Junior Golf Clubs Sizing Chart

One of the most important aspects of introducing a young player to the game of golf is providing them with proper fitting
equipment. Poor fitting clubs can lead to swing problems that can be difficult to correct in later years, and even affect the
desire to play.

Clubs that are too long will cause the junior to compensate with a swing that is too flat, and clubs that are too short
will lead to a swing that is too upright. Both instances will make it difficult for the junior to make consistent contact
with the ball, resulting in needless frustration and an understandable desire to give up and try something that is
more fun!
The best choice is a club approximately 1.5 longer than an exact fit, which allows the junior to choke down during
initial play, gradually moving his/her hands higher on the grip as they grow over the next two seasons.
You can find a pre-packaged set that matches your child best by comparing your junior's measurements with those
recommended by the manufacturer. Typically, if the height range for the set is 44 - 52 inches and your junior stands
48 inches tall you would have a great match. If your junior is at the lower end of the scale you may want to continue
your search, as the clubs may be be too long. If your junior is at the very high end of the range you may want to
select the next larger size, or search for a different junior golf set with a more appropriate height range.
Bottom line: if your child's height is about in the middle of the manufacturer's suggested height range, you're safe. If
not, search for a different brand with a different height range. Always strive to purchase clubs a little long for your
junior - this ensures the junior will grow into the clubs and allows parents to maximize their investment.
Custom Built Clubs - we no longer offer custom built clubs - the club length chart below is what we used for
building custom junior golf clubs. This is for your reference only.

All Kids Golf Clubs - Recommended Junior Golf Club Sizing Chart by Height
Child Height
42"
43"
44"
45"
46"
47"
48"
49"
50"
51"
52"
53"
54"
55"
56"
57"
58"
59"
60"
61"
62"

Driver
31"
32"
33"
33"
34"
34"
35"
35"
36"
36"
36"
37"
37"
38"
38"
39"
39"
39"
40"
41"
41"

3 Wood
30"
31"
32"
32"
33"
33"
34"
34"
35"
35"
35"
36"
36"
37"
37"
38"
38"
38"
39"
40"
40"

3 Iron
31"
31"
32"
32"
32"
33"
33"
34"
34"
35"
35"
35"
36"
37"
37"

5 Iron
27"
27"
28"
28"
29"
29"
30"
30"
31"
31"
31"
32"
32"
33"
33"
34"
34"
34"
35"
36"
36"

7 Iron
26"
26"
27"
27"
28"
28"
29"
29"
30"
30"
30"
31"
31"
32"
32"
33"
33"
33"
34"
35"
35"

9 Iron
25"
25"
26"
26"
27"
27"
28"
28"
29"
29"
29"
30"
30"
31"
31"
32"
32"
32"
33"
34"
34"

PW
24.5"
24.5"
25.5"
25.5"
26.5"
26.5"
27.5"
27.5"
28.5"
28.5"
28.5"
29.5"
29.5"
30.5"
30.5"
31.5"
31.5"
31.5"
32.5"
33.5"
33.5"

SW
24.5"
24.5"
25.5"
25.5"
26.5"
26.5"
27.5"
27.5"
28.5"
28.5"
28.5"
29.5"
29.5"
30.5"
30.5"
31.5"
31.5"
31.5"
32.5"
33.5"
33.5"

Putter
23.5"
23.5"
24.5"
24.5"
25.5"
25.5"
27"
27"
28"
28"
28"
29"
29"
30"
30"
31"
31"
31"
32"
33"
33"

JUNIOR GOLF

Picking the Right Junior Clubs

RELATED LINKS
JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT AWARDS
JUNIOR CAMP DIRECTORY 2009
WEB EXCLUSIVE: JOHNNY MILLER'S ADVICE
ROTELLA: GET YOUR CHILD STARTED IN GOLF
MORE INFORMATION FOR JUNIOR GOLFERS

