How to pick shaft extension length

I just purchased a new set of clubs and I want to extend the shafts on them since I am 6'5". I not real sure if this is something I should do myself or take them in. Also if I do this how far should I extend the shafts to match my height.

Here's the basic info for measuring for club length.

To determine the length of your club, stand at attention and have someone measure from the crease where your wrist and hand meet to the floor. Do this with both hands and take an average.

If you measure:

• 29 to 32 inches, your irons should be based on a 5-iron of 37 inches
• 33-34 inches, your irons should be based on a 5-iron of 37 1/2 inches
• 35-36 inches, your irons should be based on a 5-iron of 38 inches
• 37-38 inches, your irons should be based on a 5-iron of 38 1/2 inches
• 39-40 inches, your irons should be based on a 5-iron of 39 inches
• 41 or more inches, your irons should be based on a 5-iron of 39 1/2 inches

I would recommend you take them to a good club fitter/maker shop. There are ramifications attached to changing shaft lengths. The lies, swingweight, swing plane, possibly dispersion, may be affected, and the fitter will be able to counsel you on these matters. The fitter may be able to salvage your grips, if they are still new.

Ted

Long story short, anything over 1.5" is asking for trouble. If you're a strong player who hits a long ball, I'd reshaft at over 1.25" extended.

Further to what LowPost42 is saying.

Just because you are tall, does not necessarily mean you have to have the clubs extended by that much. The detrimental effect on the properties and functions of the clubs may not make it worthwhile.

Also, tall does not necessarily mean that your wrist to floor measurement will be more than a shorter person. You could have short legs, short torso, long arms, or any variables.

Stewart Cink, who is 6'4" plays with standard length clubs. There are other tall players who do not have that much, if any length added. I just noticed that Ernie Els plays a 45-1/2" driver. Tiger is not as tall, but he plays a driver less than that in length.

As an off topic thought, I wondering if someone has really wide shoulders, and he's short, if the larger arc created by the spine to clubhead measurement, combined with extra long clubs, might make the swing unwieldy.

Ted

Yeah I do have long arms but I find myself trying to drive down on the ball so i don't top it and I also have a whicked slice. It's more than likely just a bad swing, but I used my dad's clubs and he has a 1/2 extensions on his clubs and hit the ball great and my neighbor is also a tall guy and a huge golfer and said that I will never get rid of my slice until I get new shafts or extentions. I'm in the Air Force and travel a lot so I don't a ton of time to play and don't have a ton of money waste on clubs.

It could very well be that you're too steep with the shorter clubs.

Head over to www.truelengthtechnology.com and find a fitter near you. This new fitting concept will have you playing better golf in no time.

I'm tall. The charts show me +1.5 inches, and I was fitted by someone for +0.75 inches, but I still ended up experimenting.

First, determine what the SHORTEST club you can swing (given the correct lie angle, mine are bent 2 degrees upright.) For me that ended up being an 8-iron, so I made my PW 8-iron length (which is +1 inch over standard) and then worked my club lengths back from that.

I keep my wedges all the same length (and have a wider loft gap between them), but that is another story.

Bottom line, no matter how if someone tells you +0.5 or +1.5, if that means you end up with wedges that are too short for you, then the fitting is too short. Figure out the absolute shortest club you can hit, then use that as a benchmark for the length of the set.