6'2" 38" WTF, standard length....??

[drvrwdge]

So I know this is going to be another "it depends" type question/response topic but just curious about opinions. I've been playing for 35 years and back in high school i was fit for 1" over 2 UP (6'3" 38.5 WTF). Played that for as long as I can remember. Felt like when i got fit, it was a revelation. Center contact, square clean divots etc. Over time, I got away from the 1" over. One for SW issues and two because it was just always hard to find used irons sets in my specs. Kind of settled in on 1/2" over for the last 10 years or so but recently for no other reason than I'm a psycho, I feel like i have wanted to go back to standard length. I think I've shrunk a bit (6'2" 38" WTF), which will happen... and in a lot of my swing vids my irons were looking long (in club length) and I felt like it was effecting my posture a bit. 

 

So just curious if any taller golfers are playing standard length and if at standard length if I'm making solid contact and there are no other issues, is that ultimately what I should be concerned about? (pretty sure I know the answer here). 

[alittleoverpar]

I'm 6'7" and went from 1" over down to 1/2" over.  However, depending on the brand, "standard" iron lengths are different.  I've usually played some version of Callaway irons over the last couple of decades.  At 1/2" over my 5 iron is playing at 38.5".  I'm not sure if I could go down to standard length or not.  I have hit other people standard length clubs and haven't had a issue.

[rsballer10]

4 minutes ago, drvrwdge said:

So I know this is going to be another "it depends" type question/response topic but just curious about opinions. I've been playing for 35 years and back in high school i was fit for 1" over 2 UP (6'3" 38.5 WTF). Played that for as long as I can remember. Felt like when i got fit, it was a revelation. Center contact, square clean divots etc. Over time, I got away from the 1" over. One for SW issues and two because it was just always hard to find used irons sets in my specs. Kind of settled in on 1/2" over for the last 10 years or so but recently for no other reason than I'm a psycho, I feel like i have wanted to go back to standard length. I think I've shrunk a bit (6'2" 38" WTF), which will happen... and in a lot of my swing vids my irons were looking long (in club length) and I felt like it was effecting my posture a bit. 

 

So just curious if any taller golfers are playing standard length and if at standard length if I'm making solid contact and there are no other issues, is that ultimately what I should be concerned about? (pretty sure I know the answer here). 

I'm 6'5" 38WTF and have settles in at +1/2". Fitter recently said I could play standard iron, but I've had the best luck at +1/2". Like you, I originally was fit to +1". Unless you REALLY need it (6'7" and above) I'd add as little length as possible.

 

If you want to go standard length in the irons, I'd recommend single length wedges. When I did play standard length 38" 5i, I played all my wedges at 35.5" to match the GW. You could always make all the wedges single length to the PW (35.75") or the 9 iron (36"). 

 

The biggest issue for club length in taller golfers appears in the short irons and wedges, not the 7 iron. If you find yourself getting really steep on your shorter clubs, I'd say add length there. 

[azgreg]

Just a starting point.

 

https://wishongolf.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Height-Wrist-to-Floor-Charts.pdf

 

37.5" 7 iron length.

 

Edited May 8 by azgreg

[underwater]

I'm 6'3 and play +1/4" over in irons and standard length wedges.  Wrist to floor measurement is meaningless for me.

 

Why?  30-years of trial and error, and swingweight NEVER feels right even when built heavy nor light when +.50 to +.75".  Also I'm not as accurate.  I firmly believe that the shaft geometry gets odd at longer lengths.  Dynamic Gold becomes unbearably heavy and softens, Project X gets very stiff in the handle.  Besides, for 20 years I played Mizuno blades and just hated +.75" when hitting a 5 iron to a pin.  

 

Tiger is 6'1 and plays roughly standard.  

 

Scottie Scheffler is 6'3 and his irons are .25" over standard with grip installed (shaft cut +1/8th over) and dude is deadly accurate, obviously.

 

Every better player I know (low single-digit tourney player) prefers shorter irons.  I've never met a scratch play with irons 1" over standard.  (Steph Curry is the outlier with +.75") 

 

The graphic below is Scottie Scheffler's iron build (his entire set is this pattern).

