How to Measure Driver Shaft Length

The length of the golf club’s shaft in relation to the overall length of the club defines the length of the driver shaft. Alternatively, this is the difference between the length of the overall golf club and the length of the clubhead.

Generally, the longer your driver shaft is, the more difficult it becomes to have control over the club and hit a ball squarely.

How to Measure Golf Shaft Length. When installing new golf shafts it is important to know how long the shafts need to be. Measuring the length of the old shafts will show how long the new ones need to be. If someone else is installing the shafts for you, knowing how long you want them will speed up the shaft replacement process. The average length of a driver 5 years ago was approximately 45” long. In 2011, the average driver length of the brands that we stock is 45.73”, and that number is only going to go up in 2012. In concept, going to a longer shaft is a great idea since in most cases the longer the shaft the faster the head will travel. For putters, length can be measured a number of ways because of the position of the hosel and/or golf shaft in relationship to the heel.As mentioned before, the length on heel-shafted putters can be measured the same way as an iron or wood. Let’s look at two other options. 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.

How to measure the length of your driver shaft:

1. Keep the golf club in the playing position such that the center of the sole is in contact with the ground.
   
2. Position a 48” golf club ruler behind the golf club making sure the ruler tip touches the ground by the heel of the club. The ruler must be kept such that the golf club rests on it.
   
3. Measure the distance from the edge of the grip cap to the heel.
   

The above method can be used in all instances except putters because the shaft is not positioned at the heel in this case.

Driver Golf Club Length

It’s a good idea to measure the shaft length of all the golf clubs in your bag and save them for future reference.

How to Shorten/Cut Driver Shaft Length

A short driver shaft may help you hit a straight shot better and also hit the center of the face more than you usually do. Moreover, a short shaft helps you gain better control.

1. Remove the grip from the driver using a hook blade or a utility knife, as well as the grip tape on the shaft.
   
2. Measure the length that you want to shorten on the shaft. Add an extra 1/8 inch to this and mark the position using a permanent marker.
   
3. Fix the golf club in position in a vise.
   
4. Position the tube cutter or the saw blade on the position that is marked. Use a tube cutter for a steel shaft and a saw blade in case of a graphite shaft.
   
5. Turn the cutting equipment on and cut the shaft through smoothly and slowly.
   
6. Turn off the cutting equipment and remove the club.
   
7. Smooth out the rough edges on the butt end of the golf club with sandpaper.
   
8. Fix a new grip on the shaft end.
   
9. Add weights to the clubhead to restore the original swing weight feel.
   

It’s advisable to wear a pair of safety goggles to protect your eyes during the sawing process. Also, cutting through the shaft in one motion will ensure an even cut.

Effects of Shortening a Golf Shaft

When you have decided to shorten your golf shaft, you must keep in mind the after-effects of doing so. How much and where you cut off the shaft has different effects on the golf club.

If you cut the shaft at the tip end, your golf club will become considerably stiffer and lighter. This will, in turn, make the club flatter and affect the swing.

For every 1/2 inch that is cut away from your golf club shaft, you will end up doing away with about three swing weight points. However, the flex will hardly be affected.

On the other hand, cutting at the grip-end does not cause as much stiffening as the tip end. That is why cutting at the grip-end end is preferred for improving accuracy.

How to Lengthen a Driver Shaft

You may consider lengthening a driver shaft if you’re experimenting with golf clubs of different lengths or buying used clubs. The following steps will help you to extend your current driver shaft length.

1. Get an extension with a butt diameter of a slightly lower size than that of your present shaft so that it goes into the current shaft with a tight fit.
   
2. Place a little two-component golf epoxy on a clean surface and mix it up.
   
3. Use a toothpick or a small spatula and apply some epoxy on the outer surface of the extension.
   
4. Apply a little epoxy inside the shaft in a circular motion.
   
5. Insert the extension into the shaft so that it goes well inside the original shaft.
   
6. Spray a little acetone on a paper towel and wipe off the overflow at the point of insertion.
   
7. Allow the shaft to dry for at least a couple of hours before you use your golf club.

Read more:How to use golf club epoxy

Effects of Lengthening a Golf Shaft

As in the case of shortening a shaft, you must be aware of what the effects would be if you increase its length.

