Replace 4 Iron with Hybrid or 7 Wood

[Twism86]

Hi all. My current bag has driver, 3W, 5W, 4i, 5i, etc. There is a bit of a gap between my 5W and 4i. My 4i is 20 deg and 5i is 23 deg, so the gap between them isn’t much either. I find myself rarely using the 4i as I never really flush it and would rather give the 5i a forward press to take off some loft and add distance as I hit that more consistently. I also tend to flush my 5W and hit it well when needed. A 3/4 swing gets the job done for hitting it a bit shorter.

I rented some clubs recently that had a 4 hybrid in the set and hit that well the few times I needed it. Given how well I hit my woods the thought of a 7 wood is also tempting as a 4i replacement. I am curious to how people feel an ~21 degree 4 hybrid vs 7 wood compared and which may be a better addition to the bag.

 

I also know the correct answer is to go to a PGA Superstore, hit my 5W and 5i, and then hit a 4h and 7W to see which fits the gap the best… I also have no real golf buddies so I figured I would use this forum as a sounding board because I just love talking golf tech!

 

Thanks!

Tom

[hook_or_slice]

59 minutes ago, Twism86 said:

Hi all. My current bag has driver, 3W, 5W, 4i, 5i, etc. There is a bit of a gap between my 5W and 4i. My 4i is 20 deg and 5i is 23 deg, so the gap between them isn’t much either. I find myself rarely using the 4i as I never really flush it and would rather give the 5i a forward press to take off some loft and add distance as I hit that more consistently. I also tend to flush my 5W and hit it well when needed. A 3/4 swing gets the job done for hitting it a bit shorter.

I rented some clubs recently that had a 4 hybrid in the set and hit that well the few times I needed it. Given how well I hit my woods the thought of a 7 wood is also tempting as a 4i replacement. I am curious to how people feel an ~21 degree 4 hybrid vs 7 wood compared and which may be a better addition to the bag.

 

I also know the correct answer is to go to a PGA Superstore, hit my 5W and 5i, and then hit a 4h and 7W to see which fits the gap the best… I also have no real golf buddies so I figured I would use this forum as a sounding board because I just love talking golf tech!

 

Thanks!

Tom

 

In your situation I would get a 7 wood to match your 5 wood.

[LBB]

Without knowing anything but what little you’ve posted about yourself, I’d recommend 7 wood…but just go somewhere where you can give it a try.  Only downside to 7 wood can be how high it launches if you already hit a high ball in general.  Some people see that as a huge benefit though.  
 

I have an array of clubs I can use in that spot including a 7w, 4h, and 4i.  What I choose to bag and what I take out depends on what course I’m playing and what type of shots I’m feeling comfortable with.  7w will almost always be in the bag and 4i is almost never in the bag for me.  4h can sneak in if I choose to take the 3w out.

[Twism86]

A high flying 7w would be a plus for me as I would be looking for it to hold a green when needed. The few times I have hit a 4h the flight seemed lower and penetrating. 

 

Unfortunately my 3/5w are Ping G400s so I cant get a matching one unless I get a G425/430. 

[gvogel]

Just now, Twism86 said:

A high flying 7w would be a plus for me as I would be looking for it to hold a green when needed. The few times I have hit a 4h the flight seemed lower and penetrating. 

 

Unfortunately my 3/5w are Ping G400s so I cant get a matching one unless I get a G425/430. 

I bet you can find a G400 7-wood somewhere.

[moostache]

If you can already deloft and hit a low ball with the 5 iron, I'd go 7 wood. 5 iron when you really need to keep it low, 7 wood holds greens from way out, plus is super versatile. I can chop it out of some light rough, hit it out of divots, fairway bunkers, and it's also a perfect tee shot for a few holes on my home course. I picked up a 425 used for cheap. I'd also recommend getting one that's adjustable. I play the ping at default loft in flat setting to keep it from turning over too much.

[Ben B]

21* Callaway UW?

[Twism86]

1 hour ago, gvogel said:

I bet you can find a G400 7-wood somewhere.

I have seen a few online but none in the condition I would like. my 3/5w were second hand as well but looked nearly brand new. 

 

55 minutes ago, moostache said:

If you can already deloft and hit a low ball with the 5 iron, I'd go 7 wood. 5 iron when you really need to keep it low, 7 wood holds greens from way out, plus is super versatile. I can chop it out of some light rough, hit it out of divots, fairway bunkers, and it's also a perfect tee shot for a few holes on my home course. I picked up a 425 used for cheap. I'd also recommend getting one that's adjustable. I play the ping at default loft in flat setting to keep it from turning over too much.

My 3w is 13.5* and 5w is 17.5*. If I go with Ping I will be looking for the 20.5* model (adjustable of course like my other two). 