BY ASHLEY MAYO

July 2009

Seve Ballesteros used a cut-down three-iron to hit golf balls on a beach when he was seven years old. He later went
on to win 91 professional tournaments worldwide, and is arguably the greatest golfer in European Tour history. And
Andres Romero, a 28-year-old Argentinean and winner on the PGA Tour, began playing when he was six years old,
using a club his father carved from a branch of a Mulberry tree. While these nifty methods have proven outstanding
for Ballesteros and Romero, today's proper junior clubs are better than cut-down 3-irons and Mulberry branches.
Indeed, you may think there are just too many options, but it'll serve you well to put some thought into which clubs
and which pre-packaged sets best suit your junior golfer.
How many clubs do I really need to buy?
There's no need for a 5-year-old to carry fourteen clubs. Tony Dabbs, the product line manager for junior clubs at
Nike Golf, has a 5-year-old daughter who enjoys hitting golf balls. Dabbs has access to every kind of junior club, for
obvious reasons, but he began by giving her a wedge and a putter, and has slowly added a few irons, hybrids and a
driver.
"My 5-year-old only practices with a wedge," said Dabbs. "Longer clubs are harder to control and can create
frustration. Plus, she enjoys getting the ball up in the air, which is easiest to do with a wedge."
Even when kids venture onto the course, many have such slow swing speeds that 14 clubs become a pointless
abundance.
"Depending on height and strength, most junior golfers can only swing so hard," said Jose Miraflor, the product line
manager for junior clubs at Taylormade. "Because you need swing speed to create distance gaps between clubs,
distance gaps are usually quite small or unnoticeable with kids. Therefore, a driver, a hybrid -- which makes it easier

to get the ball in the air -- a 7-iron, a wedge and a putter are a perfect set. It makes sense to have 12-14 clubs only
when a kid becomes 10 years old, can swing harder and sees a distance gap that's larger than five yards between
clubs."
How much should I spend on a driver, and what's the ideal length?
Less expensive drivers are made from aluminum and stainless steel, while pricier ones are made from titanium. A
beginning junior golfer who isn't quite ready for tournament play will do fine with an aluminum driver. Because it's
a weaker metal than titanium, an aluminum head has to be thicker. This makes impact sound worse and won't help
launch the ball as far, but that won't matter much at this stage in the game. A junior golfer with a higher swing speed
who's ready for tournament golf, however, will reap more benefits from a driver with an all-titanium clubhead. It'll
be worth the extra money.
And do your child a favor: Don't buy a longer driver hoping your kid will eventually grow into it. Even worse, many
kids -- and their parents -- equate a longer driver with longer drives. But Dan Van Horn, the founder of U.S. Kids
Golf and the developer of the U.S. Kids measuring system, says that couldn't be farther from the truth.
"A driver that's longer than two inches below the sternum encourages improper technique and slower hand speed,"
said Van Horn, whose company offers the most comprehensive fitting system among all junior golf equipment
manufacturers. "And these early mistakes are tough to correct."
Miraflor understands that buying a new driver every time your child grows can become a financial issue.
"If they're struggling to swing with a driver that's a bit too long, it's okay to have them choke down on the grip," said
Miraflor. "But a junior should never have to choke more than two or three inches down. At that point, the driver is
too long."
When should my kid get professionally fit for clubs?
Tiger Woods got his first fitting at the tender age of four, and his clubs were rechecked every six months thereafter.
"It was a big part of my job to help Earl keep clubs fit to Tiger," said Rudy Duran, Tiger's first swing coach. "Earl
knew the importance of club fitting, and as a result we worked together to make sure that Tiger had clubs that fit him
every year."
Duran paid most attention to length, and also checked shaft flex, grip size and weight. But equipment companies
today have taken a lot of the guesswork out by offering pre-packaged junior golf sets that meet Duran's basic criteria.
Major manufacturers such as Callaway (callawaygolf.com), Nike (nikegolf.com), Ping (ping.com), TaylorMade
(taylormadegolf.com), Tour Edge (touredge.com) and Wilson (wilson.com/golf have pre-boxed sets of junior golf
clubs, designed for children of a certain age and height. And other equipment companies, such as Accu-Length
(acculength.com) and U.S. Kids (uskidsgolf.com), focus solely on building junior golf clubs. The sets cost from $80
to $400.
"With these junior sets, until the junior grows to more than 60 inches in height, there's no need to get them
professionally fit to each club in the bag," said Van Horn, who offers 10 different pre-packaged junior golf sets that
are tailored to kids who are 27 to 63 inches tall. "The best thing to do is to learn a company's philosophy and follow
it. The golf pro at your local club can help you decide which concept is best."
What kind of golf balls should my child use?
Unless your junior golfer is six feet tall and swings like Bubba Watson, chances are your child's swing speed is lower
than 80 MPH. It's tough for anyone with such a slow swing speed to maximize a golf ball's distance-enhancing
properties.

