Golf ScoutHow far should you hit a 7 wood?
A 7 wood is usually about 21°, and on our chart it goes about 212 yards at scratch, 189 at a 10 handicap and 164 at 20. That's roughly a 3 hybrid or a 3 to 4 iron, but with a higher flight and a softer landing.
7-wood distance by handicap
| Club | Scratch | 5 hcp | 10 hcp | 15 hcp | 20 hcp | 28 hcp | 36 hcp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-wood | 225 | 213 | 200 | 188 | 174 | 149 | 132 |
| 7-wood | 212 | 200 | 189 | 177 | 164 | 140 | 124 |
| 3-hybrid | 221 | 209 | 196 | 184 | 170 | 146 | 129 |
| 4-iron | 209 | 197 | 186 | 174 | 161 | 138 | 122 |
Typical total distance in yards, carry plus roll, on a still day at sea level. The same figures as the club distance chart.
England Golf's iGolf gives male amateurs 180 to 205 yards with a 5 wood and 170 to 190 with a 4 iron; the 7 wood sits between them. On our chart it's about 11 yards shorter than a 5 wood at a 15 handicap.
What loft is a 7 wood?
PING's G440 MAX fairway woods are 15° for the 3 wood, 17° for the 4, 19° for the 5, 21° for the 7 and 24° for the 9. PING lists its 19° 3 hybrid as the equivalent of a 7 wood and of a 3 iron, so the three clubs are built to cover the same job. Other makers' lofts differ by a degree or so, and many 7 woods are adjustable: check yours.
What a 7 wood is for
- Long approaches that need to stop. A fairway wood's longer shaft and low, deep head generally send the ball higher than a long iron of similar loft, so it comes down more steeply and stops sooner on the green.
- Light rough and tight lies. The wide sole slides through grass rather than digging.
- Tee shots on short par 4s where you want height and control more than distance.
Its weakness is wind: a high, spinning ball balloons into a breeze. On an exposed links you may prefer a hybrid or long iron that flies lower.
7 wood for seniors
As swing speed falls, long irons and even hybrids stop getting the ball high enough to carry, and a 7 wood is one of the easiest clubs to get airborne. Our chart gives 140 yards at a 28 handicap. A common set-up is a 5 wood and a 7 wood, or a 7 and a 9 wood, in place of the long irons. Expect to lose some distance as swing speed drops, and set the bag by what you hit now.
7 wood for women
England Golf's iGolf says women typically hit 15 to 25% shorter than men. Applied to the 177 yards on our chart at a 15 handicap, that's about 133 to 150 yards. It suits slower swings for the same reason it suits seniors: it gets the ball up with less speed.
Tour players
Trackman's PGA Tour averages don't have a 7-wood row, but they put the 5 wood at 236 yards of carry and the hybrid at 231. A 7 wood would sit a little below those, but the table doesn't give a figure for it.
Carry and total
Our chart shows total distance. A 7 wood lands more steeply than a long iron, so a common expectation is less roll: on firm ground the long iron may finish level with it even if it carries shorter. If a pond or bunker is in the way, work from carry.
7 wood, 3 hybrid or 3 iron?
If they go the same distance, you only need one. Choose the 7 wood for height and soft landings, the hybrid for control and thick rough, and the long iron for a low flight in wind. The 3-iron guide shows why the long iron often loses out, and the woods and hybrids guide covers the 3 wood, 5 wood and hybrids. To check your own gaps, use the club gapping calculator.
See every club for your handicap
Related guides
Sources
Golf Scout's caddie picks the club for each shot from the distances you actually hit, so a 7 wood gets suggested for the shots it really covers. Get Golf Scout on the App Store, free for iPhone and Apple Watch.