Measuring club length

[Chieflongtee]

Do you guys measure club length using this or you use the club in playing position method?

[LobWedge]

I use the USGA/RCGA method.

[danscustom]

I do use the 60 degree lie and square face, but do not measure to the tip of the cap. I was taught to measure to the apex where the grip ends. This appears to measure the roundness of the end of the grip as well.
Chief, is that from the R& A rules?

[Chieflongtee]

Got that from the USGA website

[danscustom]

Looks like I need to review my procedure. Good thing I have never built any 48 inch drivers.

[Chieflongtee]

Reason I am asking. I always measured with the club in the playing position (as seen on various websites) and like you I was taught to allow 1/8 for the grip cap. Measuring the club in the playing position imo is not reliable as people have different wrist to floor and postures.

[danscustom]

But this method is required to measure to a specification or standard. Without standards there is no base line or guide to follow and there becomes nothing to compare to. The governing body actually should add more standards such as consistency in flex. If I buy an R shaft I should get an R shaft.
If I order a replacement club at 38.2 inches, I should get a 38.2 inch club, no matter who built it.

[TourIQ]

The golf industy as a whole has pathetic quality levels [usually 2 sigma levels], no wonder few golf business executives supports adoption of standards ... most of their product would be returned as defective or out-of-specification!

[eyeping]

I think if you read correctly as the rules of golf now only allow for a max length of 48 " they had to develop a standard way of measurement for the driver that they could accept or reject with. Like the long drive competitions, they use the club flush against the wall on its toe and measure that way for thier max of 52". length. It just gives the USGA and the LDA ( long drivers of America) a standard. For general building of clubs if you measure in the playing position you will be fine, keeping in mind if you alter the lie angle you will affect length. If you have a driver that is suspect then you would measure as per the USGA to ensure you conform.

[Chieflongtee]

eyeping I agree but the only set back with the club in the playing position is the clubmaker's wrist to floor measurement and the way he sets up. So my 38 inch 5 iron could almost be a 38.5 if hold the club in a more upright position.

[eyeping]

True enough but if I cut your 5 iron to 37.5" to give you a 38" you now have lost 3 swing wts. By measuring the club in the playing position it gives you a standard to work with when measuring only. Your problem comes in the fitting of the individual. That has just been my experience over the last17 yrs building clubs.

[danscustom]

The way I read this is it will apply to irons as well. The only restriction is (excluding putters). So all irons get measured at 60 degres regardless of what their actual lie is??
Can someone please confirm this.

[eyeping]

Ok, if you read 1.2 *The results of the conformance tests are used in determining conformity of the club to the rules of golf, Appendex II, rule 1c**
1c states basically it must be a min of 18 " and a max of 48".
In my opinion all as the USGA did was update the rule from 1 Jan 04 which measures the same way but they now interduced a machine to measure for conformity to be more accurate.
Yes if for some reason you built a iron longer than this length you would not conform. But a putter would under this rule.
Now if you attempt to built and cut irons using this you would quickly find because of lie angles you would soon loose your 1/2" increaments. As for measuring in the playing position if there is anything of an industrial standard this is it. Now some OEM"s may or maynot include grip cap in measuring.
Again just my thoughts.