Putter Length Guide: How to Measure and Choose
Learn how to measure and choose the perfect length putter for your golf game. Improve your accuracy and distance control on the greens.
by Jake Tingey & Judd Lyon · Updated: 4/23/23
If you're looking to improve your golf game, there's one shot that can make a huge difference: the putt. In fact, for most golfers, putts make up over 40% of their total score. That's why it's important to make sure your putter is the right length for your game, but with so many putter lengths available, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. In fact, putter length is determined by many factors, from height to arm length and putting style.
In this article, we'll guide you through the process of measuring your putter length and choosing the right one for your game. We've extensively researched and evaluated different putter lengths, and we'll share with you our tips and insights to help you make an informed decision. So whether you're struggling with your putting or just looking to improve your game, read on to learn more about putter length and how to choose the best putter for you.
So itâs clearly not an exaggeration to suggest that no other part of the game has the same potential to impact your overall score as putting does. Given that fact, you might think that all golfers would be pretty meticulous about making sure that the putter they use is properly fitted, so theyâll have the best chance to improve in this vital part of the game.
Unfortunately, thatâs not the case. In fact, the vast majority of golfers buy their putter straight âoff the rackâ and, as a result, itâs been estimated that as many as 60-70% of amateur golfers use putters that donât fit them correctly, a common element of which is playing with the wrong length of putter.
With so much at stake (four out of every 10 strokes you take!), if you havenât been properly fitted for the ideal length of your putter, nowâs the time. This article was written to help you determine what length of putter is right for you.
An additional consideration to putter length is whether you should choose a blade vs mallet putter.
The Potential Impact of the Wrong Length Putter
While everyoneâs address position when putting is slightly different and unique to them, there are a couple of fundamental guidelines that should be followed by all.
First and foremost, a proper putting stance should place your eyes directly over the ball. From that position, itâs easiest to get the best view of the target line. Itâs OK for your eyes to be slightly inside of this, but itâs never advisable to have your eyeline outside the ball.
Secondly, the best putters are usually in a stance where their arms hang naturally, so that the hands are directly below the shoulders.
If your putter length is too long, or too short, it may be difficult to achieve these basic and proper address positions and your stroke may be more inconsistent as a result. For example, with a putter that is too long, golfers may be forced to stand too upright, which often brings their eyeline too far inside the ball. Conversely, a putter thatâs too short will force the golfer to bend too much at address and risk having their eyeline fall outside the ball.
Get the length right, though, and youâll give yourself the best chance to consistently see the line better and to make a solid stroke.
The Basic Method of Measuring for Length
The key to measuring for putter length is to make sure that you are in your natural putting stance when you take the measurements, not in an erect standing position.
While in your normal putting stance, have someone measure the diagonal line that goes from the top of your left wrist to the bottom of the ball. Itâs as simple as that. That measurement is your correct putter length.
That is the easiest and quickest way to determine the putter length youâll need.
But.... thereâs another, more scientific and more accurate, method of calculating your ideal putter length.
Do You Want to Get Really Precise With Your Length Measurement?
One of the premier golf instructors in the country is Todd Sones. Heâs been recognized as a Golf Magazine Top 100 and a Golf Digest Top 50 Best Teacher. He teaches all aspects of the golf swing, but has developed a unique and particular expertise in teaching the short game, with an emphasis on putting. In addition to the many PGA pros that he works with, hundreds of amateur golfers go to him every year at his âTodd Sones Impact Golf Centerâ to get help with their overall game and for help on their putting.
He has developed, and patented, a method for custom fitting a putter that applies a more mathematical approach to the process of measuring for its ideal length. Hereâs how it works:
If you look at the illustration on the left you can see that, when we stand at address, there is a triangle that is formed starting at our hands (see the blue dotted lines). One leg of that triangle goes from the golferâs hands straight down to the floor (labelled as A2 ). The second leg of the triangle (the bottom) goes from the point where A2 meets the floor and goes out to the inside edge of the golf ball (labelled as B2). And the third side of the triangle is actually the shaft of the putter, for which we need to calculate its ideal length.
For those who can remember that far back, we all learned in high school geometry how to calculate the length of that third side of the triangle once you know the lengths of the other two. By knowing what the lengths of both A2 and B2 are, itâs an easy calculation to figure out what the third side is (i.e., what your putter length should be).