Increasing the length of a 45 inches shaft by an extra inch will help you gain about five to six heavier swing weight points and will affect your timing. The shaft will also be a bit more flexible and softer than it was before the extension.

Remember that your accuracy is likely to be at stake with the lengthened golf club. You may find it difficult to render a solid shot. The extra length also tends to reduce the bend or kick point of the shaft.

What is the Standard Driver Shaft Length

The standard length for a male driver shaft used to be 43.5 inches for a steel shaft and 44 inches for a graphite club. However, in recent times, the standard driver length has been accepted as 45 inches.

Typically, the length of a female golfer’s club is an inch lesser than that of a male golfer’s club. While the standard length for this club was initially 43 inches, it was revised to 44 inches in 2012.

The Maximum Length of the Driver Shaft

The minimum length for a driver shaft is 18 inches. However, the minimum and maximum lengths do not apply to putters. Drivers that exceed 48 inches in length cannot be used to play official tournaments and long driving competitions.

Irrespective of whether you own a golf club with a steel shaft or a graphite shaft, there is a maximum length that your shaft can have. This length has been set as 48 inches by the United States Golf Association under the Rules of Golf and it must not be exceeded.

How to Pick Driver Shaft Length

The driver is undoubtedly the biggest club in a golfer’s bag. Needless to say, this makes it essential for the shaft of the driver to be of the correct length for you to play a perfect game.

Cutting down the shaft length offers assurance of control while increased length generates more clubhead momentum and offers more overall distance.

Steps to Choose the Right Shaft

There are various parameters that you must consider while trying to pick the right shaft for your game. These are as follows:

Length:

The best way to narrow down on the right shaft is to do test shots on the range with drivers of varying lengths. The right shaft length will help you to hit the golf ball with the driver much the same way that you would do with a wedge.

You must find a shaft length that offers you a comfortable rhythmic and smooth swing and the ability to hit the maximum distance consistently with accuracy.

A swing using a 44-inch shaft must be able to take the ball by approximately an extra distance of 20 yards when compared to a hit with a 43-inch shaft that will make the ball travel approximately 250 yards.

It’s also worth noting that that the shaft length also has an impact on the lie angles. While upright lie angles are often associated with tall people, short players prefer flatter lie angles.

By increasing or decreasing the shaft length by an extra half an inch will result in the club playing 1 degree more upright, or flat respectively.

With a standard-length club, tall players tend to stoop quite a bit while short players will find themselves having to stand in a more upright position than required.

Flex

The flex refers to how much your golf shaft is capable of bending when a force is applied to it during a swing. It plays a key role in determining the squaring of the clubface at impact. Without flex, there are high chances of not being able to render a solid and good contact consistently. This, in turn, affects the distance and direction of the shot.

Kick-point

Kick-point refers to that point on the shaft that encounters the maximum bend during a swing. A high kick-point implies that the bend is closer to the grip resulting in less trajectory. A low kick point indicates that the bend is towards the head triggering a high trajectory. Kick point is also called bend-point or flex-point.

Spin rate

The spin rate is the speed at which a golf ball spins on an imaginary axis during the flight after its hit by a golf club. This is measured in terms of rotations per minute.

Grip size

Grip size is just as important as the size of the shafts of your driver and other golf clubs for a perfect game. Big grip size can inhibit your wrist release through the impact area and cause a fade or a block.

On the other hand, a very small grip results in an early release and result in a draw or a pull.

Selecting Shaft Length for Men (Chart)

The following table will give you the ideal club length for iron golf clubs for the standard size. You can use the same table for reference for steel shafts, graphite and hybrid shafts.