[zap311]

I recently made this change. I went from a 5W/4i-PW setup to 5W/4H/5i-PW. I tested a 4H and in the fitting, it was going to close to my 5W at 21* loft, so the fitter adjusted it to 23* (Titleist TSR2) and the gapping was perfect. I could have gone 7w as well, but I felt like the hybrid was a bit more versatile and I preferred the shorter length.

[Pepperturbo]

LOL 4i and 2i are my favorite clubs, can't go down that path.  Rocks are struen all over the place.  

[Twism86]

18 hours ago, Pepperturbo said:

LOL 4i and 2i are my favorite clubs, can't go down that path.  Rocks are struen all over the place.  

My original set of irons started at 5i so I used to have an Adams Idea a1 4 iron "hybrid" it was called. It just looked like a big fat game improvement iron to me. I used to hit that well but I gave it away to a friend years ago. It was a nice fairway finder that I could hit out to 210 when needed. 

[FirePro]

I went this route with the Cally 21* UW (7 woodish).  if your not a high spin player than a 7 wood would work, I being a high spin player I went with the UW which is a lower spinning option

[vamosjackets]

If you start missing an iron in that spot, consider a utility iron like a Ping iCrossover or a Titleist U510.  They're irons, but have some extra tech in them to make them easier to hit and fly higher than a long-iron from a typical set. If you love the way you can play fairway woods, sure go with the 7W. For me, I have more control with irons, so I'm loving my Ping iCrossover 2-iron between my 3W and 4I.  It certainly flies lower than a fairway wood or hybrid would in that spot, but I don't mind that a bit for my game. 

[poor_putting]

I’m a big 7wood fan, currently have the Cally TD 7 wood. It’s not to useful in wind as it launches highhhhh but it come into greens incredibly soft.

[coops]

Get both in one club - the Callaway Paradym Super Hybrid 21 degree.

 

It's labelled as a 4H... but i refer to it as my 7 wood. It's bigger than a normal hybrid, or smaller than a normal 7 wood but with a shorter hybrid length shaft... and is fantastic. Be sure to give it a demo - all the titanium and carbon Paradym tech and performance in a good looking 7 wood (with Ventus blue as standard).

[AC-Golf]

20 or 21 degree hybrid would be my recommendation.  I prefer hybrids out of the rough vs fairway woods.  

 

I just built a 20* TSR1 "hybrid" that looks like a compact 7w.  So could go either way.  I think the right shaft makes a big difference.  I've been playing tensei white 90S shafts in my hybrids for years.  I get good carry and can hold greens.  

[onafriday]

I just added my second hybrid this year.  I’ve been a 3W /  19* hybrid / 4 iron guy forever. 
 

The key is finding the right type, loft and shaft combo.   I’m a high ball hitter so a low launch, heavier 22* fit the bill for that 4i spot.  
 

I really like having one wood-like hybrid and one iron-like hybrid.   Extremely predictable results.  Extremely confident.  
 

With the 4 iron, it was hit or miss.  I can hit it but not predictably.  With that second hybrid, man… I love my old man club. 

Edited May 5 by onafriday

[Nobody2]

With your 4i at 20* the 7w should be a good replacement assuming you could play it at 21*. I only have a 10-12 yard gap bt the 7 and 5 but only play one of them based on the course and they have a 2.5* loft difference. 4h is likely going to be lower peak height with less spin than the 7w. 

[karstens_ghost]

On 5/1/2024 at 3:23 AM, Twism86 said:

Hi all. My current bag has driver, 3W, 5W, 4i, 5i, etc. There is a bit of a gap between my 5W and 4i. My 4i is 20 deg and 5i is 23 deg, so the gap between them isn’t much either. I find myself rarely using the 4i as I never really flush it and would rather give the 5i a forward press to take off some loft and add distance as I hit that more consistently. I also tend to flush my 5W and hit it well when needed. A 3/4 swing gets the job done for hitting it a bit shorter.

I rented some clubs recently that had a 4 hybrid in the set and hit that well the few times I needed it. Given how well I hit my woods the thought of a 7 wood is also tempting as a 4i replacement. I am curious to how people feel an ~21 degree 4 hybrid vs 7 wood compared and which may be a better addition to the bag.

 

I also know the correct answer is to go to a PGA Superstore, hit my 5W and 5i, and then hit a 4h and 7W to see which fits the gap the best… I also have no real golf buddies so I figured I would use this forum as a sounding board because I just love talking golf tech!

 

Thanks!

Tom

 

That's really _not_ the answer.

 

A 7-wood is going to be higher flying and softer landing. A hybrid will be higher than your 4 iron, but not as high as the 7-wood.

 

It's not about gap so much as it is about the flight window you want. If you want to hit high bombs, take the 7w. If you want versatility and somewhat lower, more piercing shots, go hybrid.

 

But don't expect it to work based on a perfect gap. It'll be unlikely that it'll fit a gap perfectly. You might also fit a 9w better, but that's a real rainmaker.