Start by simply taking measurements of the first two sides of the triangle. Calculate the âAâ side by standing in your putting address position and having someone measure the distance from the crease in your wrist down to the floor. Then calculate the âBâ side of the triangle by having them measure the distance from there out to the ball. Write down those two measurements.
For those brave enough to try using the Pythagorean Theorem to calculate what the length of that third leg of the triangle is, more power to you. However, for those of you who have no interest in actually doing the math (and you can count us among that group!), Sones did all the work for us and developed an easy-to-use table that gives us the answer.
Simply take your A2 measurement and locate it in the far left column of the table below. Then locate your B2 measurement in the top row of the table. The point of intersection of those two numbers, where that row and column meet, indicates your ideal putter length.
Hereâs an example: If a golferâs A2 measurement is 32.5 inches, and their B2 measurement is 10.5 inches, the intersection of that row and that column reveals that the ideal length for this golferâs putter would be 34.25 inches.
| A2 | B2 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.0 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 9.5 | 10.0 | 10.5 | 11.0 | 11.5 | 12.0 | 12.5 | |
| 28 | 30.00 | 30.25 | 30.50 | 30.75 | ||||||||
| 28.5 | 30.00 | 30.25 | 30.50 | 30.50 | 30.75 | 31.00 | 31.00 | |||||
| 29 | 30.75 | 30.25 | 30.25 | 30.50 | 30.75 | 30.75 | 31.00 | 31.25 | 31.25 | 31.50 | ||
| 29.5 | 30.25 | 30.50 | 31.00 | 30.75 | 31.00 | 31.25 | 31.25 | 31.25 | 31.50 | 31.75 | 31.75 | 32.00 |
| 30 | 30.75 | 31.00 | 31.50 | 31.25 | 31.25 | 31.50 | 31.50 | 31.75 | 32.00 | 32.00 | 32.25 | 32.50 |
| 30.5 | 31.25 | 31.50 | 32.00 | 31.75 | 31.75 | 32.00 | 32.00 | 32.25 | 32.50 | 32.50 | 32.75 | 33.00 |
| 31 | 31.75 | 32.00 | 32.50 | 32.25 | 32.25 | 32.50 | 32.50 | 32.75 | 33.00 | 33.00 | 33.25 | 33.50 |
| 31.5 | 32.25 | 32.50 | 33.00 | 32.50 | 32.75 | 33.00 | 33.00 | 33.25 | 33.25 | 33.50 | 33.75 | 33.75 |
| 32 | 32.75 | 33.00 | 33.50 | 33.00 | 33.25 | 33.25 | 33.50 | 33.75 | 33.75 | 34.00 | 34.00 | 34.25 |
| 32.5 | 33.25 | 33.50 | 34.00 | 33.50 | 33.75 | 33.75 | 34.00 | 34.25 | 34.25 | 34.50 | 34.75 | 34.75 |
| 33 | 33.75 | 34.00 | 34.50 | 34.00 | 34.25 | 34.25 | 34.50 | 34.75 | 34.75 | 35.00 | 35.00 | 35.25 |
| 33.5 | 34.25 | 34.50 | 35.00 | 34.50 | 34.75 | 34.75 | 35.00 | 35.00 | 35.25 | 35.50 | 35.50 | 35.75 |
| 34 | 34.75 | 35.00 | 35.50 | 35.00 | 35.25 | 35.25 | 35.50 | 35.50 | 35.75 | 35.75 | 36.00 | 36.25 |
| 34.5 | 35.25 | 35.50 | 36.00 | 35.50 | 35.75 | 35.75 | 36.00 | 36.00 | 36.25 | 36.25 | 36.50 | 36.75 |
| 35 | 35.75 | 36.00 | 36.50 | 36.00 | 36.25 | 36.25 | 36.50 | 36.50 | 36.75 | 36.75 | 37.00 | 37.00 |
Source: Todd Sones Impact Golf, âTru-Fitâ Putter Fitting System
Putting is a much too important part of the game to be using a club that isnât fitted properly for length. The good news is that you can do this fitting yourself, right at home. Simply get the two measurements described above, and then refer to the table to determine the exact putter length thatâs ideal for you. Don't overlook the importance of this aspect of your putting game, as it could be the key to unlocking your full potential on the course. Happy putting!