Wrist to Floor Length	Golfer Height (inches)
26” to 29”	5’ – 5’2”
29” to 34”	5’2” – 5’4”
32” to 34”	5’4” – 5’7”
34” to 37”	5’7” – 6.1”
37” to 38”	6’1” – 6’2”
38” to 39”	6’2”- 6’4”
40” to 41”	6’4” – 6’.6”
41” to 42”	6’6” – 6’.8”
43+”	>6’.9”

Selecting Shaft Length for Women

You can use the same table given above as a reference for women. Remember that golf clubs for women are designed to be an inch shorter than men’s golf clubs. So, you will have to make your calculation accordingly.

Driver Shaft Length for Height

To get the best performance out of your driver, you must use one that has a shaft length appropriate to your height. Often shaft lengths are decided by taking into account the height and wrist to floor measurements of a person. The measurements are usually taken in inches.

Calculating your wrist to floor measurement is almost as simple as measuring your height.

1. Stand on a hard surface wearing regular or non-golf shoes.
2. Maintain a relaxed posture and stand straight with your arms hanging by your sides.
3. Request someone to measure the distance from your wrist to the floor.

Based on the size of your driver, the other golf clubs in your golf bag will have a decreasing size.

For example, if your driver uses a 44 inches steel shaft, then the shaft of your 5-iron golf club will be 38 inches and that of the sand wedge will be 36 inches.

Alternatively, if you have a standard 45 inches graphite driver, then your 5-iron shaft will size at 38.5 inches and the sand wedge at 36 inches. All these sizes will be an inch lesser for women golfers.

You can also check out for yourself what size will work the best for you.

1. Take some tape and cover the grip from the tip to the butt.
   
2. Now, make several markings on the tape at a distance of half an inch from each other.
   
3. Step out to the golf range and start hitting your shots from the different lengths that you have marked. This will help you decide the height you’re comfortable with and what gives you good control.
   
4. Based on this, you may want to adjust your sand wedge and other golf clubs. At this point, do not worry about the distance covered by the shot.

It’s worth noting that the height and weight measurements are only rough estimates to help you judge the appropriate club size. They do not consider several parameters like your swing speed and posture.

If you want to know the exact length that you will need for your driver shaft considering your height, you should avail of the professional club fitting services.

Driver Shaft Length for Short Golfers

The general rule followed is that short golfers play better with short clubs. So, the shaft length adjustment must be carried out considering this height factor.

Another point to be noted is that short golfers of the same height can have different wrist-to-floor measurements. The driver length increases in indirect proportion to the wrist-to-height measurements.

Hence, if the height of a male golfer is 5’2” and he has a 29 inches wrist-to-floor measurement, he will have to lessen the standard 44 inches size of a steel shaft by 1.5 inches.

Most male golfers will feel comfortable using a 42.5 inches long steel shaft. However, if a player of the same height has 34 inches of wrist-to-floor measurement, he can use the standard golf club without any changes.

Alternatively, a 5’2” golfer with 38 inches wrist to floor measurement will have to increase the standard size by 1.5 inches. This means that the ideal shaft length for his driver will be 45.5 inches.

You may also need to make some adjustments to the lie of your driver.

Driver shaft length for 5’5” | 5’6” | 5’7” | 5’8” | 5’9” | 5’10” | 5’11”

Cross-referencing your wrist-to-floor measurement with your height can help you make a fair judgement on the shaft length for your height.

Many brands like Ping use this cross-reference along with a color-coded chart to arrive at the length. Steel shafts are smaller than graphite shafts because of their weight.

With a graphite driver, the extra length helps in balancing the shaft. As a general rule of thumb, you can modify your standard driver shaft length as follows for iron shafts:

• 5’5” – Subtract 1”
• 5’6” – Subtract 1/2”
• 5’7” – Subtract 1/2”
• 5’8” – Subtract 1/2”
• 5’9” – N/A
• 5’10” – N/A
• 5’11” – N/A
  

There are also instances where 5’5” golfers have reduced the shaft size of their drivers by just 1/2 inch to 44.5” and opted for flattening the lie a little more. Some other golfers of the same height play with the standard 45” long driver at two degrees flat.

Few 5’6” golfers with 32” and 33” wrist-to-floor measurements use 45” and 44.5” drivers respectively.

