7-Wood Golf Club: Does it Deserve a Spot in Your Bag?

The 7-wood is a golf club that’s recently seen a rise in popularity. This is due to the 7-wood finding a spot in the bag of some PGA Tour professionals, notably Dustin Johnson, Adam Scott, and Bubba Watson. The days of the 7-wood being viewed as a club for seniors are over.

Having a 7-wood in the bag can come in super handy for many players. In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the 7-wood. You’ll leave this page knowing exactly what the club is, the 7-wood distance, 7-wood loft, and how it holds up vs. the hybrid and its iron equivalent.

What is a 7-Wood Golf Club?

The 7-wood golf club is a wood, just like a 3-wood or a 5-wood. But it has more loft than both of those options. Therefore, the 7-wood will get more height than them and go a shorter distance.

If you look down at a 7-wood beside your ball, you’ll see that it looks very similar to a 3-wood or 5-wood. However, you’ll notice that it has more loft and a smaller head than the other two. Also, the 7-wood is slightly shorter than both, with the 3-wood being the longest.

What’s the Average Distance for a 7-Wood?

The average distance for a 7-wood is about 180 yards. This all depends on the player, of course. Some golfers will hit it farther and some shorter.

Check out the table below to see the distance of a 7-wood compared to the 3-wood and 5-wood.

You’ll notice a 20-yard jump in distance from the 7-wood to the 5-wood. However, there’s only a 10-yard jump between the 5-wood and the 3-wood. This is down to the loft in degrees, so let’s look at the differences.

What Degree of Loft is a 7-Wood?

A 7-wood typically has 21 degrees of loft. For example, Dustin Johnson uses a TaylorMade SIM Max 7-wood with 21 degrees of loft. However, different manufacturers usually have different lofts because there’s no universal loft for clubs, so some 7-woods can be 23-degrees.

Remember we said the different lofts account for the difference in distances between the 7-wood, 5-wood, and 3-wood? That’s true, but it’s not the whole story. Each club has a different length, with the 7-wood being the shortest, affecting the distance.

Let’s use a table to view the typical lofts of our three woods, as well as their lengths.

As you can see, the 7-wood typically has three degrees more loft than the 5-wood and six more than the 3-wood. Also, it’s an inch shorter than the 5-wood and two inches shorter than the 3-wood. The combination of more loft and a shorter shaft means you’ll get less distance with the 7-wood.

What Club Does a 7-Wood Replace?

A 7-wood replaces a 3-iron in your bag. The 3-iron typically has a 21-23 degrees loft, so a 21-degree 7-wood acts as a replacement.

However, a 7-wood is much more versatile than a 3-iron. It’s easier to hit a 7-wood in several situations, including from the rough and tight fairway lies. So, the 7-wood isn’t only a direct replacement for a 3-iron but a more versatile option for many golfers.

Also, it’s easier for many golfers to hit a 7-wood compared to a 3-iron. That’s because even players with slow swings can launch the ball high with a 7-wood, no problem. Therefore, players who struggle to launch a 3-iron can succeed with the 7-wood.

And a 7-wood can replace a hybrid club. Let’s take a closer look at the 7-wood vs. hybrid.

7-wood vs. Hybrid

The 7-wood vs. hybrid is an interesting comparison because they can have the same loft, depending on the hybrid you have. If you have a 3-hybrid – also a replacement for 3-iron – the loft will likely equal that of a 7-wood. However, some differences give these clubs different performance characteristics.

The size of the head is the main feature to consider when discussing 7-wood vs. hybrid. A 7-wood has a bigger head than a hybrid. This makes the 7-wood much easier to hit than a hybrid for heaps of golfers.

Even looking down at the bigger head will instill confidence at address. It’ll just look easier to hit for the average golfer. And that confidence factor can be a huge part of hitting a beautiful shot.

However, it’s not all about looks giving you confidence. Compared to a hybrid, a 7-wood has a larger hitting area, a wider sole, and a center of gravity that’s lower and further back in the clubhead. Therefore, the 7-wood will launch higher and be more forgiving.

Also, the 7-wood has a longer shaft compared to the hybrid. This allows players to generate more clubhead speed with the same swing. The result is a higher launch and potentially more distance with the 7-wood.

Who Should Use a 7-Wood?

Any player who wants a higher launch and more forgiveness should use a 7-wood. It doesn’t matter what level you play at. Anyone from PGA Tour professional to weekend warrior can get incredible performance from a 7-wood.

However, you should definitely consider a 7-wood if you struggle to launch the ball high. Being unable to launch the ball optimally means you’ll be hard-pressed to get a 3-iron airborne. That’s no good if you need to clear bunkers in front of the green.

You’ll be able to launch a hybrid higher than a 3-iron, but it still might not be enough. Maybe you don’t swing fast enough to get that launch. A 7-wood will help you out with that.

Additionally, if you don’t always strike the ball cleanly, you should use a 7-wood. They’re super forgiving compared to a 3-iron and more forgiving than a hybrid. If this sounds like you, it’s a no-brainer to slot a 7-wood into the bag to replace a 3-iron or hybrid.

Final Thoughts

And that’s our rundown on the 7-wood and our case for its spot in your bag. Now that you know what a 7-wood is, its loft and distance, and how it holds up against the other clubs, you can make an informed decision that works for your game.

Even if you’re not sold on the 7-wood, you should test one out. It’s one of those clubs that just gets the ball sailing through the air. Hitting a 7-wood almost feels like cheating when compared to a 3-iron.

Give it a go, and you’ll see what we mean. You can thank us later!