Why You Should have a 7 wood.

[Henry Smith]

Hi there,

Opinion: Every golfer, that can't hit long irons, Should have a 7 wood. Here's why:

I originally had a 22 degree hybrid, which I couldn't hit very well. It was an ideal club from the rough, But off the tee or fairway, it was tough. Then came a 3 Iron, I loved my 4i, so I got a 3i. It was the exact opposite, I could hit it off a tee, not that I really did because I just used a 5 wood, And off the fairway it was well, if in the correct lie. In the rough, it was just about 'hittable'. I kept my 3i, I had one more go with the 4h, then back to the 3 iron. 

Then I got a 7 wood. It completely changed my game.

The 7 wood is perfect, for a someone looking to get the ball in the air. also easy to hit, It is very 'workable' with shots. When needed, you can close down the face, down on the grip and punch out. 

Off the tee, it is a easy option for a long par 3, Just grip down, and it should go like a 4/5 iron. It is also a option if you struggling to keep your driver/longer woods in play.

Off the fairway, it is a more forgiving option, and can be used to get close to the green if your worried about hazards (bunkers, water).

It also provides an option if your walking the course so you can take a long iron out your bag when walking.

I carry a mizuno stx 220 7 wood, for context.

[Green4Spinach]

I am curious about this @Henry Smith. My wife uses her 7 wood all the time. I have a 5 wood (rogue ST Max) that I hardly use. But I use my Mizuno hybrids pretty much every round. I was wondering if a 7 wood or a 9 wood would be a better choice. Keen to see what you learn through this thread. 

[Henry Smith]

I would definitely try a 7 wood, you could ask your pro shop if they have a demo.

[Henry Smith]

6 hours ago, Green4Spinach said:

I am curious about this @Henry Smith. My wife uses her 7 wood all the time. I have a 5 wood (rogue ST Max) that I hardly use. But I use my Mizuno hybrids pretty much every round. I was wondering if a 7 wood or a 9 wood would be a better choice. Keen to see what you learn through this thread. 

I would definitely try a 7 wood, you could ask your pro shop if they have a demo.

[Hosel_Rockets]

I swapped out a hybrid for a 7 wood in my bag this year, and love it. So easy to hit!

[ClarkWGriswoldIII]

I have a Ping G425 Max 7-wood turned down one degree and with a 5-wood length shaft and love it.  It gets the ball out of gnarly lies, isn't as "hookable" as a hybrid and has a great trajectory and descent angle.  It's one of my favorite clubs.

[fixurpitch]

A 7 wood went in the bag about a year ago.  Great addition as it turns out. Maybe my favorite club now. It gives me plenty of confidence on long par 4 and par 5 approaches. 

[Hamviper]

Did not buy a 4 iron with my 0211 Xcore 2 PXG, instead tried a hybrid 4. Could not hit that hybrid to save my life. Did a lesson, never could get it to launch worth a darn. Cobra had a sale last year on the LTDx 7 wood so I took a shot. From the first swing I knew I had found my confidence club. I hit it out of a fairway trap on a par 5 the other day and still managed 196 yards. It draws and fades back to center on off center hits. The ball launches very high and lands soft with it. Only place I don't hit it is out of deep grass, just grab the 6 iron for that. The 7 wood is the greatest find in my game. Love it, everyone should try one! Liked the LTDx so much I now have a 5 wood, and they are on crazy sale now so a 3 wood will be here this weekend. $129 for that club is crazy good deal. Get one to try.

[GG194]

Don’t have a 7W but my 5W is probably a 7W, ladies 5W at 20*, haven’t measured the length but probably a little shorter than men’s FW. Best second shot club ever for me. 

[ClarkWGriswoldIII]

I came across the 7-wood during a fitting.  The fitter asked me how I liked my hybrid and I was ambivalent.  He then said, let me "Frankenstein" something for you to try and came back with the 7-wood I mentioned above.   I immediately took to it, hitting it nearly as far as my three wood.  He then took me out of the bay onto the grass where I successfully hit a couple out of normal lies then a couple out of iffy lies.  He then dropped a ball into relatively deep grass, stepped on it and asked me to hit it.  It came out like a rocket.  Sold!

[RetiredBoomer]

A 21° 7-wood is simply what we called a "5-wood" in the wooden wood era.

A 7-wood was about 24 to 28° back then, depending on whether the OEM offered a 6-wood or not.  [I know that Spalding Wilson, and Walter Hagen all offered 6-woods.]

That's when it really was a senior's or woman's club in most instances.

Now, it's nothing radical at all, but so many young players seem to think that it is.
Maybe it's due to the advent of hybrids.