With that being said, a few golfers who are 5’6” tall who use long 47.5” driver at two degrees flat, prefer standard lengths for all other clubs and wedges.

There are 5’7” tall golf players with long arms and high swing speeds who use flat irons with half an inch cut off from the standard size while there are 5’10” players who opt for 44.25” drivers.

Driver shaft length for 6’ | 6’1” | 6’2” | 6’3” | 6’4”

Standard golf clubs are generally designed keeping in mind golfers of average build with a height between 5’8” inches and 5’9”.

So, it goes without saying that if you’re taller than the average height specified, you may have to do a bit of modification to the shaft length of your driver.

The standard modifications for your standard iron shaft driver will be as follows:

• 6’ – Increase by 1/2”
• 6’1” – Increase by 1/2”
• 6’2” – Increase by 1/2”
• 6’3” – Increase by 1”
• 6’4” – Increase by 1”
  

Some 6’4” golfers find themselves giving their best performances by increasing the standard driver length by 1.5”.

Also, a few 6’4” players with 38” wrist-to-floor measurement are comfortable with a small 39” driver because they find swing weight important.

There are also slightly taller players at 6’5” who have added just 1” extra to the normal drive length.

Need to cut your golf club?Read my Golf Club Epoxy Guide

What is the Best Driver Shaft Length?

What is the Best Driver Shaft Length? The best length of driver for amateur golfers is 45.5 inches, whereas most professional players will instead use a 44.4 inch driver.

It’s essential that your driver shaft is of the right length. As the length of the shaft increases, you tend to lose control over the golf club, and will find it difficult to hit the golf ball squarely.

Having the incorrect length of golf driver can also result in chopping of the ball from fairway bunkers and the rough.

While tour players use drivers of 44.5 inches length, those available in shops for amateur golfers often have shafts that are 45.5 inches long. Generally, golfers with above-average swing speeds are better off using drivers with short shafts.

Shorter golf drivers don’t require the distance rendered by the extra length of the shaft as they’re able to generate enough distance by using drivers with shafts of usual length. On the other hand, players with high handicaps and slow swing speeds would find the extra distance offered by long shafts beneficial.

While being difficult to control, a long driver may also lead to frequent off-center hits that will put your accuracy and distance at stake.

Golf Driver Shaft Length Calculator

Remember that for every half-inch mishit that you experience on the clubface, the distance that you will lose is five percent. The right combination of shaft flex and shaft length for your driver helps you gain both accuracy and distance with your shots.

The best way to determine the right length for your driver shaft is to hit shots with several drivers of varying shaft lengths on a launch monitor. This will help you to understand your ball speed, club speed, dispersion, and distance.

Based on these values, you can decide on an optimum shaft length. You must also check where the driver’s face hits the ball. If most of your hits are close to the heel or toe, then your driver is either very long or very short.

You can opt for the assistance of a professional or an experienced club maker to make the changes to the length of your driver.

Golfers opting for short driver lengths must consider having a slightly heavy shaft and soft flex. They’re better than long drivers as they help in gaining distance, consistency, and accuracy.

Drivers with graphite shafts are an inch longer than those using steel shafts because they’re lighter. Similarly, women’s drivers are an inch shorter than the corresponding men’s drivers.

Short Driver Vs Long Driver

The following are some differences between a short driver and a long driver that are worth noting.

• A short driver often helps in rendering accurate shots than a long driver because of the ease of control.
• The off-line drives produced by a short driver are not as far off as those produced by a long driver.
• A short driver does not put much stress on the player’s body especially at the time of a swing, unlike a long driver.
• A short driver is a better choice than a long driver for women and golfers who use out-to-in and over-the-top swing styles.
• A driver with a short shaft helps players in hitting off-the-tee shots better than a driver with a long shaft.
• A short shaft driver tends to offer better dispersion, smash factor, and quality of contact in comparison to a long shaft driver.
• A short driver shaft covers a lesser distance and lesser raw swing speed for some golfers when compared to a long driver shaft, although not all players cover a longer distance with a long shaft.
• A short driver has a lesser static weight and makes it necessary to stand closer to the ball than a long driver.
• A short driver shaft produces more consistent and centered shot patterns than a long driver shaft.
• A short driver promotes the center of contact on its clubface unlike a long driver resulting in straight and long drives.