 

 

 

Edited May 8 by underwater

[benz5521]

I’m about 6’2” and can’t remember wrist to floor and am always told +1/4” but I ended up with an off the rack p7mc bent upright because I liked them. I think shorter helps with better contact IMO, and TM is already one of the shorter manufactures from the way they measure. +1” seems like a lot unless you are very tall.
 

I’m even going shorter on woods for better control and contact but added length to my 58 to make it the same length as my 54. I’ve always found stock lob wedges to feel a little too short. 

[Pnwpingi210]

5 minutes ago, underwater said:

I'm 6'3 and play +1/4" over in irons and standard length wedges.  

 

Why?  30-years of trial and error, and swingweight NEVER feels right even when built heavy nor light when +.50 to +.75".  Also I'm not as accurate.  I firmly believe that the shaft geometry gets odd at longer lengths.  Dynamic Gold becomes unbearably heavy and softens, Project X gets very stiff in the handle.  Besides, for 20 years I played Mizuno blades and just hated +.75" when hitting a 5 iron to a pin.  

 

Tiger is 6'1 and plays roughly standard.  

 

Scottie Scheffler is 6'3 and his irons are .25" over standard with grip installed (shaft cut +1/8th over)

 

The graphic below is Scottie's iron build (his entire set is this pattern).

 

 

 

 

Yup, and  for reference those are with TMs measurement, which be roughly 1/8-1-4 short of ping or Titliest “standard” (37 inch 7 iron end of grip or a Mitchell pin ruler).
 

Schefflers would measure Titliest standard and tigers would measure about .5 short, or 1990’s - early to mid 2000s standard ( I have a set of tiger spec irons and they just about a half inch short and very flat across the set)

Edited May 8 by Pnwpingi210

[underwater]

5 minutes ago, Pnwpingi210 said:

Yup, and  for reference those are with TMs measurement, which be roughly 1/8-1-4 short of ping or Titliest “standard” (37 inch 7 iron end of grip or a Mitchell pin ruler).
 

Schefflers would measure Titliest standard and tigers would measure about .5 short, or 1990’s - early to mid 2000s standard ( I have a set of tiger spec irons and they just about a half inch short and very flat across the set)

 

100%

 

Tiger's build:

 

Edited May 8 by underwater

[underwater]

Again I'm nearly 6'3:  

 

I've told this tale before because this subject comes up, but about 2005 I ordered a set of Mizuno MP60's from my home course pro shop and I was waiting for them to come in.  Our Head Pro loaned me his personal set of MP60's one afternoon so I could go out and get a few holes in.  (He played the same shaft I did - DG S300 at the time).

 

I came in from the front 9 and said "These are amazing - I flagged everything.  Cannot wait for mine to arrive!" Right then he reminded me that his were -.25" (quarter inch under Mizuno's standard, which at the time were short anyway).

 

...I had ordered mine +.50 so I immediately had him go into the system and reduce my order by a quarter inch.  From that time on I was sold on shorter irons instead of the "ruler measurement of nonsense".

 

For me the key to good iron play is shorter shafts and thicker (midsize) grips.  YMMV.

 

 

 

Edited May 8 by underwater

[Pnwpingi210]

3 minutes ago, underwater said:

Again I'm nearly 6'3:  

 

I've told this tale before because this subject comes up, but about 12 years ago I ordered some Mizuno MP60's +1/2 "from my home course pro shop and I was waiting for them to come in.  Our Head Pro loaned me his personal set of MP60's one afternoon so I could go out and get a few holes in.  (He played the same shaft I did - DG S300 at the time).

 

I came in from the front 9 and said "These are amazing - I flagged everything.  Cannot wait for mine to arrive!" Right then he reminded me that his were -.25" (quarter inch under Mizuno's standard, which at the time were short anyway).

 

...I had ordered mine +.50 so I immediately had him go into the system and reduce my order by a quarter inch.  From that time on I was sold on shorter irons instead of the "ruler measurement of nonsense".

 

For me the key to good iron play is shorter shafts and thicker (midsize) grips.  YMMV.

 

 

 

Similarly, I always struggled with dgx100 playing 3/4 over standard.  Fast forward to the p7tw at tiger spec and they felt like completely different.  
 

Play standard now and x100 is in one of the two sets I play.

[underwater]

10 minutes ago, Pnwpingi210 said:

Similarly, I always struggled with dgx100 playing 3/4 over standard.  Fast forward to the p7tw at tiger spec and they felt like completely different.  
 

