Golf ScoutHow far should you hit a 7 iron?
Most male club golfers hit a 7 iron 130 to 160 yards. On our chart, that's about 172 yards at scratch, 153 at a 10 handicap and 133 at 20. PGA Tour players carry it about 176 yards, and women typically hit 15 to 25% shorter than men.
7-iron distance by handicap
| Club | Scratch | 5 hcp | 10 hcp | 15 hcp | 20 hcp | 28 hcp | 36 hcp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6-iron | 190 | 180 | 169 | 158 | 147 | 125 | 111 |
| 7-iron | 172 | 163 | 153 | 143 | 133 | 114 | 101 |
| 8-iron | 158 | 149 | 141 | 132 | 122 | 104 | 93 |
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 puts the typical male amateur's 7 iron at 140 to 160 yards, which matches the 5 to 15 handicap columns above.
Beginners
A new golfer hitting a 7 iron 100 to 120 yards is normal: our chart gives 101 yards at a 36 handicap. Distance comes with a cleaner strike, not a harder swing. A centred hit with a smooth swing goes further than a thrash off the toe.
Women
England Golf's iGolf says women typically hit 15 to 25% shorter than men, mostly because of swing speed. That puts a woman's 7 iron at about 105 to 135 yards for a mid handicapper. Trackman figures for the LPGA Tour put the average driver carry at 218 yards in 2019, against 275 on the PGA Tour.
Seniors
Swing speed falls with age, and distance falls with it. So a senior's 7 iron often goes shorter than it did 20 years ago, and the right answer is to pick clubs by today's numbers, not old ones. Many senior golfers swap the long irons for hybrids, which launch higher with the same speed.
Tour players
Trackman data puts the average PGA Tour 7-iron carry at about 176 yards, and that's carry alone, before the ball lands. Tour players also use stronger-lofted clubs than many club golfers.
Why your 7 iron isn't the same as anyone else's
- Loft. A modern "game improvement" 7 iron can have the loft of an older 5 or 6 iron. Two 7 irons can be 15 yards apart before anyone swings.
- Strike. A shot off the toe or thin can lose 10 to 20 yards.
- Weather. Into a 10 mph wind, a 150-yard shot plays about 165. Cold mornings take a few yards too. The plays-like calculator shows how much.
- Carry or total. Launch monitors often quote carry, where the ball lands. On a firm British links, roll can add plenty; on soft parkland in winter, very little.
How to find your real 7-iron distance
Hit it on the course and measure where it finishes, not your best one on the range. Note 10 or more shots and take the average, leaving out the duffs. That number, and the gap to your 6 and 8 irons, is what you should pick clubs by.
See every club for your handicap
Related guides
- How far should you hit a pitching wedge?
- How far should you hit a 3 wood, 5 wood or hybrid?
- What is the average driver distance by age?
Sources
Golf Scout's caddie starts from typical distances for your handicap, then learns how far you really hit each club from the shots you mark. Get Golf Scout on the App Store, free for iPhone and Apple Watch.