Be clear about what you are measuring
A club's playing length is not the same thing as the length of an uninstalled shaft. The head, grip and measuring setup matter. When you compare a used iron with a manufacturer's table, you need the whole club measurement and a consistent method.
Start by recording the exact club: brand, family, generation and club number. Use inches if the source table uses inches. Keep the original number before converting units; one inch equals 25.4 millimeters.
Use a repeatable setup
For a useful check, use a club-length measuring fixture or ask a fitter to measure the club. A suitable fixture gives you a repeatable head position and reference point. That is more helpful than holding a flexible tape along a shaft at an arbitrary angle.
The equipment rules describe a measurement method for woods and irons using a horizontal plane and a 60° plane against which the sole is placed. That regulatory method is a defined reference, not a promise that every manufacturer's historical specification was recorded with exactly the same setup.
If you are making a home measurement, describe your setup rather than presenting the result as interchangeable with a professional gauge reading. Small differences can come from positioning and reference points as well as from a modified club.
A useful measurement record
Write down:
- The model, generation and club number.
- Whether you measured the complete club with its grip installed.
- The tool or fixture and positioning method.
- The reference point at the butt end, including how the grip cap was treated.
- The measured value and units, without rounding more than necessary.
- The date and any visible signs of shaft replacement or extension.
Repeat the measurement after repositioning the club. If the result changes appreciably, improve the setup before comparing it with a specification table.
Compare against the correct build
A manufacturer can publish different lengths for different builds. In the TaylorMade M2 sheets, men's and women's length rows are separate. Our M2 records use the published men's row and say so beside the table.
Read that note first. Also check whether the source distinguishes steel and graphite, regional variants or custom orders. If the source does not supply a variation, keep it unknown rather than filling it in from another model.
Do not mistake differences in published decimal precision for proof of a physical change. The 2016 M2 sheet gives its 4-iron length as 38.875 inches, while the 2017 sheet prints 38.88 inches. Those values are extremely close, and the source formatting alone does not establish a meaningful change in a used club.
When to ask a shop
If a length difference affects a buying or fitting decision, have a qualified fitter or repair shop measure the actual clubs using a consistent method. They can also inspect possible extensions or replacement shafts. A reference chart cannot reveal that history remotely.
Sources and related reading
See the R&A and USGA equipment rules, Part 2 for the defined regulatory measuring method, and the sources on our 2016 M2 and 2017 M2 pages for the worked examples. Sources checked September 27, 2026.
Continue with lie angle and the used iron checklist.