9 Iron Vs. 11 Wood Comparison Overview
Woods vs. irons. It’s a debate that seems as old as the game itself. Which one is better for your game? Unfortunately that question has a lot of variables. Some people prefer woods for no other reason than that they like the feel of them.
And it could be as simple as that for you too. However, if you want to make an informed decision about what to put in your bag, take a look at the most important aspects of the 9 iron and the 11 wood.
11 Wood Overview
The 11 wood is a pretty easy fairway wood to swing which is probably why you see all types of players use it.
And we would also throw in that it is a fairly versatile club to have in the bag. First of all, the 11 wood will typically have 30 degrees of loft so it’s decent for getting out of the rough and maybe getting over some short trees.
You can also expect about 155 yards on average from your 11 wood. Of course that measurement can go up or down about 20 yards depending on your swing speed. One of the most important aspects of the 11 wood is that it has a larger head than a comparable iron and hybrid.
This is what makes it a popular choice for beginners and high handicappers as a replacement for the 5 iron because the larger head looks better for them at point of address.
9 Iron Overview
The 9 iron is your go to iron when you need to set yourself up for a birdie or easy eagle. It gives you plenty of pop on short approaches so you don’t have to worry about sending the ball flying past the green.
9 irons are typically set between 41 and 43 degrees of loft so aside from a pitching wedge, it’s the strongest lofted iron. The 9 iron will also give you a ton of spin control – if you know how to work it of course.
For this reason, it’s favored by players of all skill levels when they need to land the ball dead on the green or produce some roll on choppy greens.
The 11 wood could be a viable option for you if you need some added forgiveness from the deck or rough. The 9 iron will also be instrumental to the development of your short game.
9 Iron Overview & First Impressions
When we tested a 9 iron against a 7 iron we were disoriented because we tested the 7 first. The shorter shaft and altered stance takes some getting used to.
When you need a higher loft than a 7 or 8 iron and on approaches within 120 yards, the 9 iron is an excellent.
If you’ve tried a 9 iron before without much success, it may have been a forged, players irons but don’t worry, the 9 iron also comes in a game improvement form which is focused on allowing beginners and high handicappers more forgiveness and consistency.
It’s also not surprising to see a pros ball land on the green and then spin off in a different direction as the better player has been able to add considerable spin to the ball thanks to the generous loft.
Because the 9 iron has a sharper leading edge, it can cut through the rough easily and is excellent if you do find yourself in trouble.
However, if you want easier putts, you will need to get familiar with the 9 iron. It offers robust spin control – just get used to the typically heavier head.
One Iron Down – 8 Iron
An 8 iron will cover an average of 130 yards and might not get used too often depending on what your swing speed is like.
One Iron Down – Pitching Wedge
The pitching wedge is even more generously lofted, workable and is used for distances just around the ground. Better players will be able to send the ball straight up into the sky.
11 Wood First Impressions
The 11 wood has a large, forgiving head that looked great at point of address and if you’re not used to seeing them, the high loft of the 11 wood can look a bit strange.
The 11 wood is more of a blunt object than the 6 iron, it can get the ball moving in the direction of the green without too much workability.
The 11 wood would be a great choice if you find yourself in a tight lie or if you require easier distance. The high loft cuts through the rough and has a high arching flight to target the green with an up and down flight path, without too much rollout.
The clubs also got a shorter shaft and is more manageable than some of the longer woods.
We found the versatility to be lacking. While you will typically get better average distance out of an 11 wood than a 6 iron, it doesn’t do much other than that.
It doesn’t have the consistency of a hybrid or the precision of an iron, meaning it nearly also misses out on inclusion in the 14.
Again, it’s great for getting out of the rough or tight lies but for us, that’s not enough to keep it in our bags.
One Wood Down – 9 Wood
A 9 wood will surely play longer, lower and with more rollout than your average 11 but suffers from the same performance limitations as an 11 wood. Another rare club to see.
One Club Up – 13 Wood
A huge loft, large head and a higher ball flight that might put a divot in the green when landing. Again, very rare but great for those who love to hit fairway woods.
9 Iron Selling Points
- Good control
- Good feedback
- Good for hilly courses
- Very precise
- Good from rough or bunker
- Promotes accuracy
11 Wood Benefits
- Easy, high launching distance
- Large head
- Good for beginners
- Good for slower swing speeds
- Good rescue clubs
- Good for getting out of fairway bunkers
Who Are 9 Irons For?
Speaking objectively, 9 irons will be more useful to advanced players who can cover most of the fairway in one or two strokes on shorter par 5’s.
They are most helpful on short approaches and can really help out when you’re facing down a hilly or particularly fast green
Again though, no matter what your skill set as a golfer currently is, this is a club you will need to learn.
A 9 Iron to Check Out – Taylormade SIM2
We really liked the forgiveness of this 9 iron. It has a lot of pop too which is really what you want from your 9 iron.
Distance: 94/100
Accuracy: 96/100
Feel & Control: 95/100
Forgiveness: 92/100
Overall Score: 96/100
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Who are 11 Woods for?
11 woods would benefit beginners and high handicap players – especially if they miss the fairway often.
They play about as long as 6 irons on average too so they are a viable replacement but they also face stiff competition these days from Hybrids.
Slow swing speeds like Juniors, Seniors and Ladies will do very well with these clubs, especially if they hit woods better than hybrids and irons.
As always, it is going to be decided by personal preference.
An 11 Wood to Check Out – Titleist Tsi1
The Titleist Tsi1 11 wood has an adjustable hosel so you can reign in the loft if you need to. It yields really nice distance too thanks to the high-flexing face.
Distance: 92/100
Accuracy: 90/100
Feel & Control: 88/100
Forgiveness: 91/100
Overall Score: 92/100
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