42.5 Inch Driver Shaft Length

Golf Driver Shaft Length For Height

The following are some observations worth noting on a driver with a shaft that is 42.5 inches long.

• Some golfers hit a longer distance using the 42.5 inches driver than a 44 inches club because of good swing speed.
• Few players choke up by a couple of inches making them contemplate cutting a couple of inches off the existing length.
• There are golfers who hit the ball in the center of the face with drivers of this shaft length that sends the ball on a low trajectory with less spin and covering a lesser distance, than a 46 inches driver.
• Many players experience the longest average drive when playing with this driver.
• Short male golfers with a height of 5’2” and 29 inches wrist-to-floor measurement find that they’re able to use this driver with a steel shaft comfortably without any modification.
• This measurement is considered to be the standard length of drivers with steel shafts for women players.

43 Inch Driver Shaft Length

Given below are some points that can be kept in mind on a driver that has a 43 inch shaft.

• Players who use this driver on the screws sometimes have seen their golf ball traveling a decent distance of 250 yards.
• Mid-handicap golfers who use stiff and heavy drivers of this length have rendered more consistent ball flights and contact on the face as well as better spin rate and launch conditions than a 46 inch driver.
• A few players with close to a 15 handicap are able to deliver the same clubhead speed as a 45.5 inches driver.
• The clubhead is lighter than that of a 45 inch driver shaft that makes the swinging action easy for golfers who find it difficult to accomplish this with their 45 inch driver.
• There are players who have hit their golf balls straight off the tee better with a 43 inch driver than a 46 inch driver.
• Some golfers have hit good distances with accuracy with a driver shaft of this size than when they use bigger drivers.

44 Inch Driver Shaft Length

The following points are worth noting regarding drivers with a shaft length of 44 inches.

• A few players use a 44” driver to drive their golf balls in the fairway.
• Some golfers have a good swing and cover little more distance than usual with a 44” driver because they hit the center face consistently.
• 44” is the standard length for drivers with steel shaft, for male players.
• A 44” driver helps golfers to achieve a distance of about 275 yards.
• Some players get good control and distance when they use this club.

44.5 Inch Driver Shaft Length

A driver with a shaft length of 44.5 inches usually helps golfers with the following.

• They can send the ball over a distance of 275 yards using this golf club.
• They hit fairways, off the tee and straighter shots more consistently with a 44.5 inch driver. The misses are less than when they use a 45 inch driver and they have more control over the club throughout the swing.
• They’re able to achieve better center-faced contact and less dispersion than with a larger driver.
• Some golfers can hit a slightly longer distance and more accurately with this club because of more square hits and hits with the clubface at the center.
• Swing speed or distance is not lost when playing with a 44.5 inch driver.
• They can hit the sweet spots with solid contact and precision on a golf course using a 44.5 inch driver.

45 Inch Driver Shaft Length

Golf Driver Shaft Lengths

The standard length of a driver with a stainless steel shaft for a male player is 45 inches. The following list highlights some experiences of players using drivers with a 45 inch shaft length.

• They achieve a better smash factor with a 45 inch driver than a slightly longer 46 inch driver.
• They’re able to produce consistent and fairly average long-distance shots with this golf club.
• These drivers are better suited for very tall golfers with a relatively upright swing plane.

46 Inch Driver Shaft Length

Drivers with graphite shafts have a standard length of 46 inches. Golfers have experienced the following when they use a 46 inch driver shaft.

• Some players can hit pretty well when they use a driver with a shaft length of 46 inches.
• Golfers with fairly flat swing styles can use this golf club better than those who don’t have this swing style.
• A few players have been able to hit about 250 yards from the tee on an average, with a 46 inch driver.

43” Vs 44” Shaft

The following are some differences golfers have experienced between43” and 44” drivers.

