7 wood vs. 3 hybrid

[buckethat72]

OP, I went through exactly this at a Titleist fitting last week - TSi2 3H vs TSi2 7 wood. Total yardage was comparable although 7 wood was more carry, less roll. I was amazed how much tighter the left/right dispersion was with the 7 wood.  It was just flat out more forgiving. Launched high, better landing angle which would have no problem stopping on greens. I was really happy to see such a clear result because honestly I thought it should go either way.  I have struggled with hybrid accuracy last 12 months so no more for me Ill be bagging the 7 wood along with my 4 wood. Regarding wind, if launch and spin are set up right with the shaft etc I dont see there being a problem and I can always drill one down there with my 4 iron if i need to.

[ThePolishDude]

I throw in my opinion.  I struggle will all hybrids. I used to gravitate more toward the 7 wood idea as well. I recently moved to a Taylormade GAPR Hi. I can easily launch this super high in the air and it is very versatile in different lies.  For me, this is the best option that plays more like an iron but gives the launch and carry closer to a hybrid.  Maybe something to try out. 

Edited April 10, 2021 by ThePolishDude

[SwingMan]

Do you want to keep the ball lower? Use a hybrid. 

 

Are you better with a shorter shaft? Use a hybrid

 

Are you better with a fairway type club but it seems big? - use a bigger headed hybrid. Examples? TEE EXS 19 or TEE C721 Hybrid - the head is fairway-like in terms of confidence and the reviews are great in terms of ball speed. Just like any club, needs the right shaft.

 

I think both clubs, 7 wd and 3H or 4H, are OEM shafted too long and usually too light in SW.

 

Hybrid - Not more than 1-1.25 inches more than your similar iron. Again, get a decent weight of shaft.

 

7 wood - Not more than 41-41.5 inches (okay, 41.75 and grip down) and get a decent weight of shaft - 75-85g and the right launch for you. I prefer 41 inches when I used a 7 wd. But with today's heads and shaft length (42-42.25), I'll end up with .5 inches less than standard and grip down.

 

You may have to use lead tape or purchase a weight screw to get your SW - don't let it bother you although lead tape may mute sound a bit. If too much, strip it off. But a little bit may add to your ball speed.

Edited April 13, 2021 by SwingMan

[Thrummyfox]

On 3/16/2021 at 9:13 PM, lefthack said:

I carry a 17* 5w and a 18* 3h. The distance for me is almost sport on at about 220, but am I looking to stick the landing, or do I want a runner? I might start carrying a 3i rather than the hybrid, though. I just got the 3i.

How do you get on with this? I am considering turning my 5w down to 16.5. And bring my 17* hybrid back to bag. 5w is pretty consistent 230 off tee now but still a bit hit and miss off the ground.

[SwingMan]

35 minutes ago, Thrummyfox said:

How do you get on with this? I am considering turning my 5w down to 16.5. And bring my 17* hybrid back to bag. 5w is pretty consistent 230 off tee now but still a bit hit and miss off the ground.

 

With that 5 wd off the deck, experiment (if you have not) by gripping down a bit - the standard club length is typically a tad long for humans to hit consistently off the deck. Play with ball position so you are hitting down slightly on the ball.

[Pepperturbo]

7 Wood is easier to hit for many, as opposed to 3-hybrid.  Lots of people carry hybrids too, but not many are that effective with them.  Even tour guys miss fairways with them...go figure. 

 

Sometime back I tested both those clubs but neither made my boat float, trajectory is too high.  Being from the old school, I am sticking with 3i = 190-200yds, and 2i = 210-240yds.

Edited April 10, 2021 by Pepperturbo

[nitram]

Here's a couple links, as requested.

[TheDeanAbides]

I've been playing around with an old Callaway Steelhead + 7 wood at the range. Man, I love this thing. It's pretty much the same distance wise as my old 21* hybrid, but has a little more height. I assume it's spinnier than a modern 7 wood, but I like that. 

[JungleJimbo]

On 4/11/2021 at 12:10 AM, SwingMan said:

 

With that 5 wd off the deck, experiment (if you have not) by gripping down a bit - the standard club length is typically a tad long for humans to hit consistently off the deck. Play with ball position so you are hitting down slightly on the ball.

“+1” w.r.t. shorter shaft on the 5wood. I’ve got a cobra f6 baffler 5wood (16* to 19* adjustable), which has a 41.75” length shaft (I’m guessing this is ~0.5” shorter vs ‘standard 5wood’? ie more akin to a 7-wood length?)

 

and a Plus4 MCC grip allows comfortably further grip-down where needed. I think this ease-of-use =might be the key to loving fairway woods off the deck. 
 

https://www.golfwrx.com/367792/cobras-king-f6-baffler-and-king-utility-iron/

 

 

Edited April 13, 2021 by JungleJimbo

[North Butte]

On 4/10/2021 at 12:15 PM, Pepperturbo said:

7 Wood is easier to hit for many, as opposed to 3-hybrid.  Lots of people carry hybrids too, but not many are that effective with them.  Even tour guys miss fairways with them...go figure. 

