4 Iron Vs 7 Wood – Which Club To Use And When

The 4 iron is a club that used to be present in every bag but has now got a lot of competition from hybrids while the 7 Wood is not that popular but is still a highly effective club, still carried on occasion by pros like Dustin Johnson and Tommy Fleetwood.

The 4 Iron is a precision tool that packs a lot of distance for an iron with a slender compact head and relatively strong long which produces a high ball flight, higher spin rates than a 3 iron and a good deal more precision than a 7 wood.

The 7 Wood is about 15 yards longer than the 4 iron but it can be used from many of the same spots. It has a stronger loft, more distance and a large sweet spot for sweeping strokes towards the green, preferably from a good lie on the fairway.

4 Iron Overview

And interesting fact is that iron produces have consistently made their lofts stronger over to the years to the point that what would have been classed as a 3 iron before is now classed as a 4 iron.

Still, the 4 iron is a lot more of a precision tool than the 7 wood, you can aim for the green with a 7 wood but you can aim for the pin with a 4 iron and it has more workability with back spin too.

The 4 iron can be used off the tee on a par three and it is very effective from a nice lie on the fairway. The excellent turf interaction means you can get a lot of spin on the ball as well.

Because there is a sharper leading edge than most woods, it makes the club a go to choice from the mid to heavy rough as it cuts through the longer grass effortlessly.

4 irons come in many variations from game improvement to blades that will suit all levels of player.

The big competition for the longer irons now is hybrids and due to this we have also seen 4 irons becoming longer, more workable and more forgiving as the technology advances.

7 Wood Overview

You are not going to see a 7 wood in every golfers bag, it is more of an acquired taste. You’re not going to see it in a beginners golf set all too often and many golfers will never even hit one.

the club is also under more pressure from hybrids now which combine the best aspects of the iron and the wood yet the club is still making it into some of the best players in the worlds bags on regular occasions.

The 7 wood is ideal from a nice lie on the rough where hitting the green is a real possibility at a long to mid range distance.

The higher loft produces a higher flight path and less rollout than the 5 or 3 wood and the sharper leading edge makes the clubs turf interaction better and it makes it a better club from the rough too.

You can also find use for it from the tee on a par three and the better players will be able to work the club effortlessly with a draw or a fade.

The club has a large head for distance and a huge face making it forgiving and also easy launching.

If you have a slow swing speed, you may also skip the 3 wood and go with 5 and 7 wood combo in your bag.

In our opinion both of these clubs are equally as useful and can both be carried. The 7 wood is great for slower swing speeds and for certain courses for the better players.

The 4 iron is a staple for better players with its workability and players who struggle to hit both of the se clubs should check out some hybrids.