Putter Size by Height: Find Your Ideal Putter Length
Quick Answer: Putter size by height starts with a chart, not a final answer. Golfers from 5'7" to 5'9" often start around 33.5 inches, while 5'10" to 6'0" often starts at 34 inches. Your posture, arm length and eye position decide whether you stay there or move shorter or longer.
Most golfers make one mistake with putter fitting. They grab a 34 or 35-inch model because the shelf says that's standard, then spend months adjusting their posture around the club.
That approach has the process backward.
Your height gives you a useful starting point. Your setup tells you the final answer. A good fit lets your arms hang naturally, puts your eyes in a repeatable position and keeps the sole sitting correctly at address.
Putter size by height chart that actually helps
The cleanest starting point comes from the current PGA TOUR Superstore chart. It places golfers under 5'0" around 31 to 32 inches, 5'0" to 5'2" around 32 to 33 inches, and 5'3" to 5'6" around 33 inches. From there, it moves through 33.5 inches, 34 inches and 34.5 to 35 inches as height increases.
I've added a practical column because the chart alone doesn't tell you what to do when you're sitting between two lengths.
| Golfer height | Starting putter length | What to test first |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5'0" | 31" to 32" | 31" if your setup looks compact |
| 5'0" to 5'2" | 32" to 33" | 32" if your arms hang close |
| 5'3" to 5'6" | 33" | 33" as the baseline |
| 5'7" to 5'9" | 33.5" | Test 33" and 34" if you're between setups |
| 5'10" to 6'0" | 34" | Test 34" before jumping to 35" |
| 6'1" to 6'4" | 34.5" to 35" | Compare 34.5" and 35" |
| Over 6'4" | 35"+ | Start at 35" and test longer builds |
That range tracks closely with the PGA TOUR Superstore guidance, but the real point sits in the word starting. The retailer itself says the chart doesn't replace a fitting because posture, eye position and comfort change the result.
For the common 5'8" golfer, I'd start around 33.5 to 34 inches. At 5'10", I'd start at 34 inches. Those two examples show why a half-inch difference can matter more than a broad height category suggests.
34 or 35 inches? Pick the length that fits your setup
A 34 inch putter fits a huge number of golfers, but you shouldn't treat 35 inches as the default for every taller player. The correct choice comes from the position your hands, eyes and shoulders reach when you settle into your normal putting stance.
For the search phrase do I need a 34 or 35 inch putter, start with 34 inches if you stand fairly bent over and your arms hang close to your body. Test 35 inches if you stand noticeably taller, need more room from the ball or feel cramped with 34 inches.
Scotty Cameron's fitting material explains the relationship well. A putter that's too long pushes your eyes farther inside the target line. A putter that's too short forces a more hunched setup and moves the eyes farther outside. Scotty Cameron targets an eye position roughly 1 to 2 inches inside the target line as part of its preferred setup.
Here's my strong take: don't buy 35 inches simply because you're tall.
Stand over a putt with the club you already own. Let your arms hang naturally. If you need to grip several inches down just to get comfortable, you've found a useful clue that the shaft gives you too much length.
Measure your putter fit at home in five minutes
Height and wrist-to-floor measurement answer different questions. Your body measurement helps establish a starting point. Measuring the actual putter tells you what you've physically got in your hands.
Step 1: Put on the shoes you normally play in
Your shoe height changes your hand position by a small amount, so keep the setup consistent. Swing Yard also recommends measuring in your golf shoes for this reason.
Step 2: Build your normal putting stance
Don't stand tall like you're measuring for a driver. Bend at the hips the way you actually stand over a putt, keep your knees relaxed and let your arms hang.
Your posture matters because a golfer who stands taller needs a different shaft relationship from a golfer who crouches heavily.
Step 3: Measure wrist to floor
Have someone measure from the floor to the crease near your wrist while your arms hang naturally. Don't stretch your arms or pull your shoulders back.
A longer reach gives you less reason to add shaft length. A shorter reach pushes the starting point in the other direction.
Step 4: Measure the actual putter correctly
The Equipment Rules measure a putter from the top of the grip along the shaft axis to the sole. With a bent-neck putter, the rule follows the straight-line extension of the shaft rather than tracing the bend.
That detail matters more than most golfers realize. Measuring down the heel or following a hosel bend can give you a different number from the official club length.
Step 5: Compare two nearby lengths
Don't stop after one measurement.
Put your current length beside the closest alternative. For most golfers, that means comparing 33 with 34, 34 with 35, or 34.5 with 35. Then judge the setup from the ball and from down the target line.
How putter length changes your stroke
Length changes more than comfort.
A longer putter moves your hands farther from the floor and often increases the distance between your body and the ball. That changes the way the putter travels through the stroke. Scotty Cameron states that excessive length can increase the arc and move the toe upward at address.
Shortening the club changes the shaft angle and brings the toe down. SAM PuttLab's fitting material describes that same relationship.
Your eyes also move with your setup. That's why putter length can influence aim even when you don't consciously change your stroke.
Length isn't acting by itself, either. Loft, lie, head design and toe hang all affect the result. A MyGolfSpy and PING fitting study with 20 golfers found that 90% needed a different loft and 90% needed a different lie, while 80% needed a different head or stroke type. Length changed for 50% of the group, split evenly between longer and shorter builds.