"Juniors with slower swing speeds don't compress balls and don't generate a lot of spin," said Miraflor. "So they will
benefit from a ball that has a softer cover and spins more, which will stay in the air longer."
Most of the pre-packaged junior golf sets come with two or three soft-compression golf balls, which are more easily
compressed by golfers with slower swings.
"We have two kinds of balls," said Van Horn. "One of them works for kids whose swing speeds are slower than 70
MPH. That ball's overall compression is in the mid-50s, which helps kids hit it farther. The other ball is for swing
speeds around 90 MPH."
But don't feel limited to balls made specifically for junior golfers. Rather, balls like Nike's Power Distance Soft and
Bridgestone's TreoSoft and e5+ have super soft cores that will help junior golfers maximize distance. Plus, the slew
of women's balls currently on store shelves will help any junior launch the ball higher. Check out Callaway's HX
Pearl, Nike's Karma, Precept's Lady IQ 180 and Srixon's Soft Feel Lady.
ASHLEY MAYO
Keywords:

GOLF,
GOLF DIGEST,
JUNIOR GOLF: PICKING THE RIGHT JUNIOR CLUBS,
ASHLEY MAYO,
JUNIOR GOLFERS,
KIDS

Measuring Your Child For Junior Golf

Clubs
By All Child's Play

Choosing The Appropriate Junior Golf Equipment

So you're thinking about starting your child in junior golf this year, and not sure where to start looking for the
appropriate junior golf equipment.
The good news is that the golf industry has made great strides in recent years developing age appropriate
equipment for youth golfers. In years past, before junior golf shafts were available, parents made it a common
practice to cut down an adult set of golf clubs for their kids. This is certainly an inexpensive way of creating a junior
golf set, however it is not a good solution for several reasons.
1. Most men's golf club shafts are on the stiffer side and do not provide enough flex for the youth golfer
2. The heads on adult golf clubs are heavier and difficult for the golf junior to lift and get a good backswing
3. The lofts on adult clubs (mainly mens clubs) are usually stronger which makes it difficult for the younger golfer
to get the ball airborne.
All of these problems will make it much more difficult for your beginning golfer to learn the game and enjoy the game
of golf. They may become easily frustrated and lose confidence, thus causing them to lose interest in golf altogether.
Most junior golf clubstoday are made with the child's height and weight in mind, and are very affordable. The
materials used in these youth clubs are less expensive in order to keep the overall cost down. Today's kids clubs
are more lofted to give your child a better opportunity to get the ball airborne, and they weigh less which makes it
easier for younger golfers to control the clubs.
The question then becomes, how do you determine the correct junior golf set for your child.

Measuring For Junior Golf Clubs Height Chart

HEIGHT vs DRIVER LENGTH CHART

How To Measure Your Child For Youth Golf Clubs

Fitting your child for the right size golf clubs should not be taken for granted. You wouldn't want to randomly
purchase just any old size 3 pair of jeans just because your toddler is 3 years old, and the same is true for junior golf
clubs to an extent.
Most kids golf sets are broken down by age groupings and in most cases that will work fine for that age group for the
beginning golfer. However, there are other considerations for parents before purchasing a set of junior golf clubs.
The length of the clubs should be based on the height and additionally the athletic ability of the child. If the clubs are
too long, the golf junior will have a tendency to automatically choke down on the club, which will not be beneficial to
the child's swing. Obviously the build of the child and the athletic ability allows for slightly longer junior golf clubs in
some cases. And a larger child will have more body mass which may allow for a somewhat longer club than that of a
skinny tot. Then, some youth golfers will have better hand-eye coordination so a longer club could be in order.
Age based fitting does not always allow for a proper fitting of youth golf clubs due to differences in heights and
weights in the age category.
Here's a chart that will show the best size clubs based upon the child by height (not age):

Junior Golf Clubs For Ages 3-5

Using the height vs. driver length chart above, this set of Dexton Big Driver Junior Golf Clubs would be appropriate for heights
of 36" to 42" with this 27" Driver.

The putter and iron included in this set (with the wood) are length appropriate based on the child's height of 36-42".

As Your Child Gets More Proficient At Golf and grows, you will want to purchase a junior golf club set with more clubs. This
Dexton Big Driver Junior Golf Set has a putter, 3 Wood, and a 5/6, 7 and 9 iron. The bag and club covers are also included.

This set is age appropriate for 9-12 years old. Based on the driver length of 39", this junior golf set is best for children of
heights 54"-57".