Play standard now and x100 is in one of the two sets I play.

 

Oh man, totally.  DG traditional (130g) feel so heavy at +.5 let alone .75".  

 

It's a mystery because even when you design your iron set so that the swingweight stays lighter around ~D3 (and if you have ever held half an inch of butt DG shaft in your hand, it weighs hardly anything), DG over length still feel ridiculously hefty.

 

 

 

Edited May 8 by underwater

[ShortGolfer]

Has anyone tried putting 2" extensions into Ladies clubs which are normally 1" short?  C2 would go up to D4 swingweight.

I saw a video on Bryson playing Par golf with cheap kids clubs!

Idea that adapting to a softer flex may not be so hard if the length and swingweight are perfect for your swing.  Less hassle than finding lightweight iron heads.

 

There are lots of inexpensive 7 iron demo clubs that could be used for this experiment.

 

I wanted to play with standard ladies clubs but the fitter said they need to be an inch shorter.

Sure enough, I play better with clubs 2 inches short.

Edited May 8 by ShortGolfer

[Pnwpingi210]

6 minutes ago, underwater said:

 

Oh man, totally.  DG traditional (130g) feel so heavy at +.5 let alone .75".  

 

It's a mystery because even when you design your iron set so that the swingweight stays lighter around ~D3 (and if you have ever held half an inch of butt DG shaft in your hand, it weighs hardly anything), DG over length still feel ridiculously hefty.

 

 

 

Balance point, and then playing with head weights that are 7-9 grams lighter than “standard”.   Always gave me good center contact, but low smash and high dynamic lofts.  Pretty neutral flight but I was always 130 ft ++ peak apex and 7500-8000 spin with 7 iron.  

[underwater]

24 minutes ago, Pnwpingi210 said:

Balance point, and then playing with head weights that are 7-9 grams lighter than “standard”.   Always gave me good center contact, but low smash and high dynamic lofts.  Pretty neutral flight but I was always 130 ft ++ peak apex and 7500-8000 spin with 7 iron.  

 Same experience on the lighter heads.  Amazing what a few grams can do to smash. (changing a 262g standard 6i head to 256g)

[straightshot7]

I'm 6'2" and I use standard length. Fitter was a little surprised that I didn't need longer but agreed standard was correct.

 

I think I could use .25 or .5 inches long and also be fine, you can choke up a little as needed. 

But I use standard and don't feel they're short.

 

The only clubs that feel a little short sometimes are wedges on fullish shots. 

[Pepperturbo]

3 hours ago, drvrwdge said:

So I know this is going to be another "it depends" type question/response topic but just curious about opinions. I've been playing for 35 years and back in high school i was fit for 1" over 2 UP (6'3" 38.5 WTF). Played that for as long as I can remember. Felt like when i got fit, it was a revelation. Center contact, square clean divots etc. Over time, I got away from the 1" over. One for SW issues and two because it was just always hard to find used irons sets in my specs. Kind of settled in on 1/2" over for the last 10 years or so but recently for no other reason than I'm a psycho, I feel like i have wanted to go back to standard length. I think I've shrunk a bit (6'2" 38" WTF), which will happen... and in a lot of my swing vids my irons were looking long (in club length) and I felt like it was effecting my posture a bit. 

 

So just curious if any taller golfers are playing standard length and if at standard length if I'm making solid contact and there are no other issues, is that ultimately what I should be concerned about? (pretty sure I know the answer here). 

My son is 6'1, 190lbs, and plays standard length irons, 2i-W.  He does fine.  But ball striking depends on your skill at going down after the ball.  But if length is important, look into irons that are the "new" length.  TM has them.

 

I am sure if you spend $$$ on an intricate fitting, you may or may not be fitted into longer irons.  It depends on the fitter's perspective.

[WesternRacing]

It depends.  Play what works for you.  I play 1/2” extended, upright lie irons because that works for me, my body type, and my swing. I’ve messed around with standard length irons a few times and they just don’t work for me at all.  We’re all different.