 

Sometime back I tested both those clubs but neither made my boat float, trajectory is too high.  Being from the old school, I am sticking with 3i = 190-200yds, and 2i = 210-240yds.

I definitely find a good 7-wood easier to hit straight, easier to get up in the air and to have a better ball flight than any 3-hybrid I've ever found. But being so long-shafted there is still a worrying tendency to get the occasional total mishit fat or thin, toe or heel. 

 

What I've found in the safer approach is to use some of these modern ridiculously large headed, wide soled, high MOI irons and opt out of the 7-wood/3-hybrid choice all together. I don't hit a 21-degree big-headed iron nearly as high or soft landing as I would a 7-wood but much more consistent contact due to the 2-1/2" to 3" shorter shaft. 

 

So on the one hand it seems kind of nuts for a 15hcp short hitter like me to be carrying "long irons" in the bag. Everyone knows I ought to get with the times and play a ultralight, long set of 3h/4h/5h (maybe even 6h?) and gain some distance and elevation right? But my scores are absolutely dominated by the effects of my awful shots.

 

Poking my weak little low-flight, running long iron shots toward the green might limit my upside a little but all it takes is a couple of OTT pull-hooked hybrid swings per round to cost me more strokes than I can possibly gain back with a little extra distance and elevation.

 

I do have an 18-degree 5-wood for when I need to get the ball up and out there farther than I'm ever going to hit an iron. But most of the time I still opt to leave it in the bag. If there's trouble in play left, right and/or long then I'd rather run a long iron up 10 yards short of the green from 190 yards than try to fly it all the way pin high with the 5-wood.

 

A man's gotta know his limitations.

[TheDeanAbides]

1 hour ago, North Butte said:

I definitely find a good 7-wood easier to hit straight, easier to get up in the air and to have a better ball flight than any 3-hybrid I've ever found. But being so long-shafted there is still a worrying tendency to get the occasional total mishit fat or thin, toe or heel. 

 

What I've found in the safer approach is to use some of these modern ridiculously large headed, wide soled, high MOI irons and opt out of the 7-wood/3-hybrid choice all together. I don't hit a 21-degree big-headed iron nearly as high or soft landing as I would a 7-wood but much more consistent contact due to the 2-1/2" to 3" shorter shaft. 

 

So on the one hand it seems kind of nuts for a 15hcp short hitter like me to be carrying "long irons" in the bag. Everyone knows I ought to get with the times and play a ultralight, long set of 3h/4h/5h (maybe even 6h?) and gain some distance and elevation right? But my scores are absolutely dominated by the effects of my awful shots.

 

Poking my weak little low-flight, running long iron shots toward the green might limit my upside a little but all it takes is a couple of OTT pull-hooked hybrid swings per round to cost me more strokes than I can possibly gain back with a little extra distance and elevation.

 

I do have an 18-degree 5-wood for when I need to get the ball up and out there farther than I'm ever going to hit an iron. But most of the time I still opt to leave it in the bag. If there's trouble in play left, right and/or long then I'd rather run a long iron up 10 yards short of the green from 190 yards than try to fly it all the way pin high with the 5-wood.

 

A man's gotta know his limitations.

I gamed the original Nike CPR hybrid in 21* for over a decade (that's the one I'm replacing). It's very low offset and I cut it down to the same length as my 3 iron before weighting it back up some. It was an absolute fairway finder and great on long par 3s/par 5s. I'm still not sure if the 7 wood will stay in the bag, but I'd have no problem putting the Nike back in. 

[theothertwo]

Noticed a resurgence of the 7 wood both on tour and among my golf buddies.  Still using a 21* hybrid matched with a 17* 4 wood.

[Lobber]

Tried a Cally Epic Speed 7 wood. No bueno for me and sticking with my 3 Super Hybrid

[nostatic]

36 minutes ago, theothertwo said:

Noticed a resurgence of the 7 wood both on tour and among my golf buddies.  Still using a 21* hybrid matched with a 17* 4 wood.

I’m somewhat flipped - have a 19* hybrid I love, added a 22.5* 7W to cover what would be 4H territory. Just got the 7, will have my second range session today to sort gapping.

[Jack Pearsall]

 

 

JP played for many years, in a time far away, a Mizuno TZoid Forged 21* 7 wood with S300. That line was JP's V-Steel. It was friggin' glorious. Tiny head, raised crown. It was like JP's sword! Still have it.

 

Took it to the range last week. Fun, but too high flying, the wind eats it up. Still...very exciting club. 

 

 

 

 

[theothertwo]

8 minutes ago, nostatic said:

I’m somewhat flipped - have a 19* hybrid I love, added a 22.5* 7W to cover what would be 4H territory. Just got the 7, will have my second range session today to sort gapping.

Tempted to add a 7 wood.  Maybe I'll find a cheap but good used one and experiment.

[r3www]

Just got a tsi2 7 wood with a tensei av raw blue 75s. It goes high and straight which should help with par 5s. Sometimes my hybrid would just come out too low with too little spin and roll through par 5s leaving uncomfortable downhill chips. Will probably swap it depending on the course as the hybrid works well on shorter par 4s since I get tons of run out.