7 Iron Vs 7 Wood Vs 7 Hybrid – Which Club to Use & When

“If your 7-iron isn’t exactly your best friend, don’t worry, it’s common.

Mid and long irons are notoriously difficult for beginner and even intermediate players. But there’s no need to struggle against an uncooperative club when there are viable alternatives.”

Of course, we’re talking about the 7-hybrid and 7-wood clubs. Though all three clubs bear the same number and offer just about the same average distance, they are used in very different situations.

They all have their own pros and cons too.

The main differences between these clubs has to do with design. The 7-wood will have a deeper face profile than a 7-hybrid.

And of course, the 7-iron is a bladed club with a smaller overall footprint. The lofts and face angle will also differ between these clubs.

In the following article we are going to be discussing the merits and pitfalls of each club and telling you when best to use them.

If you aren’t sure which of these clubs belongs in your bag, be sure to read all the way to the end!

The Clubs And Why The Right Choice is Important

 7 Iron

“The 7-iron is considered a mid iron and can be very helpful when you need to shape your shot a certain way.”

These days, the loft of a 7-iron can be between 28 and 35 degrees. And even with a weaker loft than a 7-wood, the 7-iron is still very useful for affecting low trajectory and on punch shots.

7 Wood

“The 7-wood is useful when you need to be able to stop the ball from rolling out too far.”

In general, you are going to see 7-woods with 20 to 22 degrees of loft. Still, the rounder head than both a 7-hybrid and 7-iron means that a 7-wood can have a deeper center of gravity.

This promotes higher launch and higher spin rates for better stopping power.

7 Hybrid

“In general, the 7-hybrid will give you a little less distance than a 7-iron but it’s an easier club to hit.”

While it may be tempting to consider the 7-hybrid more akin to the 7-wood, there are distinct differences.

The 7-hybrid will have a more shallow face and less rounded head. This makes it the better choice when you’re playing from the rough.

Overview of the Club Choice

“The 7-hybrid will allow you to attack the pin from the rough and is a very useful club if you often find yourself in tough lies.”

But more skilled players will likely gravitate towards a 7-iron which is the best club of the three to shape shots with and keep the ball low.

The 7-wood is a useful club if you’re trying to hit the corner of a dogleg from the tee. It creates less rollout than a 7-hybrid and produces steeper descent angles.

Loft And Distance Table

In terms of pure distance, the 7-wood and 7-hybrid are closest.

Each generating about 207 yards of carry. While distance will depend greatly on how fast your swing is, the table below will give you a general idea of what you can expect from each club.

Club	Loft (degrees)	Ball Speed (mph)	Distance (carry)
7-iron	28 – 35	104	140 yards
7-hybrid	31 – 34	131	207 yards
7-wood	20 – 22	134	208 yards

7 Wood Advantages Vs 7 Iron and 7 Hybrid

“The main advantage of a 7-wood over the other two clubs is distance.”

You are likely to get the most distance from a 7-wood because of the longer shaft and larger club head which will help most players improve their smash factor.

The 7-wood will also produce a lot of spin so stopping the ball is easier.

Who Should Use it And When?

“The 7-wood is a useful club when you need to lay up from the tee.”

The 7-wood will be useful for players who need more stopping power on approach shots. It is best for players who typically don’t have trouble keeping their drives on the fairway.

7 Iron Advantages Vs 7 Wood and 7 Hybrid

“The 7-iron is the most workable of the three clubs.”

The 7-iron is the club you want to familiarize yourself with if you want to be able to hit draws and fades as needed.

Who Should Use it And When?

“A 7-iron is best for the skilled golfer who doesn’t have trouble making consistent contact.”

This is the best club to use for when you have a specific target you need to shape your shot for. It’s also a good club to have if you typically play in windy conditions as it will help keep your ball low.

7 Hybrid Advantages Vs 7 Wood and 7 Iron

“A 7-hybrid is the most forgiving of all three clubs.”

It is also the best club to use from the rough. The shallower face profile gives it much better turf interaction.

Who Should Use it And When?

“If you are a high handicap player, you may want to have a 7-hybrid in your bag.”

They are much easier to hit than a 7-iron and are much more versatile (from almost any lie) than a 7-wood.

The Perfect Mix of Hybrids, Irons And Woods

“The perfect mix is a matter of personal preference.”

For me though, I like to carry a 3-wood 5-hybrid and 7-iron. This gives me the best gapping for my swing speed and the best versatility for all tee and fairway shots.

What Should High Handicappers Be Carrying?

High handicappers will likely be able to lower their score with a 7-hybrid and a 3 or 5 fairway wood. This is a good combination of forgiveness in the shorter irons and distance from the fairway.

What Should Low Handicappers And Pros Be Carrying?

Skilled golfers should absolutely have a 7-iron in their bag. While more and more tour pros have been using 7-woods, they are less versatile.

Can Hybrids Replace Low Irons And Woods?

“Hybrids probably shouldn’t be used to replace anything smaller than a 7-iron.”

They just don’t offer the kind of control you need around the pin. I do believe though that you can replace 5 and 7 woods with hybrids.

5H and 7H clubs offer the same kind of distance as their wood counterparts but with better turf interaction.

What’s the Difference in Shaft Length?

Your typical 7-iron will be about 33 inches. A 7-wood will be anywhere from 40 and 42 inches and the average 7-hybrid is 38 inches.

Which is the Easiest to Hit?

“The 7-hybrid is, in my opinion, the easiest club to hit.”

It gives you the cleanest contact with the ball from any lie and offers a lot of lateral forgiveness.

What Gives the Best Accuracy, Feel and Control?

“The 7-iron affords you the most control and best feel.”

Feedback with the average 7-iron is clearer thanks to the smaller head and you can shape your shot more accurately than with a 7H or 7-wood.

What Shafts Are Best for Each?

This may be a matter of opinion but I like a 7H and 7-wood with stiff graphite shafts. For my game, the 7-iron works best with a regular flex steel shaft.

Our Favorite 7 Wood

Cobra Aerojet

“The Arojet 7-wood has a carbon fiber crown and adjustable loft sleeve.”

This fairway wood feels very light and very fast. It’s perfect for players who want to increase their swing speed.

Overall Score: 96/100

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Our Favorite 7 Iron

Taylormade SIM Max

“The SIM Max 7-iron features the Speed Pocket and a 1.5mm face.”

This is a great iron because it is very forgiving and will make the difficult 7-iron easier to master.

Overall Score: 97/100

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Our Favorite 7 Hybrid

Ping G430

“The G430 features a carbon fiber crown and maraging steel face.”

The launch this club produces is more akin to a 7-wood so you get great forgiveness and stopping power.

Overall Score: 97/100

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Conclusion

“Most golfers will get the best use out of a 7-iron or a 7-hybrid.”

While 7-woods give you the pop and stop ability you may need at times, it is definitely the least versatile club of the three we’ve discussed in this article.

7-irons will work for skilled players while a 7-hybrid is a good choice for beginners and double-digit handicappers.