[grinder1320]

When a 7i become a 6i did we all go 1/2” shorter…;)

[Stuart_G]

19 hours ago, drvrwdge said:

So I know this is going to be another "it depends" type question/response topic but just curious about opinions. I've been playing for 35 years and back in high school i was fit for 1" over 2 UP (6'3" 38.5 WTF). Played that for as long as I can remember. Felt like when i got fit, it was a revelation. Center contact, square clean divots etc. Over time, I got away from the 1" over. One for SW issues and two because it was just always hard to find used irons sets in my specs. Kind of settled in on 1/2" over for the last 10 years or so but recently for no other reason than I'm a psycho, I feel like i have wanted to go back to standard length. I think I've shrunk a bit (6'2" 38" WTF), which will happen... and in a lot of my swing vids my irons were looking long (in club length) and I felt like it was effecting my posture a bit.

 

FWIW here is my opinion.  Just go for it.   Just keep an eye on the wedge performance.   If you do end up going too short, that's where the problems will show up, not in the rest of the set.   So you may want to stick to standard in the set but still play the wedges a bit over length.   Say take an approach of using standard length but just not getting any shorter when you get to 36" or whatever works best for you as the shortest length.

 

 

18 hours ago, ShortGolfer said:

There are lots of inexpensive 7 iron demo clubs that could be used for this experiment.

 

Contrary to what most fitters want you to think - there is NO way you can properly fit for iron playing length with a 7i - or any mid-iron for that matter.    A proper fit for playing length in the irons is about two things.   1) not getting too short on the short end of the set and 2) not getting too long at the long end of the set.   A 7-iron can't tell you anything about either of those things.

Edited May 9 by Stuart_G

[ShortGolfer]

A little more work, but long GI irons aren't hard to find either, as folks abandon them as they just can't hit long irons.

You may have some friends with unused long irons that could be re-shafted with lightweight shafts.

 

A maker space will often have the machine shop equipment needed to modify iron heads for lower weight.

 

You may also consider using hybrids with lightweight shafts instead of long irons.  

Adjustable shafts are easily swapped, but Callaway has several different adapters that aren't compatible.

The lie angle of a hybrid is changed by the adapter and the length of the club. 

Edited May 9 by ShortGolfer

[Lefty Mondegreen]

5'11"; 75" wingspan; 36.5" wtf:  currently playing standard, but the corner of the 9 iron grip is pressing into the pad of my left hand.  Will probably try +1/4" in an 8 iron and go 3/8" per club either way from there (to wedges).  

 

Wishon says 3 degree upright?  Never saw the need.  Maybe that's my problem, but getting flatter feels better.  

[GolfingIreland]

On 5/8/2025 at 3:27 PM, drvrwdge said:

So I know this is going to be another "it depends" type question/response topic but just curious about opinions. I've been playing for 35 years and back in high school i was fit for 1" over 2 UP (6'3" 38.5 WTF). Played that for as long as I can remember. Felt like when i got fit, it was a revelation. Center contact, square clean divots etc. Over time, I got away from the 1" over. One for SW issues and two because it was just always hard to find used irons sets in my specs. Kind of settled in on 1/2" over for the last 10 years or so but recently for no other reason than I'm a psycho, I feel like i have wanted to go back to standard length. I think I've shrunk a bit (6'2" 38" WTF), which will happen... and in a lot of my swing vids my irons were looking long (in club length) and I felt like it was effecting my posture a bit. 

 

So just curious if any taller golfers are playing standard length and if at standard length if I'm making solid contact and there are no other issues, is that ultimately what I should be concerned about? (pretty sure I know the answer here). 

I'm 6'2 with a WTF of 38.5 and play +1 1/4'' (1.25'') irons at 2.5deg upright. (These are Taylormade lengths, so it would be +1'' for most other manufacturers).

I use X100s and like the extra weight for feel. My speed with a 7 iron @38'' is 92mph.

Playing standard lengths would put a heap of stress on my lower back, just above my right bum cheek. 😅

 

Edited May 21 by GolfingIreland

[GolfingIreland]

On 5/8/2025 at 3:48 PM, azgreg said:

Just a starting point.

 

https://wishongolf.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Height-Wrist-to-Floor-Charts.pdf

 

37.5" 7 iron length.

 

This is at 4* upright lie. I prefer to go +1'' and 2.5 upright

[CROUSE99]

12 minutes ago, GolfingIreland said:

So I'm 6'2 with a wtf of 38.5 and play +1 1/4'' (1.25'') in my irons. Playing standard would put my back out

This is why I play over length irons with upright lies.  Bad back makes it hard to get down to the ball.