Many golfers will tell you the clubs they have the most difficulty hitting are the long irons. Both 3-irons and 4-irons can be a very hard club to hit for amateurs that aren’t close to scratch golfers.
Using a larger headed club such as a 7-wood can help players make cleaner contact and have more desirable outcomes on the course. This article will highlight the 7-wood and its different characteristics.
A 7 wood club is in the wood family and has more loft than a three or five wood making it a lot easier to hit. It is a strong replacement for someone who struggles hitting their long irons or hybrids.
The head on the 7-wood is big and it has a larger sweet spot for hitting off different kinds of lies including hard ground and in the rough. It is very forgiving and usually an inch shorter than a standard 5-wood which also helps make it simpler to hit.
The typical 7-wood loft degree is 21 to 22 for men. Some are available as high as 27 degrees which are more commonly found in women’s clubs.
Having this loft helps golfers get the ball up high in the air and land softly on greens.
An 18 degree 5-wood or 15 degree 3-wood will have a lower ball flight and a higher rollout. Controlling the distance around the pin will be much harder than using a 7-wood.
Depending on how far you can hit the ball, a 7-wood can range from 170-230 yards for golfers who are men. Typically for women, it travels between 120-170 yards.
Another factor is how high or low a golfer tees the ball and how hard or soft the course is. They can get even more distance depending on the rollout of the ball.
Most seven woods are between 40-42 inches long. The shorter the length, the easier it is to hit.
The 7-wood is also about 10 grams heavier when it comes to sole head-weight versus a 5-wood. This helps get the ball out of fairway sand traps and lifts the ball higher into the air.
The 7-wood is a very versatile club that can be used in many different situations around the golf course. Below are some scenarios where it would be suitable to use the club.
The seven wood can replace six different clubs including the 2-iron, 3-iron, 4-iron, 3-hybrid, 4-hybrid and 5-wood. Depending on the golfers length, they can use it to replace one of those clubs.
Replacing a 5-wood with a 7-wood will sacrifice some yardage but if a golfer can hit the 7-wood better then the tradeoff can be worth it.
A 7-wood at 21 degrees can replace a 2-iron. One with 24 degrees can help replace a 4-iron.
Many golfers will tell you that a 7-wood is much easier to hit than a 3-hybrid and that’s why they carry one. A 7-wood vs hybrid has many differences.
A 3-hybrid is usually 19 to 21 degrees in loft with a 7-wood coming in at 21-22. There are 7-woods that can be found at 20.5 degrees.
Someone with a lower handicap and a faster swing speed might prefer a 3-hybrid thanks to its distance.
A golfer with a higher handicap and who has trouble making solid contact would probably prefer a 7-wood.
From the fairways if you like a little more bite on the green, a 7-wood is the right club.
A 4-hybrid is better from hitting out of the rough.
Most 7-woods are about two inches longer than 4-hybrids.
For golfers who have trouble battling hooks off the tee, the 7-wood will be easier to swing versus the 4-hybrid.
The 3-iron is arguably the most difficult iron to hit. For high-handicappers a 7-wood is a better club to hit.
The 3-iron will have a low trajectory and is ideal for hitting low stingers.
With a 3-iron, it is easier to shape shots such as a fade or draw.
The 7-wood will fly high and most likely straighter.
Hitting a 3-iron off the ground is much more difficult than hitting a 7-wood due to its forgiveness. It works very well as a fairway wood as a result.
Both clubs are usually found lofted at 21 degrees so if you’re better at hitting long irons or better at hitting woods then the choice shouldn’t be too hard.
A 5-wood will have a lower trajectory flight and a lot more rollout making it difficult to control once it lands on the green.
A 7-wood will spin more and have a high ball flight making it easier to stick it closer to the pin compared to the 5-wood.
Five woods are built a couple inches longer than 7-woods so they are more difficult to hit and there is more room for error.
The 5-wood is going to go farther since it is usually found around 18 degrees versus a 7-wood that is lofted around 21 degrees.
If you’re looking for driving distance off the tee the 5-wood is a better option. If you’re on a tight and short par-4 then the 7-wood is usually the preferred club.
The following video by Ali Taylor Golf explains different ways to use a 7-wood and when it is appropriate to throw one in the golf bag.
Taylor describes the 7-wood as being a great club but he knows many golfers who don’t like adding it to their set of clubs because it’s known as an “old man’s club”.
He says those golfers need to get over it and swallow their pride. They should use it if it benefits them because it can be a great tool to help lower scores and perform better.
He shows in the video the trajectory of many golfers who hit their long irons. It is low and has less carry than golfers who use a 7-wood.
The long iron low trajectory isn’t ideal when trying to clear bunkers or ponds on the way to the hole. He shows how much better the ball flight and distance is with the 7-wood.
Best 7-wood for men: Callaway Rogue
We selected the Callaway Rogue 7-wood as our recommended choice for men thanks to its many features mentioned below including it being 21 degrees.
The Cobra F-Max Superlite Fairway wood was our pick for an ideal women’s fairway wood thanks to its many features.
It is ultimately up to a golfer if they prefer a 7-wood over a long iron, hybrid or 5-wood in the bag. The 7-wood is more forgiving than these clubs on mishits and promotes a softer landing than other woods.
If you make mistakes often and need a good club to hit from longer distances then the 7-wood is an excellent choice. These clubs are also handy for low-handicappers. Make sure to comment on your experiences with 7-woods.
Lawrence Smelser is part of the Golfible editorial staff and is a freelance golf writer. Smelser has covered the PGA Tour and most recently the 2019 Masters. He holds a journalism Bachelor's degree from Texas A&M and a Master’s journalism degree from the University of North Texas
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