For tall golfers, the proper club length
While custom fitting tall golfers might present some challenges, it isn’t always easy. The assumption that tall people need longer clubs doesn’t hold true. What the tallest golfer is comfortable with and confident with should determine the length of the golf clubs.
For tall golfers, the key elements that will determine their club length are playing ability and athletic coordination as well as physical makeup. Important is the ability to accurately and consistently return the ball’s head to the club. If a tall player has trouble hitting the ball straight, standard clubs may work better for him. However, it is important to keep in mind several factors when fitting longer clubs for tall players.
- Shaft flex When a club’s length is increased, a given shaft flexibility will feel less flexible. The club’s length will determine how soft it feels. This could lead to a long-swinging golfer, who needs a Regular flex shaft for their swing, getting a shaft that is either an A flex or an L flex. Then he may wonder why his drives are spraying all over the course. These would be applicable to irons, graphite, and steel shafts. Because there is no standard for shaft flexibility between manufacturers, this problem becomes even more complicated. While a shaft could be labeled R by one manufacturer, it can easily be labeled Stiff by another. However, they have the exact same flex properties.
- Lie The rule of thumb is that the closer the club is to standard the flatter the lie should be. The ball’s direction may be affected by a lie. The ball will fly left if a lie is upright. If you flatten a lie, the ball can be moved to the right.
- Weight and Club BalanceIt is crucial to have a good overall weight and weight distribution. If the club’s length increases, the club head will feel more overweight.
- Size GripGrip size can have an impact on ball direction and feel. An excessively small grip can lead to the golfer pulling or hooking the ball.
There are many equipment factors that can have an impact on the game of a tall golfer. Although the size of the club should be determined by the comfort and confidence the golfer has with the item, it’s obvious that the long golfer needs to have his equipment checked and compared against the items he might have.