Other Considerations For Purchasing A Junior Golf Set

Some parents, who themselves are good golfers, tend to be concerned with the swingweight of the junior golf
set. With very short clubs, such as the 3-5 year old kids clubs shown above, the swingweight may be very low.
However, the overall club weight is more important for the golf junior. For very short youngsters it is important
to keep the overall weight of the club low so that they can swing more efficiently.
Taller and stronger golfers will need heavier overall weighted clubs so as to allow for a more natural swing. Too
light of clubs for older children could develop bad swing habits.
How Many Clubs To Purchase For Your Junior Golf Set
The typical set for the very youngest golfer should include a putter, a single lofted iron such as a 5-7 iron and a
wood. These 3 clubs will suffice in the beginning.
As your child gets older and more proficient, a good junior golf set will include the putter, a 3 wood and a 5, 7
and 9 (pitching wedge) irons. Do not add too many of the lower lofted clubs such as the 2 or 3 iron to your
child's set because youngsters will not be able to get the ball airlofted with these lower clubs.

Youth Golf Can Be Very Rewarding

Choosing and fitting your youth with the appropriate junior golf clubs can be very rewarding for both you and
your child. Just keep in mind that you need to chose the club length based on the child's height and ability rather
than on their age. A youth club that is too long, too heavy or too stiff will diminish your child's ability and
potentially cause frustrations. Choosing the right clubs the first time around will get the desired result, a fun and
rewarding experience for both you and your child.
Do not be too concerned about your child outgrowing their kids clubs. Too long of clubs will only create poor
swing habits. If your child is not succeeding and seeing good results, they will likely want to quit and give up
all together.
Keep in mind that you can always pass down the undersized clubs to younger siblings or friends in future years.
If your child does outgrow the clubs and you would like to continue using them, you can always lengthen the
shafts rather inexpensively. You can use portions of other used steel shafts to extend the clubs or insert
hardwood dowels of the appropriate size to add new length and new life onto your junior golf set.

If you do decide to purchase a little longer set of clubs for your youth golfer to extend the life of the set, no
more than 1 inch longer is our recommendation.

Other Resources For Starting Your Child In Junior Golf

Introducing Your Child To Youth Golf?
The Official Junior Golf Site Of The USGA For Junior Golf Programs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uebGDH5fbqE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x01XstpraCQ

How to Choose Junior Golf Clubs

By johndwilliams

How to Choose a Set of Junior Golf Clubs

Any parent knows that kids golf is as important as the adult game. Choosing a set of junior golf clubs takes is as
important as buying an adult golf set. Get it right and your child will learn the great game, get it wrong and they will
rapidly lose interest. There are a few factors you need to be aware of when buying a junior golf set. These factors
require feedback from your child as well as parental guidance. As we all know buying golf equipment is an
expensive past-time, so getting the decision right from the beginning will not only make it easier on your wallet, but it
mean you make less trips to the golf shop!
Just like choosing the best golf clubs for beginners deciding what junior golf set for your son or daughter requires
understanding of the main 6 factors.

How to Choose the Size of a Junior Golf Set

Getting the size of youth gold clubs right is tantamount to ensuring they play well on the course and are not
overshadowed by over-sized golf equipment. Do not believe that your child will Grow into golf clubs, they wont.
They need to fit well from the start. If you have the option you may want to try golf club fitting for your junior golf
clubs. This will ensure that the clubs are tailored to your childs height, weight, posture and alignment.

Decent junior golf clubs also come with a free golf bag. Just make sure that this bag fits well if it is a carry bag. If it is
a cart bag make sure that it fits snugly into your kids golf cart.

How to Choose the Color of a Junior Golf Set

As much as the size of a set of golf clubs is important for your child so too is the color, getting color right is
important. Every child has a preferred color choice and so a set of junior golf clubs should match your kids
preference.
Everybody knows that having matching kit boosts self confidence so when choosing your junior golf clubs always try
to ensure that the color matches their existing golf equipment.
Nothings worse than having conflicting colors or using equipment in your least favorite color. Luckily in todays
golfing equipment market the range of colors is truly staggering.
Even from an early age every kid can get into golf. All it takes is a play set of golf clubs and some time set aside to
begin your child playing.
Theres no excuse for not matching golf clubs with other golfing accessories or your kids junior golfing clothing.

