should be bend down 1* from where it is now

[dklosowski]

I am about 6'2'' - 6'3'' and have relatively long arms. I played std. length and lie irons for few years before I switched to +1/2'' +2*. Those extended shafts were DG S300, so one of the heaviest out there. SW was way off for me and clubs really did not feel right. I am just shopping for new set. Should I go with DG SL +1/2'' +2* to maintain relatively std SW?

[Howard_Jones]

9 grams shaft weight equals to 1 SW point
- IF balance point is the same

DGS300 VS DGSL300 = 130 grams VS 106 grams

Approx 24/9 = 2,66 SW point drop

EDIT-

The feeling of SW equals to the one you get on your clubs now, if you lower your grip by 0.5 inch ( you loose 3 SW point)
- Try that, swing the club and feel it, Is it low enough?

[dklosowski]

[quote name='Howard Jones' timestamp='1298189164' post='2994204']
9 grams shaft weight equals to 1 SW point
- IF balance point is the same

DGS300 VS DGSL300 = 130 grams VS 106 grams

Approx 24/9 = 2,66 SW point drop

EDIT-

The feeling of SW equals to the one you get on your clubs now, if you lower your grip by 0.5 inch ( you loose 3 SW point)
- Try that, swing the club and feel it, Is it low enough?
[/quote]

It does feel little better and makes my swing more fluid. Still, 24 grams seems to be a lot. It's almost like playing a graphite shaft in your irons.

[Howard_Jones]

Try Counterweighting - add weight to the but end.
Yes total weight gains, but the balance will change so you get the feel of dropped Swing weight.
Much cheaper than new shafts, if you are worried about stability in you swing due to lighter shafts.

5 grams grip side, equals to the feel of drop in SW by 1 SW point.

A Mid size grip (New Decade) is +12 grams from standard if you choose mid size (cheep way to counterweight approx 2 SW points if new grips are needed anyway)
Dispersion will tell if you can play with it. (If tested for Certified Balance Counterweights, dispersion and feel together is judgement factors)

[csiachos]

I am of the opinion that a longer shaft for the really tall guys is better. Say 1" extended or something close. 2" is too much. But if you're really tall, like some of the guys on here, and you're using standard length clubs, it can be hard to stay down on the ball in the later holes of the round. I am not saying that i am right, but the higher swingweight has always helped me. I play my driver and woods at D4, my irons at D5-6, and putter at 350 grams at 35 and 1/4 inches. Of course I am a large person with long arms, and the heavy weight helps with less movement that can creep into the swings of the tall players. In reality, I think i play my irons at 3/4" when they're really 1 and 1/4" longer. I choke up about 1/4-1/2" on every club automatically. Just gives me more options-can still choke up for uphill lies and lengthen the club if the ball is below my feet.

[rybo]

I have been struggling with this question for the past few months. Finally broke down and built a few test clubs that are: 4 iron @ 40" and a 50* wedge @ 37". Roughly 1.5" over standard depending on who's standard it's compared. The only way I can get center sole contact is with the additional length. Bending more upright did nothing for moving the center strikes until it was 6-7* over the initial starting lie angle and then the club looks very funny at address, it also became unplayable. So I have been getting much more mileage from additional length then I ever got from bending more upright.

Another thought, as you bend a club more upright, the ball gets closer to you and there is less space for the club to travel on an inside path to the ball. The biggest problems for tall golfers is an upright swing plane with an over the top move (and bending clubs more upright only exasperates these two problems). I'm starting to believe these two swing maladies are being caused by clubs that are just too short. Additional length allows a tall golfer to maintain proper angles throughout a swing.

Here is a link to an article I found a few months back that really got me thinking. Thankfully I found this because it expressed exactly the same thoughts I had been thinking about with relation to the club fit and sing dynamics.

http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/golf-equipment-and-custom-fitting-2817661.html

Couple more things. Robert Karlsson starts with his wedges at 37" and the set progress from there. Here's the link to Titleist's page where it's discussed. pay particular attention to the comments section. A lot of good information direct from Titleist.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:DSCi2MeSm6MJ:www.titleist.com/teamtitleist/b/tourblog/archive/2007/03/21/robert-karlsson-and-his-scotty-cameron-by-titleist-putter.aspx+karlsson+iron+specs&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a&source=www.google.com

Lastly, when going longer, using standard shafts like a Dynamic Gold X100, S300 just will not work. The clubs become much too heavy and cumbersome to use effectively over say the course of 18 holes or a practice session. Try using a Dynamic Gold SL or other lighter weight shaft. Total weight is the key, not swingweight. Don't worry too much about swingweight as there is nothing in the industry that allows for an additional 1 1/2" of length. Sure Mizuno has lighter heads but that's removing mass from the thing hitting the ball and that's where you need mass.

[Metalhead]

Keep in mind that lie angle effectively change club length as well....for every 1*= 1/2" in length .... But this guide is not an exception to adding actual length to a club as the case by case may be. However just by adding physical length you have also effectively flattened the lie angle as well.
Fitting can be done in a variety of ways using both length and lies to reach the ideal effective and correct lengths for a given player... I.e. If a player requires an effective length of 1" over... It could be done +1/2" and STD lie( as for every 1" of length = 2*) or it could be done by adding 1" and bending upright by 4* too... But ultimately is best determined by which combo you are most likely to repeatedly hit in the middle of the club face= FIT
Upright=shorter
Flatter=longer

[rybo]

[quote name='Metalhead' timestamp='1298238418' post='2995521']
Keep in mind that lie angle effectively change club length as well....for every 1*= 1/2" in length .... But this guide is not an exception to adding actual length to a club as the case by case may be. However just by adding physical length you have also effectively flattened the lie angle as well.[/quote]


Metalhead

Let preface my response with I am only looking for a healthy discussion and in no way am I trying to be confrontational.

With regards to taller golfers, changing lie angle has little to no effect because the clubs are simply too short to begin with. Again when you add length you have done nothing to the effective lie angle with regards to the taller golfer. Lets stop for a moment and define taller golfer as someone 6' 3" and taller with a wtf of 38" and greater. The only time the effective lie angle changes is when you have first hit the proper length club for the individual, then add additional length beyond what's needed. If I require a 37" wedge @ 66* degrees then the only time the lie angle has effectively become flatter is once the length goes beyond 37" while maintaining the 66* lie angle.

Also bending a club more upright, by 1*, does not change it's length by 1/2". It simply changes the lie angle. Any length gained is way too small to be considered functional. But it does move the clubhead closer to you, which is trouble for tall individuals. Remember the golfers hands are the constant starting point, not the club head.

I used to believe the 1* more upright added length. But reality has shown me that this is simply an aberration. The only way to increase length is to physically increase the length.

Due to the huge cost implications the industry does not want to deal with the needs of tall golfers. The different weight heads and shafts required to properly fit the tall individual would be a huge burden.

[CrisPy3]

Im 6'4 and have always played 1" over and 3* upright just because i stand closer to the ball. Though on a recent work trip i rented some clubs and they were standard... Actually played pretty well just bending my knees a tad more... I guess it comes down to what you feel like you're going to play you best with...

[HouAggie]

6'3 and wrist-to-floor of right about 38" here. I play +1/2" and +3*. I used to play +1", but the club was just too long for control. Amazing what a difference only half an inch makes.