 

Edited August 30 by RetiredBoomer

[Green4Spinach]

17 hours ago, RetiredBoomer said:

A 21° 7-wood is simply what we called a "5-wood" in the wooden wood era.

A 7-wood was about 24 to 28° back then, depending on whether the OEM offered a 6-wood or not.

Now, that's an interesting perspective. It looks like the current loft-hacking discussion in irons needs to stretch into woods too.

[Hoyoymac]

My bag set up has been Driver, 4 wood, 7 wood, 5 hybrid, then 5 iron for several years now.

Works well for me.

[Josh Parker]

I currently don't have one but have been keeping an eye out for a good used one to try out. 

[KevB_44]

The longer shaft has me curious.   

I used to have a "HeavenWood" that I played well with and I think that is a 7Wood with a 4 wood shaft.   The shaft was regular flex so i sometimes would snap it left if I wanted a little more out of it.  

I have a Ping 430 Max 3 wood and 7 Wood.  I popped the 3 wood shaft in the 7 wood and saw some towering long shots.   It has me thinking about upgrading the 3 wood shaft (I was considering the Accra TZ 6) and then moving the Ping Chrome into the 7 wood.   I think I will get 5 Wood distance with a 7 wood flight.   

I also have a Ping G430 3 hybrid (the first hybrid I have ever gotten along with) that along with the 3 and 7 woods would fit nicely between my Driver and 5 iron.   I get 250 or so out of the 3 wood and 200 from the 5 iron so perhaps adjusting the lofts a bit may give me the carry and flight options up top.   I play all the woods flat and I have the hybrid adjusted one degree strong.

Anyone else with any experience or thoughts on a 3 wood shaft in a 7 wood (of course I can trim 1/2 inch off of it as well but was thinking of keeping the length and choking down if I want less carry).

 

I appreciate any and all feedback.

[KevB_44]

On 8/29/2024 at 3:18 PM, ClarkWGriswoldIII said:

I have a Ping G425 Max 7-wood turned down one degree and with a 5-wood length shaft and love it.  It gets the ball out of gnarly lies, isn't as "hookable" as a hybrid and has a great trajectory and descent angle.  It's one of my favorite clubs.

 

[ClarkWGriswoldIII]

19 minutes ago, KevB_44 said:

The longer shaft has me curious.   

I used to have a "HeavenWood" that I played well with and I think that is a 7Wood with a 4 wood shaft.   The shaft was regular flex so i sometimes would snap it left if I wanted a little more out of it.  

I have a Ping 430 Max 3 wood and 7 Wood.  I popped the 3 wood shaft in the 7 wood and saw some towering long shots.   It has me thinking about upgrading the 3 wood shaft (I was considering the Accra TZ 6) and then moving the Ping Chrome into the 7 wood.   I think I will get 5 Wood distance with a 7 wood flight.   

I also have a Ping G430 3 hybrid (the first hybrid I have ever gotten along with) that along with the 3 and 7 woods would fit nicely between my Driver and 5 iron.   I get 250 or so out of the 3 wood and 200 from the 5 iron so perhaps adjusting the lofts a bit may give me the carry and flight options up top.   I play all the woods flat and I have the hybrid adjusted one degree strong.

Anyone else with any experience or thoughts on a 3 wood shaft in a 7 wood (of course I can trim 1/2 inch off of it as well but was thinking of keeping the length and choking down if I want less carry).

 

I appreciate any and all feedback.

That sounds like an interesting experiment.  I took a look at the shaft lengths for the G430s and the difference between the 3 wood and 7 wood is only an inch.  I have issues with consistency with a three wood (mostly PTSD!) but this sounds like it might work.

[Gripit]

15 hours ago, Hoyoymac said:

My bag set up has been Driver, 4 wood, 7 wood, 5 hybrid, then 5 iron for several years now.

Works well for me.

My set up last year was driiver, 3w, hybrids, 20, 24, & 28, then 6i etc...

I got hold of an old Ping G5 7w (21) and replaced my 20* hybrid.  So far this year, I've been very pleased with it.  Much more consistency now whereas the 20* hybrid was very inconsistent.  Higher ball flight and a little softer landing.  The 7w is in the bag for now!

[Dunni2010]

Interesting reading on bag set ups. I've never massively got on with my driver so looking at a 5w, 7w or a driving iron to replace it. Definitely food for thought. 

[BIG STU]

OH trust me I have been carrying the V-- Steel 7 wood since it was new some 20+ years now. I also have a V-Steel 9 wood I carry on occasion now. I was carrying a 7 wood when they were not cool

[BIG STU]

On 8/30/2024 at 8:40 AM, RetiredBoomer said:

A 21° 7-wood is simply what we called a "5-wood" in the wooden wood era.