 

If I knew nothing else than what you've put here, my suggestion would be a 4h so that you have a small head club to do the "rescue" thing. Putting out from behind trees, and hitting out of certain areas… even fairway bunkers if you dare. But if you do nothing else, find a club that you can hit well, and don't worry a ton about the gap. It'll work itself out.

[Greenie]

I have carried a 21* 7 wood and a 21*4 hybrid in my bag for years. A 7w for me is high, more carry and landing soft shot. My 4h is a lower penetrating shot with less distance.

[EKB]

I’ll echo several other comments - I considered use, gapping, and flights in figuring out the top of my bag.  It was really helpful for me to track which clubs I used and how on each hole of my home course (off the tee, long approaches to holes surrounded by hazards, etc).
 

Right now, the top of my bag is D, 5W, UW 21, 4H, 5i.  I dropped my 4i as the 5i does everything better and more consistently.  The gapping works but there are different flights for the UW and 4H (I have mine set at 22 degrees which gets the 7-10 yards gapping from the UW).  The UW flights high and lands softly, the 4H is more mid-launch/flight.  I’ve even started to carry a 5H (and dropped a wedge) as it flights differently and is a bit longer than my 5i.

[NZ315]

IMO the 7wood is not really a 4iron replacement. For me the 7wood is more of a 3iron. You should consider a 4hybrid or 9wood

[Yuck]

6 hours ago, NZ315 said:

IMO the 7wood is not really a 4iron replacement. For me the 7wood is more of a 3iron. You should consider a 4hybrid or 9wood

I would tend to agree, but the OP has a very strong lofted 4i.  My 3i is 21 degrees.  I also have a 7w, and what is in the bag depends on course conditions.  My 7w launch’s like a giant PW, and I can hit over stuff I could not dream about with a 3i.  But an mis with my 3i is far less likely to find trouble, other than on a forced carry near its limits.  If I could master a partial, lower flight 7w shot in my arsenal, I would carry it a lot more often.  Down wind in soft conditions it carries 25 yards plus beyond my 4i.  Into the wind, the gap may disappear altogether.  I need more skills.

[blades_are_life]

13 hours ago, karstens_ghost said:

 

That's really _not_ the answer.

 

A 7-wood is going to be higher flying and softer landing. A hybrid will be higher than your 4 iron, but not as high as the 7-wood.

 

It's not about gap so much as it is about the flight window you want. If you want to hit high bombs, take the 7w. If you want versatility and somewhat lower, more piercing shots, go hybrid.

 

But don't expect it to work based on a perfect gap. It'll be unlikely that it'll fit a gap perfectly. You might also fit a 9w better, but that's a real rainmaker.

 

If I knew nothing else than what you've put here, my suggestion would be a 4h so that you have a small head club to do the "rescue" thing. Putting out from behind trees, and hitting out of certain areas… even fairway bunkers if you dare. But if you do nothing else, find a club that you can hit well, and don't worry a ton about the gap. It'll work itself out.

excellent content

[noodle3872]

13 hours ago, karstens_ghost said:

 

That's really _not_ the answer.

 

A 7-wood is going to be higher flying and softer landing. A hybrid will be higher than your 4 iron, but not as high as the 7-wood.

 

It's not about gap so much as it is about the flight window you want. If you want to hit high bombs, take the 7w. If you want versatility and somewhat lower, more piercing shots, go hybrid.

 

But don't expect it to work based on a perfect gap. It'll be unlikely that it'll fit a gap perfectly. You might also fit a 9w better, but that's a real rainmaker.

 

If I knew nothing else than what you've put here, my suggestion would be a 4h so that you have a small head club to do the "rescue" thing. Putting out from behind trees, and hitting out of certain areas… even fairway bunkers if you dare. But if you do nothing else, find a club that you can hit well, and don't worry a ton about the gap. It'll work itself out.

Excellent write up! When I’m fitting customers, I ask about minimum carry distance they are seeking to achieve. Talking about gapping generally happens during the fit where the customer sees their carry distance bunch up with another club. Most times this happens frequently when testing 3w versus 5w especially off the deck. 

[lil'mike]

I carry both because as mentioned, two different shot shapes and uses for me.

[manima1]

Agree with others, the 7W is a bit hotter than a 4i not really a direct replacement.  

 

What irons do you currently play?  

 

Most manufacturers make a players distance line now, consider swapping in that version into that slot unless you are already playing players distance throughout the bag.  

 

I play Srixon 745s and for me moving to a "hotter" 545 in the 4i spot gave me the extra juice and forgiveness I needed to truly separate it from the 5i.  It can also play like a driving iron and when teed up you can get an extra 10 yards out of it.  

 

TM - P790

Titleist - T150 or even T200

Mizuno - Pro 225

Srixon - ZX5

etc... lot's of options regardless of manufacturer

[BirdieBob]

You need one of these!

P∙UDI | TaylorMade (taylormadegolf.com)