How To Find the Perfect Putter Length For You
Find the perfect length and lie angle for your putter with this simple measurement
You’ve picked out the perfect putter. But when it’s time to check out, you must make one important decision that quite frankly, you’re unprepared for. What length putter do you need?
You don’t want to get this detail wrong, this is too important of a purchase. But you also don’t want this decision to cause any delay. So here’s how to figure out what length putter you need so you can nail your next putter purchase and live happily ever after with your new flatstick.
Before we jump into the most accurate way of how to measure the proper putter length – and lie angle – for you, let’s take a look at the quick and dirty chart, which simply translates your height into an ideal putter length.
- If you’re 5’2” to 5’6,” use a 33-inch Putter
- If you’re 5’7” to 5’11,” use a 34-inch Putter
- If you’re 6’0” to 6’4,” use a 35-inch Putter
Of course, this is golf equipment we’re talking about, and while it can be that simple, it can also be more complicated, so let’s take a deeper look.
How to Measure Proper Putter Length
Putter Length Calculator
Input your A & B measurements found below to find the ideal length and lie angle for your putter
Simply making your putter length selection by height is a quick way to get in the right ball park of the proper putter length for you, but you can easily perform a simple measurement at home to find your perfect putter length.
Considering that new putters these days range from $100 to over $400, taking a few extra minutes to make sure you get the right length putter can be well worth the time. Here’s exactly how to find the ideal length, as well as lie angle, for your putter.
- Take a comfortable putting stance and get your eyes over or slightly inside the ball - if you have a putting mirror, it can help you gauge where your eyes are.
- Use a yardstick to measure straight down from your wrist to the floor (Measurement A).
- Then measure from that point on the floor to the ball (Measurment B).
- Use the Pythagorean theorem (or let’s be real, this handy triangle calculator) to calculate the ideal length, and lie angle, of your putter (Measurment C). This tool will also give you the ideal lie angle of your putter.
As an example, I used this method to measure myself. With 31 inches from my wrist to the floor in a comfortable putting stance with my eyes just inside the ball, the ball was 13 inches from the point on the floor directly beneath my arms. That gave me an ideal putter length of 33.6 inches, meaning my 34-inch putter is a pretty good fit for me, if a tad long.
Additionally, given my natural putting stance and posture, I should be playing a putter with a 67-68° lie angle, meaning perhaps I should consider adjusting the 70° lie angle of my putter.
Standard Putter Length
When you’re ready to buy a putter, you’ve probably noticed that there are a couple standard length options. Men’s putters typically come in two standard lengths, 34 and 35 inches. Standard women’s putters are typically 33-inches with some offering a stock 32-inch option. But if you don’t fit into one of those standard lengths, you can order your putter to your optimal length.
Meanwhile, 70° is a standard lie angle for a putter. Again, if your ideal lie angle differs from this 70° standard, you can and should have your putter adjusted to fit your specs. This can often be done at a retailer if you purchase your putter from a golf-shop, or specified when you purchase a putter online through the manufacturer.
Why Is Putter Length Important?
When it comes to putter fitting, using the proper length putter is one of the two most important elements, along with loft. Players who use the wrong length putter often consider themselves to be streaky putters. That’s because some days they adjust better to their ill-fit putter than others.
The thing is, the length of your putter influences your setup, specifically where your eyes are in relation to the ball. If your putter is too short, your eyes will fall outside the ball, you won’t see the correct line, and your stroke is likely to fall apart from the takeaway. If you putter is too long, the inverse will happen, but you’ll get the same results.
When you use the proper-length putter, you’ll find much more consistent results on the putting green.