A 7-wood was about 24 to 28° back then, depending on whether the OEM offered a 6-wood or not.  [I know that Spalding Wilson, and Walter Hagen all offered 6-woods.]

That's when it really was a senior's or woman's club in most instances.

Now, it's nothing radical at all, but so many young players seem to think that it is.
Maybe it's due to the advent of hybrids.

 

Macgregor offered a 6 wood too but like you said it is a Ladie's model. I have an original Louise Suggs First Lady Model. It is all original leather grip and all with cotton whipping. Now on the Macgregor Collectors Society on FB I have seen some MT 6 woods but I suspect those were custom jobs straight out of the Custom Shop

I have what I consider a more modern (as far as woods go) Spalding Elite 6 wood has the full coverage sole plate. I suspect it was made in the 70s or 80s.

Back in the day I carried a little Northwestern 6 wood. A pro friend of my old man's carried one and used it back in the day. He taught me quite a few shots with it. LOL I got the Old Man to order me one. I got some strange looks in those days because I did not use head covers. I carried a driver and an old Spalding 4 1/2 fairway and that little 6 wood. What was strange I am sure the fact I also bagged and could hit a Ping Eye2 1 iron. I think that little 6 wood split in like 2000 and so did the 4 1/2 wood. I did not switch to metal woods to like 02 or so. I was the last man standing on the SE Mini Tours playing persimmon. Somewhere around 02 or 03 I saw the V-Steel 7 wood in Martins golf in Surfside. I liked the way it sat, and I bought it's been in the bag ever since. 

[Lefty11]

I don’t carry a 7 wood because my 4 hybrid and I get along very well. It’s one of my most reliable clubs.   

[BIG STU]

2 hours ago, Lefty11 said:

I don’t carry a 7 wood because my 4 hybrid and I get along very well. It’s one of my most reliable clubs.   

Cool that is fine as long as it works for you

[Lefty11]

23 minutes ago, BIG STU said:

Cool that is fine as long as it works for you

I believe that different approaches work for different people. If you find that your 7 wood works well for you and helps you hit it straight, that’s fantastic!

[BIG STU]

1 hour ago, Lefty11 said:

I believe that different approaches work for different people. If you find that your 7 wood works well for you and helps you hit it straight, that’s fantastic!

Exactly the same thing I have always believed. I have always said there is no one etched in stone proper way to play this game whether it is the swing, equipment or era of equipment. Many ways to skin a Catfish as we say down South

Edited September 8 by BIG STU
Banana Fingers strikes again

[Lefty11]

7 minutes ago, BIG STU said:

Exactly the same thing I have always believed. I have always said there is no one etched in stone proper way to play this game whether it is the swing, equipment or era of equipment. Many ways to skin a Catfish as we say down South

Well put @BIG STU!

[sirchunksalot]

I'm with @Lefty11, I just hit my 4 hybrid so well that I can't imagine replacing it with a 7 wood. I think it's the smaller head profile gives me the feeling I'm going to be able to get it in the air without a problem.

 

[BIG STU]

28 minutes ago, sirchunksalot said:

I'm with @Lefty11, I just hit my 4 hybrid so well that I can't imagine replacing it with a 7 wood. I think it's the smaller head profile gives me the feeling I'm going to be able to get it in the air without a problem.

 

Now on "curb appeal" I love the looks of the old TM original Rescue and the old Adams "Peanuts" and OS hybrids. I can hit them ok (yes I have several) but do not have confidence or hit as well as the old V-Steels. I think part of it is in my head because I have had that V-Steel 7 wood so long and come to think of it I have had the V-Steel 9 wood about 15 years now. It is getting that time of year now I do not carry the 5 iron as far so I went into the shop today after my round and got the 9 wood and put it in the bag for tomorrow.

On newer hybrids I have seen some PXGs and I like the look and feel of those too. Have not actually hit one though

[Lefty11]

I have three hybrid clubs, each different brands. My 3 hybrid is a TaylorMade Rescue Dual, the 4 hybrid is an older Adams Boxer, and my 5 hybrid is a Tour Edge E522.  

[Donn lost in San Diego]

Titleist TSi 1  20 degree makes it a 7 wood these days.  Works for me.   I play where there is very little deep grass rough.  If not in the fairway, we deal mostly with hardpan or trees.  Or OB.   So a wood is useful more often than a hybrid.  My 2 hybrids live in the garage, not in the bag.  On other courses, I switch in one or both hybrids, especially a Mizuno JPX Hi-Fli 5 hy.