7 wood vs. 3 iron - please no hybrid answers

[cfmgolf]

Everyone,
3 iron has not been treating me well lately and I am thinking about putting the old callaway 7 wood back in the bag. I currently carry a 16* hybrid which is a terrific club but a little to long for the 195 - 200 yard shot. I am looking for thoughts on making this change? Probably just on the short term as the 3 iron is important to me. If anyone is still playing a 7 wood please let me know your thoughts.

Thanks in advance for the info.

[zripp3]

Excellent timing for your question - exactly the same situation I'm having for those 190-210 par 3's...looking forward to reading others opinions.

[bogeyhitter25]

Go with a 7 Wood. I hit my woods so much better than I hit my long irons.

[Stacey_E]

I'm thinking a little about putting a 7 back in my next set makeup. I'm carrying a strong 5, 17* as my only wood and smoking it lately. One of my favorite clubs I ever had and got rid of was an original steelhead 7 wood. It was 20* just a little weaker than most 5 woods but with a shorter shaft.

I liked it off the tee and deck but not so much out of the rough. I didn't care though, because if I was a 7 wood distance AND in the rough, I did something serious wrong and should take my lumps. I would carry it about 180-185 and it released about 10-15 yards at most.

My 23* 4 hy%&^$ carries 170 and releases the same amount. I think that shows, for me anyway, the lower and deep center of gravity on the 7 wood means a higher stop and drop flight. I got the same release with a 20* 7 wood as with a 23* hy%^(. both in regular flex graphite.

I personally carry a 3 iron anywhere from 60-160 yards in any number of directions and it rolls at least 40 yards. Only good for a built in stinger shot or into a gailforce wind.

[drtbk933]

I play with a sttel shafted Dunlop 7 wood. I use it for the same reason you want to. It does the job, but I'd rather have an iron or hybrid so I could hit it out of the rough better and longer.

[Guest]

I use both because their flight is so different. 7 wood will only go straight and high. 3 iron will draw and fade and stay low.

To make room, I use Driver, 4 wood, 7 wood, 3-Pw, 54, 58 and putter.

[glebert]

I never played a 3i, but added a 7w last winter when the ground was so wet you couldn't hit an iron. Now it is my go-to club. Mine is about as basic as you get, a $10 Distance Master Pro Steel head on a shaft I pulled from an old Tommy Armour Driver.

[bobsuruncle]

If I had to choose between the 3I and 7W, there'd be no contest - 7W. But it really depends on whether you are a better wood or iron player. I am more of a "swinger" with a shallow (vs steep) swing path and that sets me up better for the woods vs the irons.

[Dub]

  joe2golf said:

I use both because their flight is so different. 7 wood will only go straight and high. 3 iron will draw and fade and stay low.

Sounds like a great set-up.

I'm not hitting my 1H like I'd hoped....may swap it out for a 7W....leaving me the exact same set as you are playing.

[ks8829]

7 wood are great, what is even better is learning to hit the 7 wood and taking something off the club so that you can hit the club 5-10 yards shorter when necessary.

What I do to take hit a club 5-10 yards shorter is ...........


1) open the club face and aim left of the target (right handed player)
2) choke down on the grip an inch or 2 and make the same swing
3) play a punch shot with an abreviated follow through

[Dub]

I don't do so well with opening the face and aiming left. I also don't do so well with punching at a wood.

I can grip down an inch and focus on simply swinging smooth and it will take off a clublength......usually.

[ks8829]

  Dub said:

I don't do so well with opening the face and aiming left. I also don't do so well with punching at a wood.

a punch is a regular swing with a shorten follow through and opening the club face you make a regular swing is something that you can try at the driving range, try it you might like it, I accidently discovered this swing myself when I was playing around with different shots and it works consistently for me now and it might for you also.