• Some players are able to swing a 43 inch driver at a faster rate than a 44 inch driver although there are those who swing a 44 inch driver better.
• Tall golfers have found that they’re able to play well with a 44 inch driver while shorter players are better off using a 43” driver.
• There are golfers who have had better control, lesser misses or slices and gained extra distance by about five yards when using a 44” driver when compared to a 43 inch driver.
• A few players have felt that they’re able to produce more consistent strikes with a 43 inch driver rather than a 44 inch driver because they tend to hit the ball squarely.
• Players have experienced an increase in their smash factor with a 43 inch driver in comparison to a 44” driver.
• Some golfers have found it easier to hit the ball straight with a 43” driver than a 44” driver.

43” Vs 45” Shaft

When players used 43” drivers and 45” drivers for the same shot, they have experienced some differences in their game, which are as follows.

• A 43 inch driver is often easier to control than a 45 inch driver for many golfers, making it easier to swing and get accurate shots.
• Fast swingers have found that the margin of error that they experience with a 45 inch driver is lesser than when they use a 43 inch driver because of the weight distribution on the bigger clubhead that results in a bigger hitting area.
• There are players who have found that they hit the ball longer as well as with better spin and launch angle with a 43 inch driver than a 45 inch driver with the clubhead being the same for both the drivers.
• A 45” driver scores over a 43” driver for players who would like to achieve as much distance as possible, thanks to the increased clubhead speed.
• A 45” driver is a better choice than a 43 inch driver for golfers who would like to have a golf club that not only has a big shaft but also a bigger, yet lighter clubhead.
• A 43 inch driver has helped many golfers achieve more consistency in their game when compared to a 45 inch driver.
• A 45 inch driver makes it more difficult to hit sweet spots than using a 43 inch driver though there have been instances of experiencing the reverse situation as well, for some golfers.
• A 45 inch driver tends to help golfers increase swing speed over a 43 inch driver if they make the same solid contact and hit with the same consistency using both drivers.

44” Vs 45” Shaft

Some noteworthy differences that players feel after playing a game using a 44 inch driver and a 45 inch driver are given below.

• Some golfers have found that they’re able to hit shots with a 44 inch driver more easily than with a 45 inch driver without any loss in the distance when they have more center strikes.
• A few players find that they end up with a low swing weight when using a 44 inch driver when compared to a 45 inch driver, which makes it more challenging to feel the clubhead.
• Golfers have experienced more clubhead speed with a 45 inch driver over a 44 inch driver. The difference is an average of 5 to 6 mph.
• Some players claim that a 45 inch driver allows them to hit the ball better with increased distance and more accuracy than a 44 inch driver.
• There are golfers who have found that they’re more accurate and cover a longer distance by about 10 to 15 yards when they use a 44 inch driver instead of a 45 inch driver.
• Few players have found that they miss the fairways far less and have more sweet spot hits with a 44 inch driver when compared to a 45 inch driver.
• A 45 inch driver tends to offer more distance of close to 16 yards off the tee with very little loss in accuracy in comparison to a 44 inch driver.

45” Vs 46” Shaft

Measuring Golf Driver Shaft Length

The following are some differences that golfers have encountered after they played with a 45 inch driver and a 46 inch driver.

• A 46 inch driver has helped players gain an extra distance of around four to ten yards when compared to a 45 inch driver. This is for the same impact and same swing when they hit the club in the middle consistently.
• Some golfers have found it more difficult to get the same impact with a 46 inch driver than they manage to achieve with a 45 inch driver.
• Some players have been able to achieve a more consistent distance and average a longer distance with a 45 inch driver in comparison to a 46 inch driver.
• Some tour players have experienced more yardage and increased accuracy with their 45 inch driver instead of a 46 inch driver.
• Golfers have hit fairways and struck sweet spots better with a 45 inch driver than when they used a 46 inch driver for the same purpose.
• A few players feel that they tend to block the ball more and encounter an increase in the number of dead blocks with a 46 inch driver when compared to a 45 inch driver.

Best Driver Shaft For Me