7 Wood Vs 3 Hybrid – Which Club To Use And When

The 7 wood is an effective club that we usually don’t see that much and the 3 hybrid is a very popular club that has seen a recent surge in it’s uptake.

The 3 and 5 wood are the most common of the fairways but we have recently seen seasoned pros such as Dustin Johnson and Tommy Fleetwood carrying the 7 wood and its a quite undervalued club for most.

The 3 Hybrid is now commonly including in most beginner sets and it its that is versatile and easy to hit consistently straight.

7 Wood Overview

The 7 Wood in truth offers just as much value as the 3 or the 5 wood but that for that of types long irons have been traditionally used and now we are seeing more and more hybrids.

The 7 wood has a more forgiving loft than the 3 hybrid but and both clubs hit the ball around the same distance in slightly different ways.

Since the 7 wood has a shorter shaft and a more forgiving loft it can be easier to hit than a 3 wood and if you set your driver on anything over 12 degrees of loft, you need to be looking at a 5 and 7 wood combo or maybe a 5 wood and 3 Hybrid, dropping the 3 Wood.

The club is excellent from a nice lie on the fairway but the extra loft allows the club to sweep through the long grass of the rough effectively too.

This club is workable with a draw or a fade and that is why we see some top pros carrying the club.

If you’ve never tried to hit a 7 wood before, we recommend checking one out as soon as possible.

3 Hybrid Overview

Hybrid clubs have grown in popularity exponentially in recent years and it is easy to see why, they produce, long, high and straight shots with incredible consistency and ease of use.

The 3 hybrid is also quite versatile, it can be used from a nice lie in the fairway but it can also be used very effectively from the rough due to the sharp leading edge of the club it also highly useful from the rough, giving it the name ‘Rescue club’.

The sharp leading edge and generous loft also equate to you being able to get the ball in the air more easily, especially if you struggle with your woods.

The 3 Hybrid is now included in most beginner sets instead of the long irons which are more precise but harder to get the hang of.

Hybrid clubs are some of the easiest to pick up and play for beginners but they are also now seen in tons of pro players bags.

Every golfer is going to be different and it will come down to preference what mix of fairway woods, long irons and hybrids you carry and if you do struggle to hit your longs irons, both the wieldy 7 wood and the consistent hybrid will be a great alternative to try.

7 Wood Quick Facts

Category – Long/Mid Range Club

When To Use: From Fairway, Light-Mid Rough, Tee

Average Distance: 185

Longer Hitter: 205

Shorter Hitter: 170

Typical Loft: 22 Degrees

Club Importance: 88/100

3 Hybrid Quick Facts

Category – Longer Club – Fairway Wood/Long Iron Mix

When To Use: From Fairway, Tee Or Light To Heavy Rough

Average Distance: 185

Longer Hitter: 200

Shorter Hitter: 175

Typical Loft: 19 Degrees

Club Importance: 94/100

7 Wood Overview & First Impressions

The 7 wood should inspire confidence at address, the head is large, the loft is high and the shaft length is shorter than 3 or 5 wood.

Some golfers are going struggle to get Drivers and Woods into the air and if that is you, the 7 wood may be a lot easier to hit consistent high launching shots, it is a degree loftier than a 3 iron.

The 7 iron is more precise too, the higher flight, leads to less rollout and the increased loft leaves a sharper leading edge too, better for hitting from the rough.

On courses with dog legs, the 7 wood is easy to hit draws and fades with too for the better players, Dustin Johnson and Tommy Fleetwood have been seen wielding the trusty 7 on regular occasions recently.

The 7 wood is perfect from the fairway and if you don’t hit irons well, it can be just the ticket, useful in an array of situations and more precise than the 3 and 5 wood.

The 7 wood faces stiff competition from the Hybrids too, which can produce more consistently straight shots but aren’t as long and workable.

One Club Up – 9 Wood

The 9 wood is a club that we rarely see on the course with the pros but if you hit your fairway woods better than other clubs, it can definitely be an option, easy to hit, lofty and with a large sweet spot, the 9 wood can be a go to club for most players.