How to Choose Golf Make Model Brand Identity for Kids

Every child faces peer pressure and brand identity is a part of this process. Ask your child about his or hers golfing
hero and they will also be able to tell you about brand identity. Many children play golf in a club environment, so
there will be certain brands that have more credibility and acceptance than other less fashionable golfing brands.
Every kid wants to emulate their heroes and golf is the same. Your golf shop will be able to advise you of the most
sought after brands; however you should also consult with your child when purchasing or choosing a set of junior
golf clubs. A child will want to play with equipment that matches their hero. Allow them to have some influence in
this decision as it will mean they want to play more golf and therefore become a better child golfer.
As much as every kid golfer has a hero they also have players they dislike. Imagine having to play with golf
equipment or a golf set that there most despised player plays with and youll see why brand identity when choosing
junior golf clubs is very important indeed.

How to Choose Junior Clubs Just 7 iron putter PW and a Driver

Every competent golfer knows that club selection is important and that the maximum golf clubs allowed is a game of
golf is 14. However kids dont need this many golf clubs. Not only does it increase weight and therefore potential
injury for a childs body it also adds to the frustration of trying to understand what golf club to choose from a junior
golf set.
It is recommended that 4 clubs should form the basis for your purchase. These are:
Driver
7 Iron
Pitch Wedge
Putter
A 7 iron is easy to hit and will cope with most distances at a junior level. A pitching wedge will allow for creative and
necessary lob or pitch shots onto the putting green. A putter of course is required for taking putts. A driver will be
needed for getting decent distance off of the golf tee. These are the recommended gold clubs that should form the
core of any junior golf club set. Learning how to choose these clubs will mean your child has the best chance of
settling in and enjoying their golf game.

An Aluminum Driver for a Junior Golf Set is Fine

How to choose a driver is a hard part of any golf set yet for juniors its even more of a daunting question. It is
recommended though to avoid steel drivers as well as graphite shafts (these are for people or kids with really high
swing speeds). Instead an aluminum driver offers many advantages. They are light as well as well suited to a childs
slower club head speed.

How to Choose a Junior Golf Set Poll

What is the most important factor to you when choosing a junior golf set?
Size of Kit

Color of Kit
Golf Brand
Amount of Clubs
Driver Material
Golf Ball Covers
See results without voting

Junior Golf Balls Softer Cover Spins More and Greater Distance
A decent set of clubs is not much if youre buying the wrong sort of golf balls for your child. It is suggested that a ball
with a softer cover spins more at both ball launch (from the tee shot) to iron and pitch play and shots around the
course. A softer golf ball also produces better ball flight and distance which suits a junior better as it means they will
get more distance from their golf shots. You should consider buying at least 12 soft cover golf balls to go with your
youth golf clubs.
Putting with a softer golf ball is also fun because the putter to ball contact is reduced. This means your child is more
likely to hit over the hole rather than pulling a golf putt short of the hole. The result of this is that your child will feel
less frustration as they know they can get the ball in the hole with most putts, rather than missing by short putting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mg9o8gCvAm8

What Kids Can Get Out of Playing Junior Golf

Now youve decided how to Choose Junior Golf Clubs its important to understand what kids get out of playing golf.

Eye-to-hand coordination
Hitting a golf ball requires understanding how the eye and body function together. The ability to hit a ball means they
will understand the necessity of focus and accuracy, this can then be passed down to other sports your child may be
involved in such as baseball or soccer.

Understanding the Rules of golf

Golf is a game of rules however there is no referee present. Instead players must agree on the rules, this will teach
your child the importance of group agreement and individual thought away from parental supervision and referee.
Think of it as golf teaching your child reasoning skills and the supremacy of committee.

Etiquette of golf and honor

Golf allows kids and children to understand the concept of honor and to respect other players and people. All
actions in golf follow a strict yet respectable system of honoring your playing partners as well as yourself. This
means your child will create a higher level of self-esteem.

Golf is good exercise for Kids

Playing a round of golf involves being outside in nature for several hours. Having a decent set of junior golf clubs
means your child will develop physically and mentally.

Golf also creates a good level of competition

As your child develops their golfing ability competitions will allow your child to compete therefore developing a
healthy competitive ability that will help them to succeed in all walks of life.
Choosing the best set of junior golf clubs without the need for golf club fitting will mean you kid gets off to playing
this fantastic sport on the best footing possible. Every child remembers their first golf set, it will help them form the
bond with the game that is required to be a serious golfer. As a parent a visit to your local golf shop with you and
your child should be a part of bonding in parental terms and within the game of golf. Remember though to talk with
your youngster about their favorite golf brands before you purchase.