That finding kills one common fitting myth. Height doesn't hand you a magic number.
The 30-ball test for choosing between two lengths
The best way to settle a 34 versus 35-inch decision is to stop guessing from the practice carpet and test both lengths with the same task.
1. Hit ten putts from 10 feet
Use the same target. Record how far each ball finishes from the intended start line.
Don't judge the session by makes alone. A putter can feel good and still give you poor start-line control.
2. Hit ten putts from 20 feet
Now focus on speed. You want a consistent finish distance, not ten perfect makes.
PING testing cited by PracticeCaddie found a 10% to 20% distance-control improvement when golfers moved to a length they felt comfortable with. The important limitation sits right beside that result. That finding came from length-adjustable PING putters and doesn't prove length alone improved every golfer's putting.
3. Repeat the test with the other length
Keep the head, ball, grip pressure and target the same. Change only the length.
That's the test many golfers skip.
4. Repeat it on another day
A new putter can feel strange for a session. A different length also changes your setup habits.
The winner should show better control and a setup you can repeat without consciously forcing your posture.
For extra practice, Madknows' putting distance control guide gives you a useful set of drills for speed and stroke control.
33, 34, 35 or 36 inches? Real-world starting points
33 inch putter
A 33 inch putter isn't automatically short.
Golfers under the middle of the usual height range often start here, but body proportions matter more than the label. Scotty Cameron even built the Cameron & Crown line specifically around 33-inch putters, which shows that shorter builds can have a legitimate place in a proper setup.
A 33-inch option also makes sense for a golfer who likes a compact stance and wants the hands closer to the body.
34 inch putter
For a huge part of the amateur market, 34 inches is the first length I'd test.
PGA TOUR Superstore's current chart puts golfers from 5'10" to 6'0" at 34 inches. That makes 34 inches a sensible starting point for many average-height golfers, but it still isn't a rule.
35 inch putter
A 35 inch putter makes more sense when the golfer stands taller or wants more room between the hands and the floor.
Don't assume that stepping up one inch automatically improves posture. If the extra length pulls your eyes too far inside the line, you've traded one problem for another.
36 inch putter
For a golfer asking, is a 36 inch putter too long at 5'10, my answer is yes as a first choice.
A 5'10" golfer sits in the PGA TOUR Superstore chart's 34-inch range. A 36-inch build sits two inches longer than that starting point.
Could a 5'10" golfer still play 36 inches successfully? Yes, but you'd need a setup that genuinely supports it. Height alone doesn't justify that jump.
The USGA also doesn't apply the normal 48-inch maximum to putters under its club-length rule. That means legality doesn't tell you whether 36 inches fits your body. Fit still decides the issue.
When changing length won't fix your putting
This is the part equipment pages often skip.
A poor putting result doesn't automatically mean your putter needs a different shaft length. The PING and MyGolfSpy study found that half of the golfers already had a suitable length, while loft, lie and head or stroke type changed much more often.
That's why I wouldn't rebuild a putter around length after one bad round.
If your start line looks poor, check face control. If your strike looks inconsistent, check contact and lie. If long putts constantly finish too far short or long, work on speed before you blame the shaft.
Our lag putting and distance control guide is the better place to start when three-putts come from poor speed rather than poor setup.
A putter fitting should solve a measured problem. Buying a shorter club because 33 inches looks more player-like isn't fitting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a 34 inch or 35 inch putter?
Start with 34 inches if you're around 5'10" to 6'0" and your normal posture feels comfortable with your hands fairly close to the body. Test 35 inches if your stance sits more upright or 34 inches forces you to crowd the ball. Your eye position and arm hang should decide the final choice.
Is a 36 putter too long if I'm 5ft 10?
A 36-inch putter is much longer than the normal starting point for a 5'10" golfer. PGA TOUR Superstore places 5'10" to 6'0" at 34 inches. A 36-inch model can still work for an unusual setup, but don't start there simply because you're tall.
How tall should my putter be if I'm 5'8"?
A 5'8" golfer should start around 33.5 to 34 inches. PGA TOUR Superstore places 5'7" to 5'9" at 33.5 inches, while other current charts place that height band closer to 34 inches. Test both lengths if your posture sits between the two.
Is a 33 inch putter short?
Yes, compared with the 34 and 35-inch models that dominate retail shelves, but 33 inches is not abnormally short. A golfer with a compact setup, shorter reach or preference for a closer hand position can fit 33 inches very well. Scotty Cameron has also offered purpose-built 33-inch putters.
What length putter should I use for my height?
Use height to pick the first length you test, not the final answer. A golfer around 5'3" to 5'6" starts near 33 inches, 5'7" to 5'9" near 33.5 inches, 5'10" to 6'0" near 34 inches, and 6'1" to 6'4" near 34.5 to 35 inches.
The right length is the one that lets you repeat your setup
Putter size by height is useful because it gets you into the right neighborhood fast. Your posture, arm length and eye position finish the job.
Don't buy 35 inches because the rack says it's standard. Don't cut to 33 inches because shorter sounds more precise. Test the adjacent lengths, watch your setup and judge the result over enough putts to separate a real fit from a one-session preference.
Once the shaft length fits, work on the skill that turns good setup into fewer three-putts with Madknows' putting distance control guide.