Usual 7 iron distances

[Valleygolfer]

Today I hit my 7 iron which is consistently 160 yards, a whopping 172 yards as per my gps. The was absolutely no wind, it was up hill and a rather high shot.

I had a distance of 150 ish and I thought a nice easy swing would get it to the green since it was uphill. This makes me nervous because it wasn't a miss hit of any sort.

[glbrum]

You probably just caught it really flush. I remember a shot a few years ago when I took an 8 iron to my normal 160 distance. I caught it EXTRA pure and, no joke, hit it an easy 190 over the green, bounced it onto the street and into the houses across the street. I wasn't even mad because I've never done that before and have yet to repeat it. It was probably a fluke for you so unless that starts happening more often I wouldn't start second-guessing your yardages.

[Valleygolfer]

  glbrum said:

You probably just caught it really flush. I remember a shot a few years ago when I took an 8 iron to my normal 160 distance. I caught it EXTRA pure and, no joke, hit it an easy 190 over the green, bounced it onto the street and into the houses across the street. I wasn't even mad because I've never done that before and have yet to repeat it. It was probably a fluke for you so unless that starts happening more often I wouldn't start second-guessing your yardages.

I hope that is the case. If it would have went any further today it would have hit a house.

[Zalfor]

you were probably relaxed and probably even hit it better because you didn't try to hit it hard. =)

[Chas]

When I almost don't feel the contact due to a very pure hit, I know to expect 10 - 20 yards too long. As with a 4-iron approach shot last Sunday (just started playing this club again rather than a hybrid). Nice little pin-seeking draw, my career 4 iron actually. Left myself a nasty little chip from the fescue behind the green .....

[joepro23]

I feel like every club has between a 10-15 yard variance depending on how you well you hit it (the gap gets bigger with the longer clubs). It's foolish to just pin one yardage number on each club. It's better to think of the usual distance range that each club has. Still, we all have had those shots that air-mail the green because we hit it much farther than expected for whatever reason. Maybe you had a flier lie.

[Chas]

True, but you have to estimate a certain distance for each club before picking one do you not? I take your point though - it's a distribution.

I can hit a 7i 160-165 yds when I get the whole thing right (not trying to heave it mind you, natural swing) but <10% of the time maybe. Median shot is 145-150. Fat, anything can happen. I play for the median of course, but maybe I should be more ambitious, play for 160 and take my licks until I'm trapping the ball properly.

Then again maybe not. I'm also trying to break 80 before I'm 60.

[joepro23]

  Chas said:

True, but you have to estimate a certain distance for each club before picking one do you not? I take your point though - it's a distribution.

Definitely, I agree. Every club has its distance range and the best players narrow that range down through repetition and feel. My 7-iron is 165-175, but I can break down a shot from various yardages in that gap and figure out how I need to "dial it up" to hit it pin high. 165, I need to take a little off; 175, I need to hit it flush, etc. The pros do this much better than I do of course.

[Paradox]

Its good to know the range for each club..and then you can play safely to the "best miss" that way..at least thats what works for me.

Lets say I have 165 to the pin...thats an 8 iron to the number on a great shot. If being short leaves me the better option, then I choose 8 and swing away. If going long is ok and a better option, better putting spot I go 7(170) and swing away. If I hit a "decent shot" I'm gonna be relatively ok, a great shot won't leave me in too much trouble and putting a good swing on it will probably leave me right around the pin.

I think its always best to play for your usual distance on any club and not start guessing "well if I hit this absolutely pure then it will go XX yards" or so on..

[joepro23]

  Paradox said:

Its good to know the range for each club..and then you can play safely to the "best miss" that way..at least thats what works for me.

Good point. I actually do consider my usual/normal distance with each club...which is the center of that range, and often play off that. I guess the whole distance range is just another consideration to factor in when picking a club. Also, as you said, it's important to take the whole shot into account, not just the yardage (pin position, bail out spots, uphill/downhill, ridges in green, etc). One club doesn't always work for the same yardage.

[sean_miller]

160-165 versus 172.

What's the problem here? Why is there a house on the back apron?

[NM Golf]

As some others have said club selection is more than just a number, there are other factors involved. Lie, pin position, even temperature. Higher handicappers probably don't need to worry about those things as just making solid contact is the goal.

[max power]

Mizuno MX-200 160-172 (play for 165)

MacGregor MT Pro-M 155-167 (play for 160)

Titleist 1982 Tour Model 148-160 (play for 153)

[Valleygolfer]

I do not discount the ranges, I just generally have 160-165 with my 7 on level lies. I was just surprised when I air mailed the green with that kind of yardage, which I would estimate at close to 180 if I wasn't going up hill.

Sean this hole is right by the subdivision's mailbox, it is a unusual part of the course because you have to drive on the road a ways before getting to it. It is a par three pinched in between some houses.

[James_Black]

My distances are starting to increase.
My 7i is now 140-145m (155-160 yards)
6i is around 150m (165 yards)
5i is around 160m (175 yards)

[dbuck]

I dream of hitting my 7 iron 170.

Actually, I dream of hitting my 6 iron 170!

[chef35ca]

150 yds. In the summer that goes up. The less i play it goes down.

[soloredd]

155 is my target distance for my 7 iron but I've hit it over 160 on a couple occasions. Twice it happened on a par 3 160 yards at my home course. Pin was playing 154 on GPS both times so I used a 3/4 swing and must have just let the golf gods take me away because both times my shot flew the green on the fly. I play my 7 iron on 150-160 shots, not factoring any outside forces.