One Club Down – 5 Wood

The 5 wood is far more common than the 7 wood because of the distance it serves. It is a natural progression form the 3 wood and allows you to attack the green for a significant distance,

3 Hybrid Overview & First Impressions

A Hybrid as the name suggests is a mix between a fairway wood with is large, round head and an iron with is large sweet spot and excellent turf interaction.

The 3 Hybrid is one of the most popular in the collection and the 3 & 4 Hybrids are usually found in most sets these days. While they used to be predominantly used by beginners and high handicappers they are now also seen in most pros bags too.

The clubs are incredibly versatile but as with most clubs they will enjoy there best performance from a nice lie on the fairway.

The large sweet spots ensure consistently straight shots and the decent loft and turf interaction ensure a high ball flight although they are slightly less workable than their iron counter parts.

The sharp leading edge is also ideal for the rough, giving the clubs it’s ‘Rescue club’ title.

The 3 Hybrid is a great for most players around the 190 mark on average from any lie and the club is great for hitting the green consistently.

A 3 hybrid can really add consistency to your game especially if you struggle with your longer irons, it will often replace a 3 or 4 iron these days.

One Club Up – 2 Hybrid

The 2 hybrid is a very similar club to the 3 except it has a stronger loft and thus hits the ball further but on a lower trajectory and with less roll out.

One Club Down – 4 Hybrid

The 4 hybrid is often coupled with the 3 in many beginner sets and will hit the ball 5 to 10 yards less than the 3 Hybrid with a higher loft that can cut through the rough more easily.

7 Wood Selling Points

  • Easy To Launch
  • Shorter and More Manageable Than 5 Wood
  • Can Add Work ability For Better Players
  • Higher Shot With Less Roll
  • Excellent For Those Who Struggle With Irons

3 Hybrid Selling Points

  • Consistently Straight Shots
  • Easy To Get Into Air With A Good Launch
  • Excellent Turf Interaction
  • Great From The Rough
  • Excellent Potential Replacement For Long Irons

Who Are 7 Woods For?

Unlike, sy a 5 wood, which will usually comes as part of a set and won’t turn any eyeballs, the 7 wood is a similar yet less popular club and for this reason, it is somewhat of a specialist club.

For someone with a slow swing speed and a 12 degree driver, a 5 and 7 wood combo maybe more suitable.

Seniors who can hit a 7 wood better than a 3 iron should consider a 7 wood.

Anyone who hits woods better than irons and hybrids can find great utility in the 7 wood and it also quite versatile.

The 7 wood can be hit from fairway, tee and light to mid rough. It has a shorter shaft and it is easy to hit consistently well with the large face and sweet spot.

It lacks the consistent straightness of a hybrid but it is also more workable and it feels great when you catch it on the sweet spot.

Our Favorite 7 Wood – Callaway Mavrik

Callaway is one of the top brands on the market and the Mavrik range, released in 2020, has something to offer every level of golfer.

From the ultra forgiving max to the super competitive sub zero and just the regular max, these clubs are made to increase distance, forgiveness and consistency with some of the lastest greatest and most modern golf technology.

Distance: 94/100

Accuracy: 92/100

Forgiveness: 94/100

Feel and Control: 90/100

Overall Score: 93/100

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Who Are 3 Hybrids For?

While 3 Hybrids started out as a club best utlized by beginners and handicappers, that is certainly not the cases now as Hybrids are also ominpresent in the bags of elite golfers around the world.

For it’s usefulness from the rough alone, the ‘Rescue club’ has become a vital component in almost every bag while the consistent straight and high shots are another reason why Hybrids are included in almost all golf sets these days.

For long shots from any lie, consider trying out a 3 hybrid.

Our Favorite 3 Hybrid – The Taylormade Sim Max

When you go with Taylormade, you know you are getting the best quality and since the Sim Max is not the newest model, it packs nearly all of the same tech at a lower price point.

The club is long, consistent and forgiving with a massive sweet spot, exceptional turf interaction and market leading forgiveness.

The Sim 3 Hybrid will be more suitable for the better players too.

Distance: 94/100

Accuracy: 96/100

Forgiveness: 95/100

Feel and Control: 92/100

Overall Score: 94/100

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